Following a recent battle with cancer, Government Issue vocalist John Stabb has sadly succumbed to the disease. He passed away Saturday (May 7).
The classic DC hardcore act broke the news on Facebook last night, writing, "It is with heavy hearts that we have to announce that at 7:43 p.m 5/7/16 our comrade John Stabb Schroeder lost his hard fought battle with stomach cancer. Our hearts go out to his wife Mina. Rest in Power, brother, there will never be another."
Stabb served as the founding vocalist of early hardcore act Government Issue, fronting the group from 1980 to 1989, only to reunite with the band for some shows in the 2000s. Over the years, the group also included Minor Threat's Brian Baker on bass and future Jawbox member J. Robbins on guitar.
As previously reported, a GoFundMe campaign had recently been raising money to "assist in life expenses while John heals and goes through his cancer treatment." A benefit show was even set to take place tonight (May 8) at Black Cat in Washington, DC, with Thurston Moore, J. Robbins and GIVE all set to perform. The concert will still take place, however, but now as a memorial tribute.
Government Issue wrote in another statement: "John Stabb, as you may know, just finished his long battle with cancer on Saturday evening. It didn't end the way we hoped it would, and he didn't want to leave us. As always, whether it was in a band, or in this last battle, he brought a lot of people together. Tomorrow night will be a chance for us to remember that, thank him, thank his wife Mina, for all she has done, 24-7 to help him through this, and to celebrate his life. And thank everyone who put together this incredible show! Hope to see you there."
You can learn more about that event here.
Tributes have already started coming in for the fallen musician, including one from Superchunk/Mountain Goats drummer John Wurster, who wrote:
A true punk legend went on to his next phase tonight. Had the pleasure of seeing John Stabb work his magic in the '80s and as recently as last November (this is him on the right in Chapel Hill). He hadn't lost one iota of fire and passion in those thirty years. John sat in with Superchunk on a couple GI songs in 1999 at the Black Cat and my main memory is of how insanely intense his performance was. But then after the show he was just a regular, unassuming guy cracking jokes and telling stories. Just a great dude. Stir it up on the other side, JS! Love to Mina Devadas.
The classic DC hardcore act broke the news on Facebook last night, writing, "It is with heavy hearts that we have to announce that at 7:43 p.m 5/7/16 our comrade John Stabb Schroeder lost his hard fought battle with stomach cancer. Our hearts go out to his wife Mina. Rest in Power, brother, there will never be another."
Stabb served as the founding vocalist of early hardcore act Government Issue, fronting the group from 1980 to 1989, only to reunite with the band for some shows in the 2000s. Over the years, the group also included Minor Threat's Brian Baker on bass and future Jawbox member J. Robbins on guitar.
As previously reported, a GoFundMe campaign had recently been raising money to "assist in life expenses while John heals and goes through his cancer treatment." A benefit show was even set to take place tonight (May 8) at Black Cat in Washington, DC, with Thurston Moore, J. Robbins and GIVE all set to perform. The concert will still take place, however, but now as a memorial tribute.
Government Issue wrote in another statement: "John Stabb, as you may know, just finished his long battle with cancer on Saturday evening. It didn't end the way we hoped it would, and he didn't want to leave us. As always, whether it was in a band, or in this last battle, he brought a lot of people together. Tomorrow night will be a chance for us to remember that, thank him, thank his wife Mina, for all she has done, 24-7 to help him through this, and to celebrate his life. And thank everyone who put together this incredible show! Hope to see you there."
You can learn more about that event here.
Tributes have already started coming in for the fallen musician, including one from Superchunk/Mountain Goats drummer John Wurster, who wrote:
A true punk legend went on to his next phase tonight. Had the pleasure of seeing John Stabb work his magic in the '80s and as recently as last November (this is him on the right in Chapel Hill). He hadn't lost one iota of fire and passion in those thirty years. John sat in with Superchunk on a couple GI songs in 1999 at the Black Cat and my main memory is of how insanely intense his performance was. But then after the show he was just a regular, unassuming guy cracking jokes and telling stories. Just a great dude. Stir it up on the other side, JS! Love to Mina Devadas.
