Eric Greif, former manager of Death and manager of, Death founder Chuck Schuldiner’s legacy, has passed. He was 59 years old. Death is considered to be among the most influential bands in heavy metal and a pioneering force in the extreme metal subgenre of death metal.
In an interview with Empty Words in 2002, Grief talked about his relationship with Schuldiner:
“In ’88, Chuck and I began speaking directly about management as we got along immediately like brothers. He was looking for a manager who would go beyond the standard business role and instead fight alongside him in the trenches. Chuck fed off what we called ‘channeled brutality’, and he liked the way I raged on his behalf.”
Eric had worked with Relapse Records to reissue Death’s catalog in a way that kept Schuldiner’s legacy pristine and relevant.
Greif discussed his efforts to preserve Schuldiner’s legacy in an interview with Metal Underground. He said:
“The partnership with Relapse was something that the Schuldiner family and I felt good about from day one, and the last five years have only proved that our instincts about them were correct. They are a fantastic bunch of dedicated people, and without each of them, these reissues could have turned into cranked-out schlock. I owe them everything. Plus I’m a little fanatical about my work, especially when I hold it so close to my heart as I do Chuck’s music, and the Relapse people have been able to deal with me. I feel that we’re totally united in what we’ve tried to achieve, and we’ve done it.
When I travel on the road with Death to All, which is the tribute band made up of former Death players that we use to publicize Chuck’s music, I meet so many young fans whose introduction to DEATH has been through the reissues,” he continued. “For them, it is all alive, new and exciting, and the reissues have done that. In many ways, Death is as happening and vital as it was back in the day, and that’s been the goal.”
I’ve said many times that I want Death to be as iconic and groundbreaking a brand as Metallica or Slayer, and when I travel the world meeting the cool fans of Death, I believe it has been achieved. Chuck would think it is fucking awesome.”
R.I.P. Eric Grief 1962 – 2021
