Taking Back Sunday drummer Mark O’Connell has left the band after 24 years, saying that it “wasn’t an easy decision” and not “entirely [his] own”.
O’Connell replaced original drummer Steven DeJoseph in the US band, following the release of their self-titled debut EP (2000).
The group underwent numerous line-up changes before landing on Adam Lazzara (vocals), John Nolan (guitar, vocals), Eddie Reyes (guitar), Shaun Cooper (bass) and O’Connell. Reyes departed TBS in 2018 due to “personal reasons”.
Yesterday (January 7), O’Connell told fans that he had quit Taking Back Sunday in a statement on social media.
“After nearly 25 years as the drummer of Taking Back Sunday, I want to confirm that I am no longer with the band,” he began. “It’s taken me some time to address this. Thank you for your patience as I’ve reflected on how to share my story.”
O’Connell continued: “First, I want to thank the fans – your love and support have meant everything to me. You’ve been the heartbeat of TBS, and a huge part of my life for nearly a quarter of a century. I owe it all to you.”
The musician went on to say that his “departure wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t entirely my own” before opening up about what had been going on in his life recently.
“Over the past few years, I’ve focused on my family and personal growth, including committing to my sobriety,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, during this time, I didn’t always feel the support I needed from those I thought of as brothers, and creative differences made it hard to move forward together.”
Looking ahead, O’Connell explained: “Speaking of, I’m excited to share that I’ll be releasing new music soon – both as a solo artist and with some old friends. I’ve poured my heart into this project, and I can’t wait to share it with you This is a new chapter for me – one of passion, creativity, and hope. I hope you’ll join me on this journey as we continue to be a part of each other’s stories.
“That said, I’m grateful for the incredible memories with each of my bandmates – and all of you, as well as all the opportunities along the way. I’m choosing to focus on the good as I move into this next chapter.”
He concluded: “Thank you again for everything. I’m proud of what we built together, and I’m even more excited about what lies ahead. With love and gratitude, Mark O’Connell.”
Taking Back Sunday are set to continue as a trio of Lazzara, Nolan and Cooper. The remaining members have not yet commented on O’Connell’s exit.
Ex-guitarist Reyes said that O’Connell had left TBS during an interview on the Caught On The Mike… podcast last November. “I just recently started speaking with Mark again,” he said, “who’s apparently… he walked away from… he’s not in the band anymore.”
Mark O’Connell performs live with Taking Back Sunday. CREDIT: Scott Legato/Getty
In other news, last month saw Taking Back Sunday perform with their former guitarist and singer Fred Mascherino for the first time in 17 years.
The band released their eighth and most recent studio album, ‘152’, in 2023. During an interview with NME that year, TBS said they saw the record as a confident step towards the future.
“We wanted to make songs that were true to who we are right now,” Nolan explained. “Naturally, that doesn’t include recreating anything from the past because that’s not who we are.”
He continued: “It does feel like we have to prove that it’s worth paying attention to what we’re doing now, and Taking Back Sunday isn’t just about something from however many years ago.”
The post Taking Back Sunday’s Mark O’Connell quits band after 24 years: “It wasn’t an easy decision, and wasn’t entirely my own” appeared first on NME.
