Transaction Report: Craig Myers Leaves Rubblebucket To Focus on Barika / John Neff Quits Drive-By Truckers

It’s late in the year for lineup changes, but that hasn’t stopped two musicians from leaving the bands for which they’re best known. Percussionist Craig Myers has left Rubblebucket, while multi-instrumentalist John Neff has unexpectedly quit the Drive-By Truckers.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]

Myers has left the employ of HT faves Rubblebucket to focus on his own band – Barika, according to a report by Brent Hallenbeck of the Burlington Free-Press. After more than five years in Rubblebucket, when on the road “Myers missed the band that he leads back home in Burlington, the West African-inspired Barika.” According to Hallenbeck, Myers’ last gig with Rubblebucket took place on September 6th. Rubblebucket begins a two-night stand at Higher Ground on Sunday while Barika plays Nectar’s on Saturday.

In a surprise move, pedal steel/guitarist John Neff announced his departure from Drive-By Truckers in a terse statement on his Facebook page, “Today I quit the Drive-by Truckers. Thanks for all the friendships. Let’s keep in touch” as reported by Jambands.com. The Truckers kick off a three-night New Year’s run at Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club in just two days.

UPDATE: Paterson Hood of the Truckers has issued a statement…

Y’ALL:

As I guess most of you have heard or read by now, John Neff has left Drive-By Truckers. Effective immediately.

I was actually first informed by my sister who was up earlier than me and read it on Facebook. In all fairness, he did send me an email saying he was quitting his “job” and wouldn’t be going with us to DC this weekend a few minutes before he posted it, but I was attempting to sleep in.

Kind of a sad way to end a sixteen year relationship, but we’ve all known that things have been strained on that front for over a year now.

He made no mention of future plans, a player as fine as Neff will have no trouble ever finding work. He would be an asset to whatever situation he applied himself to. We certainly appreciate the incredible work he’s done with us and as I said, we wish him nothing but the absolute best.

DBT will continue onward, as we always do.

There are no plans to try to replace John. I’ve never considered anyone ever to be replaceable in this band. We have constantly changed and morphed and this will be no exception. We always say, play every show like it’s your last, it could be.

But not right now.

DBT is making definite plans towards starting a new album in the spring and I’m always excited about recording new songs and seeing where that leads the band.

This band has been a big part of my life for nearly 20 years. It’s never been a job to me and I’d rather quit and move on than have it ever be that. We’re a big, sometimes dysfunctional family, but we’ve always drawn strength from each other and the big glorious noise we make. I always try to treat every new year as a new beginning and this will certainly apply this weekend.

Onward and forward and may everyone have a safe and prosperous 2013.

See you at The Rock Show.

Yours Truly,

Patterson Hood

Drive-By Truckers