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Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:00 pm
by beantownbubba
Horrible news out of Athens this morning. Craig Lieske had a heart attack and died early today.

I just thought people might want a place to post thoughts or remembrances or just commiserate.

Many people here knew Craig far better than I, but I knew him well enough to know that he was one of the good, special guys. He will be sorely missed.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:10 pm
by Kevidently
After the show, I went back up and shook his hand and congratulated him on Thundercrack. Bought some merch and he told me he'd see me tomorrow night.

Such sad news. I'm so glad he had a great night last night.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:11 pm
by Flying Rabbit
Still in shock upon reading this on FB this afternoon. I'm sure at some point I'll be able to collect my thoughts, but suffice to say he was, as we all knew, a helluva guy. I was always taken aback at his generosity and genuine spirit.

Gonna miss that wild hair. Talking with him pre-show while in line, and talking punk and noise bands. :cry:

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:21 pm
by headhunter
Flying Rabbit wrote:Still in shock upon reading this on FB this afternoon. I'm sure at some point I'll be able to collect my thoughts, but suffice to say he was, as we all knew, a helluva guy. I was always taken aback at his generosity and genuine spirit.

Gonna miss that wild hair. Talking with him pre-show while in line, and talking punk and noise bands. :cry:


My condolences to Craig's family. He always had a smile on and was a pleasure to talk to at the shows. Very very sad news.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:24 pm
by njMark
Won't be the same without him at the show. Sorry Craig, you left us top soon.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:36 pm
by Kudzu Guillotine
Very shocked and saddened to hear about this. I always looked forward to chatting with Craig at DBTs shows. My thoughts are with all of his many friends and family.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:43 pm
by LuthierJustin
RIP Craig :cry:

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:47 pm
by Slipkid42
I met Craig in a hotel room in Richmond after one of the 2010 Halloween shows. We had a quiet little party goin' on & he showed up around 2:30 a.m. & regaled us with a few stories of some of the places he had been with the band. I thought he was a fascinating guy & very down to earth. I had the pleasure of having many conversations with him over the last couple of years & he always brought a smile to my face. I can't begin to express the sorrow I am feeling at this shocking and terrible news. All I can say is that I miss him already. RIP my friend.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:49 pm
by Clams
I doubt that Craig knew or remembered me because i dont get to that many shows, but he always made me feel like we were old friends. My lasting memory was two years ago when I brought my son to one of the Go Go Boots shows. Craig was really nice to him, gave him some free dbt stickers. He played guitar last night with Thundercrack. They played their set of Bruce covers and he was having such a great time. And now, just like that, he's gone. It's difficult to even process this. So very fucked up.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:59 pm
by litdimly
I was blessed, as were many others, to have benefitted from Craig's kindness, generosity and wit. He had a gift for being able to read people and was an integral part of the DBT concert experience for me and my husband. I attended solo last night and Craig took time to ask about my husband, listen to my reply and tell me to pass along a "Hi" to him. Condolences to Craig's family including DBT.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:06 pm
by RevMatt
Craig became a good friend in the past two years. Last June he played a show with my band at Kenny's Castaways in New York City. I stayed with Craig and Melinda last August. Just yesterday we were chatting about the March shows and I promised to take him out to lunch at Holstens, where Tony Soprano had his final meal in the final episode. Craig and Melinda are (Jesus, I can't get used to referring to him in the past tense) big fans of The Sopranos and we talked about giving him a tour of all the spots in Jersey from the show.

I am angry with myself for not going to Athens to see his final shows, though like everyone here I had no idea that the past two nights would be Craig's last. (I didn't go because my ex went away on a business trip and my kids would have ditched school. The brats ditched school anyway and I'm not happy about it.) I am toying with the idea of getting in my car and driving fifteen hours. At this moment I need to be closer to my friend. Just a few hours ago I was thinking about Craig as I was driving to Vintage Vinyl, my fave record store, about how much he would love that place. Their prog rock section is larger than most record stores and Craig would have spent hours browsing the bins.

