Rock Drummer Eric Cougrand Dies in Middle of Concert

11/15/2022 08:18 am EST

Eric Cougrand, the drummer for rock band Smashing Burritos, has died. Cougrand passed away on Friday, Nov. 4 of a suspected heart attack after he collapsed on stage during a Smashing Burritos performance at the Terrasse de Marseillette in France. He was 58. Cougrand is survived by a 12-year-old daughter.

The beloved drummer's passing was confirmed by his band just hours after he collapsed onstage. In a statement shared to Smashing Burritos' Facebook page, the group informed fans, "Yesterday in Marseillette, in the middle of the second set, after a great solo, Eric collapsed on his drums..... neither the people present nor the firefighters nor the samu could revive him." The statement continued, "RIP my mate, we miss you so much. You should already jam with Jerry Garcia and Duane Alman."

According to local outlet Midi Libre, Smashing Burritos had been performing for a small crowd of about 40 people. It was during the penultimate song of the set at around 11:30 p.m. local time that Cougrand suddenly collapsed on stage. Concertgoers immediately rushed to his aid and began to provide first aid. They also rushed to retrieve a defibrillator, though the device was not working. When first responders arrived at the scene, they continued life-saving measures, but they were unable to resuscitate Cougrand, who was pronounced dead. It is believed that Cougrand, who had a history of heart disease, suffered a heart attack on stage.

As news of his passing spread, many in the music industry took to social media to pay tribute to the famous drummer. On Facebook, the Thé Troc venue remembered Cougrand as "a drummer but also a great bass player. To those musical qualities, he added a real graphic designer talent. Thus we owe him one of the first business cards of the Thé-Troc and he always took pleasure in making the posters Ferid imagined for his showcase." Meanwhile, Richard Faucheraux wrote, "RIP. Eric Cougrand. Died suddenly behind his drums at the end of a concert Friday night. There were no recall. I'm so happy to see you in the future."

Cougrand's funeral took place on Nov. 10. Following the service, Smashing Burritos thanked "everyone who sent us a message," vowing that "the band will resume after a short break, our music will continue, rich with the impression it has left."

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