Modest Mouse’s Jeremiah Green Dead at 45

Modest Mouse and the band’s fans are mourning the passing of drummer Jeremiah Green after his death at 65. The band recently shared that green was undergoing treatment for cancer and was diagnosed only a short time before the reveal.

“Some of you may have already heard, but I figured it would be good to hear the news directly from our camp. Jeremiah was diagnosed with cancer a short while ago, and he’s currently in treatment,” the band’s statement read. “It seems to be going smoothly and making a positive difference. Jeremiah, as am I, are believers in the power of positive energy, so if you would be so kind as to send “good vibes”( to quote Jeremiah) in the direction of Jeremiah and his family, that’d be great.”

The band revealed the tragic loss in a follow-up post, dropping shortly into the New Year. “I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah,” the post opens. “He laid down to rest and simply faded out. I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people.”

“Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given and will get,” the statement continued. “Above all, Jeremiah was about love. We love you.”

Green co-founded Modest Mouse with frontman Isaac Brock and bassist Eric Judy in Washington back in the early ’90s. Their first album was This Is a Long Drive for Someone Wit Nothing to Think About in 1996. The Lonesome Crowded West would follow, giving the band more success and helping them move from indie label Up Records to major label Epic.

The Moon & Antarctica would follow with more success, though Green would leave the band due to what Pitchfork calls a “nervous breakdown.” This would help to inspire the band’s biggest chart hit, “Float On” from their fourth album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News. According to Pitchfork, Brock says that Green’s short exile from the band helped give him inspiration for the song. Green also explained his absence to NME, echoing something that swept over a few people at the time.

“I felt like something bad came into me-not bad, but like a spirit…. I started acting really rebellious…. I was out for trouble. I was really anti-war and if [other people] weren’t down, I would just go nuts-weird revolutionary type stuff. I was like, ‘I’m gonna do something about this Afghanistan war! It’s bulls-!’” Green told the outlet.

He rejoined the band in 2004, recorded with the band on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, with Johnny Marr from The Smiths joining the group. Green would be with the band, appearing on the band’s 2015 comeback Strangers to Ourselves and then 2021’s The Golden Casket. Rest in peace.