REM Drummer Bill Rieflin Has Passed Away Aged 59

Mar 25, 2020 by apost team

Bill Rieflin, the drummer of the legendary band REM, has died aged 59 following a battle with cancer. 

His bandmate Robert Fripp, with whom he played in the band King Crimson, confirmed the sad news on Facebook earlier today. 

Rieflin was an immense talent, having played with multiple bands and musicians including Nine Inch Nails’ Chris Cornell and Robbie Williams. 

REM also released a statement regarding his death earlier today on Facebook. The statement was written by the band’s frontman, Michael Stipe, and featured two photos with the late drummer.

"Bill sent me this picture last week of him and Lenny Kaye earlier this month when the Patti Smith Group were in town and they got to hang out,” Stipe wrote. 

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“He was elated to see such great friends and gather at his favorite weird Chinese-American diner,” he added.

“A forever memory is decades old, when I first met Bill at a late-night Policeman’s bar in Seattle, sat at a greasy table drinking scotch, and we listened to ‘Birdland’ off the jukebox in reverent silence and awe. 

“His attentiveness to that song then and there indicated a lot to me about what it would be to work with Bill— which commenced to create some magical and beautiful collaborations and life long friendships.”

Tributes for Rieflin have since poured in from musicians galore. Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, who was also a friend of Rieflin’s, posted a tribute to the drummer on Twitter:

“So sorry to hear of Bill Rieflin passing away,” Novoselic wrote. “A straight-up person and an excellent musician.”

Ministry, another one of the many bands with whom Rieflin played, also posted a tribute to the drummer on their Facebook page.

“Today we lost a wonderful artist, tremendous human being and an integral part of Ministry’s developments and success,” their status reads. “Safe travels my brother on the way to your next universal gig. R.I.P. Bill Rieflin.”

Rieflin started off his career in music in his native Seattle in the 70s, when he started playing for The Telepaths and The Blackouts. He later joined Ministry in 1986 and REM in 2003. He left REM in 2011 before joining King Crimson as a keyboardist.

News of his death was revealed in a post by his Kind Crimson bandmate Robert Fripp, who revealed he learned of Rieflin’s death through his widow.

“A call from Tracy Rieflin in Seattle. Bill Rieflin flew from this world c. 18.50 Pacific, 18.50 UK. Tracy told Toyah and me that the day was grey, and as Bill flew away the clouds opened, and the skies were blue for about fifteen minutes,” he wrote. “Fly well, Brother Bill! My life is immeasurably richer for knowing you. Pal Susan Silver has just sent us this pic from our visit last November…”

Our condolences go out to the Rieflin family.