(SOUNDBITE OF NEW FOUND GLORY SONG, "HEAD ON COLLISION")
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Finally, today we remember the musician Chad Gilbert, who died this weekend. He was a founding member and lead guitarist for the pop punk band, New Found Glory, known for songs like this one, "Head On Collision."
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CHAD GILBERT: What's up? I'm Chad. I play guitar for the band.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Gilbert did many interviews over the years. One stands out. In 2002, just a few years after the band formed, it was the subject of a behind-the-scenes documentary called "The Story So Far." And the project offered a glimpse of an early Chad Gilbert and what made him remarkable, according to his bandmates.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "THE STORY SO FAR")
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #1: Chad.
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #2: Chad's a great guy, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #1: Chad, let's talk about Chad, rapping about Chad.
DETROW: Here's drummer Cyrus Bolooki.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CYRUS BOLOOKI: He gets called Dad a lot of times. He does, like - he does handle a lot of the business in this band. He makes the phone calls. He talks to people. So I do respect him for that, but at the same time, you know, he can act like a little kid. He seriously can.
SUMMERS: Gilbert was 17 years old when he helped start the band in 1997. Several of his bandmates noted both his paternal maturity and his playful spirit.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #1: He's like, this little boy in, like, a man costume. He likes wrestling.
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #3: He likes wrestling. So if you want to bring him cool stuff, he likes The Rock. Bring him presents - keychains of The Rock, posters, shirts, tank tops.
GILBERT: What?
UNIDENTIFIED BANDMATE #3: He loves wrestling dolls.
GILBERT: I have wrestling toys.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY FRIENDS OVER YOU")
NEW FOUND GLORY: (Singing) I'd still pick my friends over you.
SUMMERS: His guitar playing and songwriting also featured in hits like "My Friends Over You," on 14 studio albums and when New Found Glory played major stages and festivals around the world for decades.
(SOUNDBITE OF NEW FOUND GLORY SONG, "WHEN I DIE")
DETROW: In 2021, Chad Gilbert announced he had liver cancer, then earlier this year, in March, that he had brain cancer. Just before that, he had spoken with the podcast "It's Not A Phase" about balancing his music with his medical treatment.
(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, "IT'S NOT A PHASE")
GILBERT: I would go to the studio, record guitar tracks, go to my hospital appointment, get a heart scan, and then I'd record guitars, and I'd do immunotherapy treatment, back to the studio.
SUMMERS: His wife, Lisa Cimorelli, and his bandmates announced that he died on the morning of Sunday, September 20. Chad Gilbert was 45 years old.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHEN I DIE")
NEW FOUND GLORY: (Singing) That I should wait to grow up. Some things don't go always as planned. At least you didn't, didn't feel a thing. No, you didn't - didn't have to feel a thing. No, you didn't feel. When I die, I'll be fine 'cause I know you're always there. When I die, I'm all right 'cause I know you'll be there. You are home. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
