RIP Benjamin Curtis (of School of Seven Bells, Secret Machines)

Benjamin w/ School of Seven Bells at LPR in 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

School of Seven Bells member Benjamin Curtis, who was diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma earlier this year, has unfortunately lost his battle with cancer, reports Dallas Observer. He died last night in New York at the age of 35.

Benjamin was a member of UFOFU in the ’90s with his brother Brandon, and after that he drummed in Tripping Daisy, formed Secret Machines with his brothers, and then formed School of Seven Bells with Alejandra Deheza of On! Air! Library! in 2007. The band was active up until this year, playing shows and releasing music, most recently 2012’s Ghostory LP.

Many artists played tribute shows for Benjamin over the course of this past year, including Blood Orange, Exitmusic, Rewards, Paul Banks, Albert Hammond Jr. and others.

Rest in peace, Benjamin. You’ll be missed.

Read an official statement from School of Seven Bells along with a video below…

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OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS

Dear friends,

Last night, Dec. 29th 2013, we lost our friend and brother Benjamin Curtis to his fight against cancer.

While we had hoped to delay this announcement until a more suitable time when his friends and family could feel better prepared and settled to greet any correspondences from folks attempting to reach out, unfortunately the news has prematurely leaked. So we felt it would be appropriate to at least offer an official acknowledgement from us, in light of all the fans who loved and supported Benjamin and his music.

We kindly ask that his immediate family, friends & bandmates’ privacy be respected during this time, and that instead, any inquires, well wishes, or notes-of-consolation be sent through School of Seven Bells’ management, where it can be shared with them at the suitable time. They can be sent to a special e-mail address here: [email protected]

If relevant, further information will be made available through the suitable channels in the near future.

We can’t thank all of you who supported him and his music through the years enough. All of you who attended or participated in the various benefits in and around New York City over the past year since his diagnosis, and of course those who contributed and gave generously to help support him throughout that journey. You made it possible for all of us, and for him, to see how truly loved he was and how many lives he had touched through his music by your gestures. We will all miss this incredibly talented and rare person every day, but we are fortunate enough that he shared with us his music, and that is something that we can keep forever.

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