Jeremiah Green death: Modest Mouse drummer dies aged 45, days after stage four cancer announcement

Jermiah Green, the drummer of Modest Mouse, died “peacefully in his sleep” on New Year’s Eve (31 December). He was 45.

The band announced news of his death on Sunday (1 January) on social media.

Green’s death follows days after his mother announced in a Facebook post that he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

“Please send healing vibes for my son… who is battling stage four cancer” wrote Carol Namatame on Christmas day (25 December).

Confirming the musician’s death on Instagram, his bandmates wrote: “I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah.

“He laid down to rest and simply faded out. I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people.”

They continued: “Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given, and will get. We love you.”

Green’s mother also announced news of her son’s death, writing on Facebook: “It is with a very heavy heart that the Green and Namatame families announce the passing of their husband, father, son and brother, Jeremiah Green.

“Jeremiah, drummer and founding member of the Issaquah based band Modest Mouse, lost his courageous battle with cancer on December 31. He went peacefully in his sleep.”

She went on to call Green “a light to so many” and asked for privacy at this time.

Green, who has been an ongoing member of Modest Mouse bar a brief hiatus between 2003 and 2004, began the group’s recent tour but was forced to leave early due to his illness.

He was one of the founding members of the US rock band together with frontman Isaac Brock and bassist Eric Judy. The group formed in 1993 in Washington.

The band are most famous for hits such as 2007’s “Dashboard” and 2004’s  “Float On”.

Their first album This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About was released in 1996 and has since become a cult classic.

Their 2000 album The Moon & Antarctica was similarly well received, going on to become Modest Mouse’s first record to chart on the Billboard 200.

Green took a brief hiatus from Modest Mouse in 2003, during which he released a self-titled debut with his band Vells.

In 2021, the drummer reflected on his hiatus from the band. He told NME: I felt like something bad came into me –not bad, but like a spirit…. I started acting really rebellious.… I was out for trouble. I was really anti-war and if [other people] weren’t down, I would just go nuts –weird revolutionary type stuff. I was like, ‘I’m gonna do something about this Afghanistan war! It’s bulls***!”

He rejoined Modest Mouse in 2004, and the group recorded their 2007 album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

Green also played on their 2015 album Strangers to Ourselves and 2021’s The Golden Casket.