This weekend American independent music lost one of it’s greatest drumming talents, and many in New York, Atlanta, and elsewhere lost a true friend and exuberant, buoyant spirit. Jerry (Gerhardt) Fuchs died early Sunday morning from an accidental fall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

For the better part of the past two decades Jerry lent his drumming skills to a number of influential indie bands, including Atlanta’s The Maritans, Brooklyn’s Turing Machine, and most recently !!!, The Juan Maclean, and Maserati. For those who had the honor of hearing his music and, especially, of seeing him perform live, he will be remembered as one of those rare musicians whose ability moved from mere mastery into the realms of the the ecstatic and transformative.

He was also a gifted designer and illustrator, and a truly wonderful person. I am honored to have called him a friend. Godspeed.

New York Times
A 2008 Village Voice article on Jerry
A remembrance from Henry Owings at Chunklet