If any of Ya'll need an actual Reverend -- my ordination with the United Methodist Church is still good -- just let me know. I'll donate my services for my good friend. It won't be the first time.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:11 pm
by AprilTwister
I am in complete shock. Craig was a friend to many. Myself included.
Tears are flowing.
Love you Craig and I just can't believe this is real.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:26 pm
by roland
Awful news. I only knew Craig in passing from the merch table and smoking areas, but he was always upbeat and had great stories to tell. Terrible loss to the DBT family.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:30 pm
by mrschop
My husband and I met Craig a few years ago at a show. We became friends & damn near family before we all finished our cigarettes. He treated us like family from that day forward. We loved him dearly. I am shocked & deeply saddened. We always went to shows early to have lunch or drinks with him. The last time was in Oct in Bloomington IN. We ate lunch & hung out for soundcheck. What a great memory. We would talk weekly & I will miss him beyond words. My thoughts are with Melinda & his family, both actual relatives & those he made feel like family.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:30 pm
by mrschop
My husband and I met Craig a few years ago at a show. We became friends & damn near family before we all finished our cigarettes. He treated us like family from that day forward. We loved him dearly. I am shocked & deeply saddened. We always went to shows early to have lunch or drinks with him. The last time was in Oct in Bloomington IN. We ate lunch & hung out for soundcheck. What a great memory. We would talk weekly & I will miss him beyond words. My thoughts are with Melinda & his family, both actual relatives & those he made feel like family.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:35 pm
by RevMatt
How is Melinda? I hope there are people with her right now.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:50 pm
by John A Arkansawyer
Well, fuck. I don't know what else to say. This fucking sucks. All I've got is this:

Dirge without Music

Edna St. Vincent Millay

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, --- but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:10 pm
by Jim&Jewell
Our condolences to all the friends and family who are mourning Craig's passing.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:18 pm
by Beebs
God dammit.

All the best to Craig's family and friends and the whole DBT camp.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:23 pm
by John A Arkansawyer

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:27 pm
by dime in the gutter
big bummer. terrible news.

ride on, brother.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:27 pm
by ramonz
This is really hard to believe and digest - I am so sorry and so sad. Our thoughts are with Craig's family and DBT.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:32 pm
by RevMatt
John A Arkansawyer wrote:

Man, when I first pulled up to Craig's house last August he told me to put on any album in his collection. I put on In The Court of the Crimson King. The two of us were singing the title song and marching around his living room.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:35 pm
by porkulator
Oh man.Just can't believe this.Like many,I didn't know Craig except from the shows,but whenever I walked up he greeted me like a friend he'd known forever.Was looking forward to seeing him in the Rock next week.He will be sorely missed.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:37 pm
by Smitty
Fuck

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:40 pm
by Tyler
Happy trails Craig man, wherever you are.

Gonna miss you - always looked forward to a chat whenever the rock show is in town - talking records, and whatever was annoying us at the time.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:41 pm
by RevMatt
For Craig.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:42 pm
by StevieRay
Clams wrote:I doubt that Craig knew or remembered me because i dont get to that many shows


He remembered everyone. Uncanny ability. Nicest guy in the world.

This just sucks... RIP Craig.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:43 pm
by colodogdoc
When we got to the 40 Watt last night Thundercrack! was already playing, so someone else was manning the merch table. I figured I'd go over and get a hug and have a chat and give Craig a couple hundred bucks of my hard-earned money after the show. Four hours later, when the place was clearing out, I looked up to that corner of the club and he was sitting on the floor in front of the table with Melinda, and they looked to be having an intimate moment. I decided I'd see him tomorrow night. Full of regret now. Hug the people close to you and tell them you love them.

Re: Craig Lieske Memorial Thread

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:51 pm
by nucisspace
We knew that Craig loved Nuci's Space. He told us, he told other people, he advocated for us, he spread the word about us on the road. We hope that Craig knew how much we loved him back.
Turn it up loud - see you guys tonight.