Craig Aaronson, a longtime music industry executive who signed Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, At the Drive In and Against Me!, among others, has died, reportedly from brain cancer. If you’ve listened to alternative or rock radio in the last twenty years, you’ve undoubtedly heard many of the bands Aaronson championed. When at Capitol, he signed Jimmy Eat World, and then went on to Warner Bros. and Reprise, where he signed Glassjaw, The Used, and as he explained in a 2004 interview, Avenged Sevenfold:
I just signed a new group that’s on an independent label called Avenged Sevenfold. I’m doing that together with Andy Olyphant. We’re going to put out the record next year, but we’re really excited. They’re doing very well and are a good example of something that’s really been built up on the underground [level]. They’re on Hopeless Records right now, and we’re hoping to market that record a little bit with Hopeless. The record will sell over 100,000 records on an independent label, which is great for us.
More recently, he’d been working with Hundred Handed, the label that put out Coheed and Cambria’s most recent album, The Aftermath: Descension. Tributes are pouring in from the likes of Gerard Way, Coheed and Cambria, Razor and Tie’s Mike Gitter, Laura Jane Grace and others. It’s sad to see someone go before their time, especially someone that’s had so much impact on so many people’s lives. Condolences to Aaronson’s friends and family.
Rest in peace Craig. You gave us fire, hope, and love. Thank you.
— Scare-ard Way (@gerardway) October 30, 2014
The world lost one of the kindest men I know today. You’ll be missed, Craig. pic.twitter.com/HMFYyL5XUP
— Claudi-GHOST? (@claudioPsanchez) October 30, 2014
[via Alternative Press]
