ninehertz

1. • soph_alunah
   • Hi all, it's been donkeys years since I posted here, but seeing as this is how I met Ben I thought I'd put something up. I can't see anything about it so far so apologies if there's already a thread. As most of you probably know, Ben from Mage and Outburst passed away at the weekend and it's really floored me. Outburst supported Catacomb Records when we set it up, and Outburst played some of Alunah's first gigs. We used to chat lots about music and design, and we kept in touch throughout the years, although not very much in the last couple of years. I saw through Mage's page that he celebrated his birthday and wedding last week too. If any of his family, band members and friends are on here, my thoughts are with you all. He really was a lovely lovely man. xx
   • [13:33 on 12/08/15]
2. • Jack
   • I saw this, it's very sad, he was a big part of helping out with ninehertz gigs, posters etc back in the day. So close to him getting married etc too, I feel for his family and friends
   • [13:44 on 12/08/15]
3. • soph_alunah
   • It's just horrible and very sad. We had such a lovely time at Bloodstock catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, that it really bought it home to not leave it so long between seeing friends...
   • [13:50 on 12/08/15]
4. • Pete
   • Well said Soph.
     
     It was a real shock when I found out. As I posted on Facebook Ben was one of the first people on this site, and when this forum was alive with hundreds of posts weekly he was an ever present. He reviewed for us (listed here), designed flyers for us and created our circular logo. He even put gigs on under the ninehertz name.
     
     I met him several times, including in Leicester for a Truckfighters gig and three times when Outburst played for us in Sheff. I had great, animated chats with him each time about doom and more.
     
     As Chris from Witch Hunter pointed out, he was always generous with his time and talent to help the doom and stoner scenes he loved, working with WH, ninehertz and as you both say above lending a hand, artwork and more, wherever he could, for free just because he wanted to help.
     
     Sadly the forum here is not like it was, with my slackness in the middle years and probably more pertinently Facebook generally reducing the need for forums. But I have fond memories of when it was so busy, when you logged in at lunch at work to see thirty threads with new content and mad discussions over music and other stuff going off on crazy tangents, and then the associated catch ups in real life with these people you'd never met before but just knew. Many of you reading this will have been a part of that and understand, and I think we probably all have that connection with Ben, and that something has gone from those memories.
     
     More importantly of course, I and ninehertz send our commiserations to those in Mage and Ben's family.
   • [15:09 on 12/08/15]
5. • Ollie
   • I was truly gutted to hear about this. Ninehertz put us on when we did our first out of town gigs way back in 2005 and Ben was there with Outburst. Outburst were great, but with Mage Ben really stepped it up a notch and it was great to catch up with them when we finally played with them last year.
     
     I always found him to be a bit of a gentle giant; a really friendly, funny yet unassuming kind of guy.
     
     When I heard the news I felt pretty shocked and hollow, then to find out he had recently got married, celebrated his 40th and that he had a child totally brought home how savage his loss will be to a lot of people.
     
     I suggest you all stick on some Mage and raise a beer or two.
   • [15:17 on 12/08/15]
6. • soph_alunah
   • Even better said Pete. A lot of the people I know now are as a result of this forum, it was a massive platform for emerging bands, but like you say, Facebook has overtaken that somewhat. It was the only forum I was part of, due to it not having the arses that other forums had. Ben was a big part of it and it's such a tragic loss, at what should have been an exciting time in his life.
   • [15:24 on 12/08/15]
7. • Hopkins
   • As pointed out by Pete, he did so much of the design/layout for the label, it was unreal. All for the odd free t-shirt. Such a generous bloke. We used to message each other a few times a week, and I'm still in shock over it, and can't get my head around referring to him in the past tense
     
     Pretty mental that we all know each other for well over a decade back when we posted on the Kerrang and Metal Hammer forums
     
     Anyway, I found a Spotify playlist Ben made, so pour one out for a brother lost
     
     play.spotify.com/user/hopkins666/playlist/5hVGChkrwVRQh8RtES8...
   • [12:24 on 13/08/15]
8. • mike
   • It's shocking to see someone we've had as part of this family leave us so young.
     
     I'm still feeling very mortal reading about him here, like I said on Facebook, we lost someone very important to the website last week. RIP.
   • [19:14 on 13/08/15]
9. • Carey
   • Devastating news, such a huge loss. Can't imagine how his family must be feeling. I hope he knew how important he was to people.
   • [15:33 on 16/08/15]

Forums - Music Discussion and Promotion - Ben Aucott (Mage & Outburst)