Q #1,838: From Sacramento, CA, he played drums for Rollins Band from 1998 to 2004.
A.
When the Golden Gods Awards inevitably start handing out ‘The Lemmy Kilmister Award for unfaltering grind and dedication to the spirit of rock and roll,” they need to posthumously give that award to Jason Mackenroth.
After Henry Rollins produced Mackenroth’s band Mother Superior, which had formed in 1989, he recruited multiple members of the group to play in Rollins Band. Jason joined in 1998, recording multiple studio albums, live albums, EPs, and compilations accompanied by four world tours. After departing in 2004, Mackenroth would not only go on to form his own project where he moved out from behind the kit to the frontman position, he would find himself playing drums in Blue Man Group for eight years in Las Vegas, NV.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago, Mackenroth battled his disease without missing a beat. He lived to play, and he continued to play all the way up until the end of his scheduled run with Blue Man Group last month, on Christmas Eve, before passing away on January 3rd at the age of 45.
Said to be a perfectionist when it came to his playing, he would treat every live performance like a studio session, attempting to insure the greatest performance each and every night. This was still his approach after years of dealing with his illness, and while treatment may have taken a toll on him otherwise, his playing never faltered. He fulfilled his duties, business as usual. A day of treatment would end with time behind the kit as if nothing had happened. I can think of nothing more Lemmy – nothing more rock and roll – than playing all the way down to the last note and going out doing what you love. I can’t help but feel like in a game where we ultimately all lose, that this particular passion and attitude allows you to win. Call me a ‘LIAR.’