Obituaries: Max Webster Drummer Gary McCracken, American Punk Guitar Legend Cheetah Chrome

Gary McCracken, a Canadian drummer best known for his work in the band Max Webster, died on Sept. 15, at age 76, reportedly of cancer.

As a member of Max Webster, from 1976 to 1981, McCracken played on four studio albums and was co-writer and lead vocalist for the band's hit 1979 single, "A Million Vacations." The group's lead singer and guitarist, Kim Mitchell, went on to achiever greater commercial success as a solo artist, but Max Webster is remembered as a cult favourite group that had a major impact on many Canadian musicians.

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In 1980, McCracken was part of a legendary collaboration between members of Max Webster and Rush on the track ''Battle Scar,'' playing alongside Neil Peart.

Those two bands had very close personal and musical ties, and Max Webster opened for Rush more than any other band. Rush vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee posted this tribute to Instagram: '"Just heard the very sad news that my old friend, drummer, Gary 'Stixie' McCracken has passed away. Back in the late '70s Rush toured the world with Max Webster as our opener…needless to say, we became very close pals.

''When our show in Paris was cancelled, Stixie, myself, and assistant Sam Charters headed there anyway for 3 crazy days of pommes frites, beer and berets… RIP Stixie …(and Sam) Oh what memories we made."

As legend has it, every night the two bands played together on tour, Rush's virtuoso drummer Neil Peart would be behind the curtain drumming along to the entire Max Webster set as his way of warming up for Rush's show.

Prior to joining Max Webster, McCracken had been active in the music scene of his hometown area of Sarnia and Windsor, Ontario, including in such bands as Marmalade, Windbridge, Bootleg and Police (alongside David Diamond, later of The Kings).

After leaving Max Webster, McCracken devoted much of his time to teaching music in Sarnia. In 2014, he celebrated his 30th anniversary as a Sarnia-Lambton music teacher and the occasion elicited a feature in Sarnia This Week, entitled ''Former Max Webster drummer still teaching music and still enjoying it.''

Other bands and artists McCracken played with over his career included Klaatu, Triumph, Lee Aaron and Wrabit. One of McCracken's gigs post-Max Webster in the early '80s was in popular ZZ Top tribute band Tres Hombres. On Facebook, that group's leader, singer/bassist Lonnie Glass, recalled that ''We did about 450 gigs together in 3 years. Gary and I would sit in the car and drive from Toronto to Halifax to do the ZZ thing and he would literally tell me MAX stories for hours..Got to know him well. He taught me how to fly fish. A great character and killer rocker.''

He released an adventurous solo album, Audioscapes, in 2000. Aside from the Max Webster albums, McCracken's drumming can also be heard on albums by Lisa Price, Wrabit, Gary O', Triumph (Mind Games) and the soundtrack of Strange Brew.

Max Webster occasionally reunited over the years. In 2023, the band were inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame, with McCracken attending the ceremony.

In 2007, Toronto rock station Q107 had a call-in vote of the top 40 classic rock drummers of all time and McCracken was voted 32nd. "It was awesome! I was in pretty good company on that list," he later told The Sarnia Observer.

The huge respect Gary McCracken enjoyed amongst his peers has been demonstrated by their reaction to the news of his passing. Here is a selection of tributes collected from social media or sent to Billboard Canada:

Kim Mitchell, on Facebook: ''Rest in peace Gary McCracken .. my brother in RAWK !''

Dee Long (to Billboard Canada): ''In 1981 my band Klaatu was preparing to go on tour to promote our new album Magentalane. Klaatu was just three guys, and we realized we would need help putting on a good show. We were so lucky that Max Webster drummer Gary McCracken was available to join us on drums for our debut, along with Mike Gingrich on bass and Gerald O'Brien on keyboards. A backup band to die for.''

''November 10, 1981, Klaatu played our first ever live performance in Alberta. It was spectacular, almost like something out of a movie. The audience was holding up signs of love and taking photos, flash bulbs going off everywhere. I will never forget it. What a reception.

