R.I.P. Echo Lake’s Pete Hayes

The drummer for Echo Lake, Pete Hayes, has died aged just 25.

The news came late yesterday, the eve of their debut album release, with the band posting a statement on their website and Facebook.

‘We are so sad to say that our close friend and brilliant drummer Peter Hayes passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 25,’ it reads. ‘I can’t believe I’m actually typing these words, we’re all completely devastated and shocked.

‘If you knew Pete, then you’ll know what an amazing person he was. If you didn’t know Pete then all I can say is that he was a total one off.

‘Always caring, always giving, always straight up and always with such a positive outlook on life. That was the thing with Pete, he just got on with it. Even in his last few weeks he would be sitting up in his hospital bed smiling and having a laugh with me.

‘It was this outlook on life that made me perhaps take advantage of our time spent together. This situation never seemed possible because he never ever stopped being positive and joyful. He never moaned, or acted ill and was an incredibly hard worker. It’s a really rare thing to find all of these qualities in someone and he deserved more time to live his life to the full, which he always did.’

Read the full message at echolakeband.com. The band’s debut album, ‘Wild Peace’, comes out today.