A member of the Melbourne band Electric Jellyfish and his photographer wife were killed in an early morning motor crash in Ohio.
Hayden Sweeney, 23, and his 26-year-old American wife Bridget died when the band's van crashed on a highway in Olmsted Township around 5:40am yesterday. American reports suggest that they swerved to avoid a deer before the van careered into concrete barrier.The band were on their first tour of America, and were travelling from Detroit to New York. Both of the deceased were wearing seatbelts. Three other band members - bassist Adam Camilleri, guitarist Michael Beach and drummer Pat Lias were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A note:
We were shocked to arrive at the office this morning to this news, and express our deepest condolences to all those involved and affected.
I conducted the last interview with the band before they headed across to the States for their DIY escapade. It was a road-trip/tour, funded entirely by the band members themselves, and the boys were cheerfully embracing a come-what-may attitude.
"We figured if we ended up playing to one drunken local in the middle of nowhere it'd be worth it, so we took a gamble," Hayden said.
Missives from the band over the last few weeks suggested they were having an absolute blast. Adam wrote last week, "Denver tomorrow!!! In Utah at the moment. Fucking amazing scenery but not much to do once the sun is down. We're on the lookout for Mormons."
They weren't indulging in some pre-packaged version of the rock and roll dream. They had no grand ambitions of taking over the world, rather they simply wanted to experience it.
All our thoughts are with Adam, Michael and Pat, and the families of those whose lives have been lost.
