Steve Grimmett, heavy metal singer, and Grim Reaper member, died on August 15, at the age of 62. Russ Grimmett, his son, broke the news on social media. He stated:
“We can’t even begin to express how we feel right now.” However, since Dad was so well-known, the news is reaching us sooner than we would have wished. Unfortunately, our father died today, leaving a huge void in the world and our hearts. We are really devastated. Dad, get some shut-eye. We love you always xxx.”
Steve Grimmett was best known as the lead singer of the British heavy metal band Grim Reaper, who came to notoriety in the 1980s with albums such as Fear No Evil and Rock You to Hell. Grim Reaper split up in 1988, but reformed in 2006, with Grimmett being the sole permanent member.
All about Steve Grimmett
Grimmett, who was born on August 19, 1959, was a member of a band called Medusa before joining Grim Reaper. The band rose to prominence in the 1980s thanks to three albums, multiple hits, and MTV exposure. They did, however, dissolve in 1988. After that, Grimmett briefly joined the British thrash metal band Onslaught. The Steve Grimmett Band followed, with Ian Nash, Chaz Grimaldi, and Pete Newdeck. The band changed its name to Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper in 2006 and has continued to play under that moniker ever since.
They also recorded Steve’s solo album, Personal Crisis, in 2007 and issued a limited edition live EP, Live in Europe, in 2011. In 2013, the band performed at the British Steel Festival in London and the Heavy Sound Festival in Belgium. Walking in the Shadows, their first album was released in September 2016. Grimmett’s other endeavors include Sanity Days, a band created in 2011 by Steve and former Onslaught members. At numerous festivals, they used to perform songs from Onslaught’s famous album, In Search of Sanity. They then played at the first International Day of Heavy Metal event in December 2012, with Severenth and Twisted State of Mind.
Steve produced and recorded the British grunge-metal band Burnthru’s latest album, Faithless, in 2013. In March 2015, Sanity Days released a new album titled Evil Beyond Belief. Steve had to have his right leg below the knee amputated in January 2017 due to an infection. He began walking again with a prosthetic limb in April of that year and returned to the stage in July of that year.
“Blasting Grim Reaper tonight”: Twitter users pay homage
When news of Grimmett’s death broke, Twitter was swamped with poignant tributes:
Aw, man. RIP Steve Grimmett.
See you in hell, my friend. pic.twitter.com/YDVXfDHaNP— Brian O’Neill (@NYC__Native) August 16, 2022
Aw man, RIP Steve Grimmett. Whatta voice. pic.twitter.com/8TctDoty02
— Adrien Begrand (@AdrienBegrand) August 16, 2022