When the members of Minneapolis pop-punk band the Crush started playing together in 1999, singer/guitarist Jason Miller said they spent many a night "hammering away" on songs.
"Some were OK, and some were not," recalled Miller, later of the Evening Rig, in one of the many Facebook postings and other tributes online this week mourning the loss of his former Crush bandmate Andrew Richardson.
"It was Andy who would push us to keep going. Push us to be something bigger, louder, faster. Not just as a band, but as individuals. … I'm forever in debt for the way he forced me to hear differently, see life differently.
Richardson, 36, was declared missing Monday when he didn't show up for his longtime job at ZVEX Effects, a guitar-pedal maker. He was found dead Tuesday in Minneapolis. The cause of death has not been named, but comments from family and friends have pointed to it being suicide. He is survived by his wife of seven years, Marisa "Moe" Richardson, and their 3-year-old son, Bronson.
Moe Richardson opened up on Facebook, too: "I am so lucky to have had almost 12 years with my man," she said. "I am heartbroken that Bronson only had 3. Andrew loved all his friends and family so much. He would help anyone at anytime. Our plan was to send the rest of our life together raising Bronson."
With Richardson as a guitarist and co-vocalist, the Crush earned a national underground buzz and a record deal with Adeline Records, run by Billie Joe Armstrong and his Twin Cities-bred wife Adrienne. They went on to open a U.K. tour for Green Day, including a gig at Wembley Stadium. The 2002 photo of the band below shows Richardson at far left.
Richardson performed in several other bands of local note, too, including the Book of Dead Names, Start: Destruct and the Dirty Hits. He was fondly remembered by other musicians from the early-'00s punk scene for his wit and supportiveness, including Sean "Har Mar Superstar" Tillmann and members of Motion City Soundtrack.
Tillmann posted on Facebook: "Andy was a loving person that touched many of our lives. Never anything but cool. Depression is real. Affects me too, in a real way. No explanation necessary. Just wish I could've been there in some way."
