Brooklyn Drummer Jerry Fuchs Dies After Fall Down Elevator Shaft
- Posted on Nov 8th 2009 3:21PM by Liz Colville
- Comments (45)
Gerhardt "Jerry" Fuchs, a prolific drummer for bands including !!!, the Juan MacLean and Maserati, died early Sunday after falling down an elevator shaft in a loft in Williamsburg, Brooklyn late Saturday night.Fuchs, 34, had been attending a party hosted by the Uniform Project, which promotes sustainable fashion and raises money for education in India.
Fuchs and a friend were in an elevator in a converted factory used as loft space when the elevator stopped "somewhere above the fifth floor," the Buildings Department spokesman told the New York Post.
The pair opened the elevator door and attempted to jump a few feet down to the fifth floor. The friend made the jump, but a piece of Fuchs' clothing was caught on the elevator, "sending him swinging back into the crevice separating the elevator from the fifth floor," the Post writes.
Fuchs fell five stories to the bottom of the elevator shaft, where he lay "unconscious and unresponsive," reports Gothamist.
The musician was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition and died early this morning surrounded by "an entire waiting room of friends," according to Chunklet, to which Fuchs was a contributor.
Fuchs grew up in Marietta, Georgia, moving to Athens, then New York in the mid-90s, drumming for bands including Vineland and Turing Machine. More recently, he moved back and forth between Athens and New York, playing for the DFA bands !!! and the Juan MacLean, and replacing the original drummer in the Athens-based band Maserati. The first drummer, Mikel Gius, also died in a tragic accident in 2005 after being hit by a car while riding his bike.
Maserati had just wrapped up a tour for their September album, 'Passages.'
Fuchs is survived by his parents, a brother and two sisters, and, as Fuchs' friend and Chunklet publisher Henry Owings writes in a tribute, "an impressive canon of records on which he's performed, countless mouth-agape audiences in awe of his work, dozens of heart-crushed former bandmates, and an endless parade of true friends around the world."
Watch a video of Fuchs performing with Maserati at 40 Watt in Athens, Georgia earlier this year:
Reader Comments(1 of 3)
Dawnat 11-09-2009
Actually, there was a prominent fashion designer in her 50s who died in an elevator shaft fall in the 1990s.
Chikaat 11-08-2009
It is really hurt to lose one of the greatest drummers i've met. Jerry was a great man. My heart goes out to him and his family. He will always be missed and remembered.
Searsat 11-08-2009
What an amazing guy. I looked up to him. Rest well Jerry.
wendiat 11-09-2009
Unbelievable talent. May he rest in peace. And may others learn from his mistakes and drop the ridicule-what's the sense?
wendiat 11-09-2009
Amazing talent, may he rest in peace. and may others learn from his mistake, no matter what was going on with him at the time.
web jcat 11-09-2009
Wasn't really a dumb drunk stunt. If an elevator stops halfway up the door, it might be easy for someone to think "this is just a couple of feet, no prob, I can jump out". Prob. is there is a great big hole under the floor. It was a freak accident in an old funky bldg. His clothing caught. This happens more than you might realize in urban areas. Most get a broken ankle or leg.
Joseph Papierz Jrat 11-09-2009
No mention of drugs or alcohol in the article. I'm sure anyone else stuck in an elevator would have done the same thing. He was unlucky that part of his clothing got caught in the mechanisim and swung his body back into the opening between elevator and floor. He's is with God now and all the nasty people still have time to think about what they said before answering to God when it't their time to go.
Angelbaby77at 11-09-2009
I have no idea who this person was but my heart goes out to his family what a young age to lose a person so tragically. God bless you and your family RIP
anais-morrat 11-09-2009
Oh please; people like you with your unsympathetic commentary are partly responsible why this country (and the world as well) is going down the wrong way. You obviously lack reading comprehension. The drop did not kill this man; his clothing caught onto the elevator which caused his death. Its almost like scaling a fence--five stories is not a far drop. Try having some compasion next time jack ass!
I was fortunate to have seen !!! a few years ago in NYC when Jerry Fuchs was playing with them and he was an amazing drummer. My deepest sympathies to Mr. Fuch's family, friends, and contemporaries who were graced by his talent. In a day and age when music is dominated by people who manufacture music, it is a shame when a musical talent looses his or her life, especially at such a young age.
DreamerGigglesat 11-09-2009
"The drop did not kill this man; his clothing caught onto the elevator which caused his death. Its almost like scaling a fence--five stories is not a far drop."
Do you really think that getting his clothes caught is what killed him instead of the slamming into the ground after a 50 foot drop?
Have you ever tried to jump out of a 5 story building? It's one hell of a drop.
DMat 11-09-2009
Hey anus-more, The elevator was stopped, he got his clothes caught and swung back under the cab, and he fell five storey. That's 60 feet. you're the one that lacks reading comprehension. why don't you go look off a five storey building and see you think you could survive that kind of a fall. Oh and yes, the proper way to spell it is storey.
Brenda1962at 11-09-2009
This is a tragic accident. I pray he was ready to go and that he didn't suffer. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that knew him and loved him. May he rest in peace.
cannotbelievethisat 11-09-2009
WOW - such a freak accident! I've never heard of this young man, but from the posts he must have been quite remarkable... my condolences to his family... at least now, he will stay among the stars for eternity.
Celesteat 11-09-2009
He was a great drummer, my prayers go out to his family, he will truly be missed.
brownmarkat 11-09-2009
this sure confuses me because there's another band called Maserati...they used to record for Prince's label Paisley Park Records
victoriaat 11-09-2009
IT SAD BUT I WILL WAIT FOR HELP WHY TAKE THAT RISK.
Rayat 11-09-2009
Wasn't there one of those police shows where a young mucician "fell" down an elevator shaft in a loft like this situation, then it turned out he was pushed?
Now I know he was not pushed, but it is errie life imatating art like that.
dickymucksat 11-09-2009
by your grammar your the one who needs an education! Freak accidents happen everyday! And for the rest of you miserable haters, just because someone is in the entertainment industry or a band, don't apply your prejudice and assume they were drunk or high.
cp8967at 11-09-2009
It is very dangerous to try to get out of a stuck elevator this way. A few years ago, a young woman got stuck in an elevator in a high rise in Pittsburgh. Friends were trying to help her get out of the elevator which was stopped up above the floor. As she tried to get down WITH HELP from her friends, an elevator moving down in the next shaft created a terrible downdraft which literally pulled her down into the shaft. She and her friends were at work and completely sober, so do not jump to conclusions about this terrible accident. If you get stuck in an elevator, wait until the technicians can move it properly to a floor. Better to be stuck for a few hours than to die from a fall.
Billy Bobat 11-09-2009
Live and Learn (if you are lucky).
I have been in this situation before. The best thing to do is wait for help. I waited for about 5 minutes and then jumped. I, personally, would do the same thing again.
My advice to the "leapers": First, take your trench coat/loose clothing off and throw it out. Then leap out quickly with enough momentum that, if you fall, it will be away from the opening. If you aren't willing/able to leap out quickly; don't try it - you might be cut in half if/when the elevator restarts.
My advice to the "spectators": Don't try and help the passenger out or catch them. Allow them to leap out quickly and only interfere if they appear to be falling back toward the hole.