''Playing with Gary McCracken on drums was a dream come true for me, I used to sit out front on occasion during drum sound check and marvel at the power of Gary's drumming echoing through the venue. He held the foundation of the groove in a way nobody else ever has, never once made a mistake, and we powered our way through the tour with Gary in complete control. Many called him 'Sticks,' I just called him my great friend Gary. Funny, smart, generous and a fabulous musician, not just a 'drummer.'

''Honestly I’ve never enjoyed playing with anyone more than Gary. Rock solid and powerful as it gets. He was an icon in the world of music, and he will be missed by those who came to love him and his extraordinary talents. Gary McCracken is, and always will be, irreplaceable. Much respect and love.''

Lee Aaron (on Facebook): ''So saddened to hear the news. I had the astounding privilege of having Gary in my live band just after Max Webster split up. I was 19 years old and just a kid starting out with my debut album. Gary had some of those Simmons drums as rack toms (hexagon shaped electronic pads) which were cutting edge at the time.

''We all thought he was super cool, and having him in the band made us cool too. He eventually moved on to another project - truthfully, I think he got fed up playing with us goofy, inexperienced teens ha, ha! We had a good laugh about it a couple of years ago when we were all inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame. 'Look at us now,' he joked and gave me a big bear hug. #rip old pal.''

Greg Godovitz ·(on Facebook): ''The last time I saw Gary I was on the dock at Ronnie Hawkins' place on Stoney Lake. He was in a small boat with a couple friends. It was quite dark but he heard my voice and called out, 'Godovitz , is that you?' It was indeed. They docked and we proceeded to have a great evening of road stories, laughter and memories. And that’s how he will be remembered…A lovely guy and a great drummer!''

Ben Richardson (bassist in The Phantoms, Grady), on Facebook: ''Max Webster was such a huge influence on me growing up, and Gary was a huge part of their sound. I only met him once briefly when the Phantoms had the honor of going on right before their first reunion in 1990 at The Toronto Music Awards.''

Many top Canadian drummers were amongst those saluting McCracken on social media. Stephen Pitkin (Flashing Lights, Elliott Brood): ''I remember his rock solid grooves mixed with team playing musicianship, and the giant innovative tom fills. He seemed to play all the right parts, and provided deluxe support for the Max Machine. RIP Gary McCracken!''

Marty Morin (Goddo, Wireless, Klaatu): ''So sorry to hear this. We had some fun times back in the day and I thought he was a monster drummer. Huge influence for so many. Saw him a few years ago when I was playing in Sarnia. RIP indeed!

Chris Sutherland: 'RIP Gary McCracken. I was a Max Webster fan growing up and always loved Gary’s playing. Being in the Kim Mitchell band for almost 15 years I got to know and hang with Gary many times. Funny and sweet guy… Brilliant musician. I was even more influenced by his playing after learning so many of his Max Webster drum parts.

''One time backstage I asked him to show me his sticking for the big 'Paradise Skies' fill. It totally melted my brain and to this day I still cannot get my hands around it the way he played it. I always chuckle when I play my version of that fill…including this past Sunday when I was back on Kim’s gig filling in and we played it.

''Truly a mind blowing musician. I always felt lucky to have become friends with him. He was one of my drum heroes. Love ya Gary. Thank you for all the incredible parts to play and all the hilarious fun hangs.''

Mark Mariash (Ron Sexsmith, Jeff Healey, Mary Margaret O'Hara): '''Sad news, for sure. He influenced so many of us. Those cascading fills of his were a thing of beauty. I gotta say … his tom tuning was exceptional .. they sounded so killer (such clarity) on those recordings.''

Jim Casson (Downchild): ''Gary McCracken was the muscle in Max. Such a commanding and fierce groove. A huge influence on my youth. I saw him multiple times with Max but on my 19th birthday he was playing at the Round One in Thorold with a band called Expresso. He was playing a huge Simmons kit with Terry Watkinson on keys and Gerald O’Brien on keys. Just an instrumental trio.

