Could Makh Daniels death have been prevented?

It seems like every year, we lose another metal musician due to a van rollover or a band member is seriously hurt in a wreck. Today was no different and it could have been prevented. Should The Funeral Pyres booking agent be responsible for Makh Daniels death? It was The Funeral Pyres tour and their booking agent who handled tour routing. One look at the bands touring schedule and you can see why the vans driver fell asleep at the wheel. The band had just appeared in Salem Oregon at an outdoor fest on August 1 and had to make the trek down to Reno, NV for a show some 550 miles away. Of course the band never made it to the show in Reno and now the bands vocalist is dead. The band was looking to do the impossible. Try taking a van and trailer loaded with gear over 550 miles in a single day. Their van was towing a trailer full of gear and people. Driving through all the mountainous roads in Oregon and the Sierra Nevadas, they are easily looking at a 12-14 hour drive without stops. For a distance like this, there should have been an off day with no performance for travel or even better routing. Where was the common sense on the part of the bands booking agent? Of course hindsight is 20/20 and I am sure the band approved of the routing as small bands can't survive with days off as it means no income for that day. How many more members of our metal family must die before something is done?

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Tags:  early graves, makh daniels, the funeral pyre  

Jason Fisher    August 02, 2010