Manchester Orchestra Drummer Tim Very Dies at 42
Tim Very, the drummer for the Atlanta-based indie rock band Manchester Orchestra, has died, the band announced on Saturday, . He was 42 years old.
The band shared the news on social media, expressing their devastation at the “sudden passing” of Very, whom they described as “the most beloved human being” any of them were lucky enough to know. “We’ve all been dreading sharing this news as we are all still in absolute disbelief,” the band wrote in a statement.
Very joined Manchester Orchestra in 2011, becoming the group’s longest-serving drummer after four previous drummers. He first played with the band in London, during the UK leg of a tour supporting their album Simple Math. He reportedly threw up during that first performance, but told Alter The Press it was because he was living a dream. “I can talk about it for hours, but I’ll just say this is what I’ve always wanted to do and these are guys I’ve known for a long time. It’s the best.”
Born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, Very began playing drums as a teenager, influenced early on by Dave Grohl and Nirvana. He recalled in a 2022 podcast interview with Drummers On Drumming that he didn’t start playing until his teenage years, unlike many drummers who begin as children. “It took me a little while to kind of find my identity. I instantly knew that this was something I was going to be doing for a long time.”
Over the past 15 years, Very contributed to three of Manchester Orchestra’s studio albums: 2014’s Cope, 2017’s A Black Mile to the Surface, and 2021’s The Million Masks of God. The band released the EP The Valley of Vision in 2023 and is preparing to release a live album, Union Chapel (London, England), in March.
Beyond his work with Manchester Orchestra, Very was a versatile musician, working as a session musician and producer. He was also a co-founder of Super Canoe, a Georgia-based production company.
Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull, Chris Freeman, and Andy Price remembered Very as someone who was “instantly likable” and interacted with everyone he met with “kindness and warmth.” They described his laugh as “infectious” and said he had a way of making people feel “invited and encouraged.” “He had an undeniable light that was only matched by his dedication and love for the craft that he was clearly put on earth to do. No words can ever do him justice,” the band stated. “Please know, if you are someone who loved Tim, he loved you too.”
No cause of death has been reported.
