Manchester Orchestra shared news today that longtime drummer Timothy Very has passed away at the age of 42.
Timothy Very, the longtime drummer for the indie rock band Manchester Orchestra, has passed away at the age of 42. Members Andy Hull, Robert McDowell, and Andy Prince took to social media earlier today (February 15) to confirm the news and eulogise their friend and bandmate.
“The entire Manchester Orchestra family has been devastated by the sudden passing of our brother, Timothy Very,” the band wrote on X / Twitter. “The most beloved human being any of us were lucky enough to know in this life. We’ve all been dreading sharing this news as we are all still in absolute disbelief.”
“Tim was instantly likable and interacted with everyone he met with kindness and warmth. His laugh was infectious and he immediately made people feel invited and encouraged. His humour and energy were the very foundation that held together the entire MO universe.”
“We love you Tim, thank you for loving us. You are a force of positivity that will be a constant presence in the rest of our days.”
Very would play his first show with Manchester Orchestra in Camden, London, in 2011. He’d speak to Alter the Press the following day, saying that “I threw up during it. It’s been awesome. I can talk about it for hours, but I’ll just say this is what I’ve always wanted to do and these are guys I’ve known for a long time. It’s the best.”
The late drummer befriended Manchester Orchestra bassist Andy Prince at a young age while living in Pensacola, Florida. Very would go on to meet Manchester Orchestra frontman Andy Hull early in their careers and become a trusted fill-in member for the band. Very would also help sell merch for the band at shows.
He would officially join the band in 2011, recording on the band’s third album, Simple Math.
In a podcast shared on Manchester Orchestra’s Patreon, Very discussed his start in music and how his optimism helped him eventually land his dream role with the band. “It sounds so trite when you’re young, when people are like, ‘Believe in your dreams!’ But some of that is true,” he’d share.
“If you actually believe in yourself and are willing to just bite down on the dream and go like, man, I’m gonna hang in here. Whatever it is, whatever you’re doing out there — it doesn’t have to just be music — this can go across the board for anything. You can make it happen. It just won’t happen the way you thought it would.”
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