R.I.P. Makh Daniels

Makh Daniels of the local band Early Graves was killed in a tour van accident this morning. The band, along with tour mates The Funeral Pyre, were on their way from Oregon to San Francisco for the final show of their month long U.S. Tour. They were scheduled to celebrate the end of the tour tomorrow night at Sub-Mission on Mission Street; Umlaut was planning to be there.

I saw Early Graves perform and met Makh at least once that I can remember... but I knew him more via the friendship and bond that was expressed towards him and Early Graves by mutual friends in other bands. Bands like Early Graves tour their asses off under shitty conditions that aren't so different from what Rollins chronicled in Get In The Van. They tour because it's what they love and their music is their passion... even if the rewards might not be great or even recognized.

Early Graves... Makh on the right..

For what it's worth, all the best to the rest of Early Graves and The Funeral Pyre and to their friends and families. Ironically, Makh is featured in the current issue of Decibel in a great article written by Umlaut Nation friend Cosmo Lee titled "Streetwise San Francisco". Click HERE to download a PDF of the article. Of course, Umlaut will forward any future information about this as it becomes available.

To the rest of you reading this, be safe out there... especially my band friends.