Nekromantix Drummer Andy DeMize, R.I.P.

Sources, including the Orange County Register and Punknews.org, report that Nekromatix drummer and La Habra resident Andy DeMize, born Andrew Martinez, died early Sunday, Jan. 11, in a car accident in Fullerton that also claimed the life of another passenger. He was 25.

Martinez joined the long-running psychobilly band--fronted by Kim Nekroman, also lead guitarist for the Horrorpops--in May 2006, appearing on their latest album, 2007's Life Is A Grave and I Dig It!. Before that, he had stints in groups Up Syndrome and The Rocketz, the latter of which he co-founded.

Nekroman posted a tribute to Martinez on the Nekromantix MySpace blog Sunday night; the text in full follows after the jump.

Andy!

I am very sad to announce that our Great beloved friend and Drummer Andrew Martinez AKA Andy DeMize AKA Mr. Pink AKA Little Guy, passed away early this morning Sunday January 11, 2009 as a result of a terrible car accident in Fullerton, Orange County California. My thoughts and Condolences go out to his Family and Everybody that knew Andrew. There is no words to describe the shock...... Andrew was probably the most loveable guy I ever met and truely the only person I've met in my life that was loved and liked by everybody met. It's just typical Andrew to pull off this "rockstar death" way too early. I have no idea how Newcastle Beer will be able to continue to stay in business and I encourage everybody that knew Andrew, was a fan of his work with his bands, to drink one, two or many Newcastles in his honor. I can just hear him from where ever he is now, say: "I've done worse".................All I can reply to that Andy is:"Dude it's gonna be hard to top this one Little Guy". I will also like to send my condolences to Family and Friends of Chuy, who like Andrew was a fatal victim of this accident. I didn't really knew Chuy but any friend of Andrew is my friend. Kim Nekroman