LÄÄZ ROCKIT And DUBLIN DEATH PATROL Bassist Willy Lange Dies Aged 57
October 23rd, 2018
 Lȧȧz Rockit 1984 (l-r): Phil Kettner, Willy Lange, Michael Coons, Aaron Jellum and Victor Agnello |
 |
Willy “Lange” Langenhuizen, bass player of San Francisco, California-based thrash metal band Lääz Rockit, passed away on October 23rd at the age of 57. The musician died from serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
Lääz Rockit vocalist Michael Coons posted the following message on his official Facebook page: “In shock… the important thing is to honour Willy and his family at this time. I will get back to all of you when I’m able to… too difficult right now to do so, please understand.”
Meanwhile, former Testament and current Trauma bassist Greg Christian offered the following words via social media: “Rest In Peace Willy Lange!! I’m still kind of in disbelief. I haven’t seen him in about five years but I always liked Willy. He was cool. It sucks I won’t see him again.
“Also, I want to say, Willy got Legacy [pre-Testament] our first real show back in ’84… The Stone with Lääz Rockit and Slayer. I’m thankful and appreciate that Willy did that for us. And never forgot. It was a good thing. Anyway, I’m still stunned here and don’t know what to say. Except this is sad news. Truly.
“Rest In Peace Metal Brother / Bass Brother!!! Rest In Peace!!!”
Willy Lange joined Lääz Rockit in 1983 and appeared on the band’s first four full-length studio albums – City’s Gonna Burn (1984), No Stranger To Danger (2005), Know Your Enemy (1987) and Annihilation Principle (1989) – before departing in late 1989. Lääz Rockit went on to record a fifth album, Nothing’$ $acred, without Lange in 1991 but split-up the following year. Willy Lange reunited with his former bandmates when Lääz Rockit reformed in 2005 to perform at the Dynamo Open Air festival in the Netherlands. A new Lääz Rockit studio album featuring Lange, Left For Dead, would eventually appear in July 2008.
In 1986, Lange auditioned for Metallica following the tragic death of Cliff Burton, a position that would later be filled by Flotsam And Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted.
Lange was also a founding member of Dublin, California-based thrashers Dublin Death Patrol alongside Testament frontman Chuck Billy. Dublin Death Patrol issued two studio albums, 2007’s DDP 4 Life and 2012’s Death Sentence.
Former Lääz Rockit drummer Victor Agnello died on June 1st, 2014 at the age of 50 following a battle with leukemia.
