BC-based musician Bill Crook — the former bassist of Spiritbox and longtime member of Living with Lions — died last week, his friend and fellow musician Kai Turmann confirmed publicly at the request of Crook's mother. At the time, Spiritbox's record label Pale Chord asked fans to give the band "time and space to process their loss."
Now, Spiritbox have made a brief tribute to Crook, who played with them from 2018 to 2022 and was a part of their star-marking debut album, Eternal Blue.
"We'll remember you forever," the metalcore group, now composed of Courtney LaPlante, Mike Stringer, Josh Gilbert and Zev Rose, wrote. "We'll miss you forever. We'll love you forever, Bill."
Over the weekend, LaPlante posted an Instagram tribute to Crook, writing, "I loved you. I love you. I always will." Stringer likewise shared a number of photos of himself and the late musician together with the words, "I'll miss you. Thank you for being my friend, and my brother. I love you Bill."
Vancouver pop-punks Living with Lions also honoured Crook on Instagram over the weekend, writing the following:
If you're reading this, chances are Bill has had an impact on your life in one way or another.. through his music, maybe a passing "hello" or if you were especially lucky, through his friendship.
He was a rare kind of person. The kind of person that transcended boundaries, barriers and whatever seemingly stood in the way of connecting with others. People loved him almost immediately and he would return that love unconditionally
I've never met anyone that had as many fans, friends and loved ones as Bill did.. it was a remarkable thing to bear witness to.
What is there left to say in a moment like this? When so many people we love and he loved feel so much despair and sadness. It's impossible to put into words, yet here we are.
We lost one of our best friends .. a family member.. and we will never be the same again
Scrolling through our phones has been difficult the last few days.. seeing the outpouring of love and grief is as touching as it is heartbreaking and only serves to further prove how many people his life touched and how loved he really was.
And as I sit here trying to find the right words.. cloaked in a blanket of grief and pain.. I think to myself.. if there's anything that we could possibly take a little solace in.. even just a speck.. it's the consequences of the life he lived. The love and admiration, the smiles and joy he brought to so, so many people.
Every one of us that experienced even a tiny piece of him, have that piece forever. It's in all of us and it always will be. It's one of the greatest gifts he could have ever left behind.
There's a lot of Bill in the world today.. we're all unimaginably lucky for it.
And we'll take him with us wherever we go.
We love you so much Bill