Derek Grant, popularly known for being the drummer of Alkaline Trio for more than two decades, has announced that he would be departing the band; find out below why he decided to part ways with his original group.
Taking to the band's official Instagram account, the musician said he's having "mixed emotions" about his exit as he had been with the group for a long time.
Further explaining his situation, the drummer continued, "the demands of being in a touring band have become increasingly difficult in recent years."
Although the decision was hard for him, he thought it was the best thing for himself and his mental health.
Derek Grant Thankful to Fans, Manager, and Alkaline Trio Bandmates
Grant later expressed his gratitude to those who supported the band throughout his run as he considers them as "the best fans in the world" and he's thankful to those whom he had gotten to know in the past.
Blair Dickerson, his manager, was brought up in the statement as he wanted to thank him for handling him and being a good friend.
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In the last part of his message, it appears that the tone of his writing shifted into being emotional as he thanked his bandmates, Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano.
"Most of all I want to thank Matt and Dan for 22 amazing years — I got to travel the world playing music with two of my best friends and the bond that we share can never be broken," he wrote.
Derek Grant Might be Leaving Alkaline Trio But He's Not Retiring
Even though the musician gave his final message to Alkaline Trio fans as a drummer, it appears that the musician is not retiring from the music industry completely.
Towards the end of his statement, Derek Grant revealed that he would focus on "production music and visual art."
He also promised his supporters that they haven't heard the last of him.
According to Key J, the musician had played the drums for the band throughout his two-decade run. He was involved in several projects such as "Good Mourning" in 2003, "Agony and Irony" in 2008, and many more.
The outlet noted that he became a member of several bands prior to joining Alkaline Trio. He previously performed with Thoughts of Ionesco, Gyga, and more.
