There’s been a hell of a lot of loss over the past year, as the combination of COVID and loneliness continues to converge in a self-serving ouroboros of misery and suffering with no end date in sight. As we shamble along in the indefinite darkness, the alternative scene is also still coming to terms with the tragic passing of I Killed The Prom Queen/Deez Nuts member Sean Kennedy, known to most as SK. Few felt the impact of SK’s death quite like his closest friends, including his long-term collaborator and by all accounts partner in crime, JJ Peters.
Today, JJ has put that pain into words for the first time, releasing an ode to his dearly departed friend in the form of ‘VVSK’. There’s a certain timeliness to the release, as it lines up with the arrival of the colder months, where things tend to seem more condensed, more isolated, and just that bit more desperate; the remedy to which is for us all to put just that bit more care forth for ourselves and in our relationships with those around us.
Featuring the likes of Comeback Kid’s Andrew Neufeld, and production from Winds Of Plague guitarist Morgoth Beatz (who has previously collaborated with the likes of Lil Xan and Juice Wrld), ‘VVSK’ transcends notions of genres and brings words together in yet another touching and thoughtful tribute to the life and impact of such a core member of our community.
News of SK’s passing broke in February of this year and went on to make international headlines, a testament to his lasting legacy as a musician and a human. Even those tangentially connected to the Australian alternative scene felt the loss, culminating in an incredibly large crowd of friends and family showing up for an official memorial.