Bolt Thrower, the band from Coventry famous for assaulting ears and their uncompromising work ethic, were confronted with bitter news earlier this week. On 14 September 2015 their drummer Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns passed away, just as the band were gearing up for one more expedition on Australian ground. The reasons are still undisclosed. Bolt Thrower state:
“With the heaviest of hearts, and still numb from shock, we have to share the very sad news that on Monday 14th September Bolt Thrower lost our powerhouse drummer, Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns. After the first rehearsal for our upcoming tour of Australia, Kiddie suddenly felt unwell which continued throughout the night, and the next day he passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was a fantastic Dad, husband, son, friend, but to us he was always ‘Kiddie’, the same 17 year old Coventry kid whose drumming style and personality blew us away when he first walked into our rehearsal room 20+ years ago. Kiddie enriched our lives, and the Bolt Thrower sound. He leaves a massive hole in the lives of everyone who knew him and will be very sorely missed by many. Karl, Jo, Baz, Gav & the loyal BT crew”
Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns first joined the band after the release of the monumental …For Victory (1994) and left just before the release of the shredding Mercenary (1998). He then returned in time for Bolt Thrower’s last two albums, Honour-Valour-Pride (2001) and Those Once Loyal (2005). His memory will certainly ring like a canon every time these albums play. He was only 38.
