Hum Drummer Bryan St. Pere Dead at 52

Bryan St. Pere, who played drums for the alternative rock band Hum, has died. St. Pere’s death was confirmed by band members Matt Talbott, Tim Lash and Jeff Dimpsey, who said they “are devastated and deeply saddened” in a statement shared to social media on Thursday. St. Pere was 52. A cause of death was not given.

In the Thursday statement, the Hum bandmates said, “It is with very heavy hearts and tear filled eyes that we share the news that our beloved friend and bandmate, Bryan St. Pere, has passed away.” The statement continued, “We are devastated and deeply saddened by his sudden, and unexpected passing.” Talbott, Lash, and Dimpsey remembered St. Pere as “a dear friend, a loving father, brother, and was an incredible person and musician.” They said they “feel extremely lucky to have shared time and space with him” and sent “peace and love to all who knew Bryan, and those he touched.” The band ended the statement by saying they will “miss him dearly.”

The Champaign, Illinois rock group was co-founded by Talbott in 1989. St. Pere joined the group just a year later following the departure of its founding drummer, Jeff Kropp. In 1991, Hum released its first studio album, Fillet Show. Lash and Dimpsey joined the band before Hum released its follow-up, 1993’s Electra 2000. The group found commercial success with the RCA-released You’d Prefer an Astronaut, featuring the signature single “Stars,” in 1995. “Stars” was the band’s highest-charting song ever, reaching number 11 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 28 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, according to the Daily Mail. Hum released one more album, 1998’s Downward Is Heavenward, before they disbanded.

Following the band’s split, St. Pere started a new career in the healthcare industry, though he continued to play drums, joining the Indiana-based band Amblare and working with Steakdaddy Six and Castor. Although he sat out Hum’s 2015 reunion tour, St. Pere rejoined Hum to record the group’s 2020 album Inlet.

Amid news of his death, dozens of tributes have poured in on social media to St. Pere. In an Instagram post, Polyvinyl Record Co., which worked with Hum on the release of Inlet, said they “are extremely shocked and saddened to hear about the unexpected passing” of the drummer. They said St. Pere “was a truly genuine and down-to-earth person who infused every interaction with disarming candor and effortless humor.”