''Being my first legal time in a bar, I mustered up the courage to go speak to him on the break. Trying to sound musically intelligent, I asked if they played anything in a unique time signature. He said 'Yes, we do one in 19/8.' I made sure I counted when they did it. Thanks for the inspiration Mr. McCracken.''

Ric Taylor (born Richard Stasiulis), a Hamilton-based music journalist, photographer and radio host who deeply impacted that city's music scene, died on Sept. 2, at the age of 59. A cause of death has not been reported.

An official obituary notes that ''Music was one of Ric's great passions, and for many years he was a familiar voice in Hamilton's music community. He wrote the long-running Hamilton Music Notes column for VIEW Magazine and hosted Lullabies in Razorland on McMaster University's CFMU 93.3 FM, championing local musicians and sharing their work with the community.''

His contributions were recognized by the Hamilton Music Awards, where he was named Media Person of the Year in 2013 and again in 2016, while Lullabies in Razorland was named Radio Show of the Year in 2015.

Taylor was also a key player in the Hamilton Music Awards, scripting the show and helping put together the lists of nominees.

Longtime CFMU station manager Jamie Tennant tells Billboard Canada that Taylor's CFM show Lullabies in Razorland ''ran here for well over two decades, initially as a four-hour show, then later three.''

The CFMU Instagram tribute to Taylor by Tennant reads: ''All of us here at CFMU are mourning the loss of long-time personality Ric Taylor. When I started here in 1988, Ric was already here. The team of 'Ric & Diane' was legendary around the station. I recall that Ric helped put out the short-lived but amazing Surly magazine. I also remember the time Ric pulled me into the booth and asked 'Have you heard this?' before he proceeded to play me a song I’d never heard before called 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.'''

''Ric did many things at CFMU but was known largely for being the host of Lullabies in Razorland, where he interviewed artists from Hamilton and beyond. He could be polarizing, but his support of local music was unwavering. It felt like he was at every show, and for a long time, when people thought about CFMU, they thought about Ric. Rest in peace, Ric. And thanks.''

As word of Taylor's passing spread through the Hamilton music community over Supercrawl weekend, local artists, readers and listeners were quick to post tributes on social media. Their primary focus was Taylor's commitment to the local scene and the music it produced. Here is a selection:

Graham Rockingham, the longtime music critic of the Hamilton Spectator, to Billboard Canada: '"Taylor’s long-running weekly column in View magazine was a must read for anyone interested in the local music scene. It was full of info and devoid of critique or judgement.

''Basically, if you were willing to hop onto the stage at a local club or enter a studio to cut a demo, you were a likely candidate to make his 'Hamilton Music Notes' with a couple of quotes and all the details of your upcoming gig. You’d also be a likely candidate for a spot on his CFMU radio show.

''Ric provided validation for hundreds of aspiring artists. You’d see cars driving the streets of downtown Hamilton sporting 'Honk if you love Ric Taylor' bumper stickers. In many ways, his column was the Hamilton music scene. I must admit that when I started writing about music for The Hamilton Spectator, I found his work more than a little intimidating.''

As co-owner of the legendary Hamilton music bar This Ain't Hollywood, veteran concert promoter Lou Molinaro forged a deep connection with Taylor. He posted this tribute on Facebook: ''Ric… you became a big part of the tapestry of my life in Hamilton. I always admired your conviction and dedication to Hamilton’s music and to the people who make it. Will always be grateful that you chose me to be Peter Criss. Rock N Roll All Night and Party Every Day.''

Visual artist, singer-songwriter and storyteller Tor Lukasik-Foss (Tiny Bill Cody), on Facebook: ''It's a weird and amazing thing to build a relationship with someone exclusively through on air CFMU interviews, snarky emails, noisy conversations in bars, random exchanges at the mall, and through his pieces of exquisitely considered music journalism.

''He really did take on the impossible task of trying to hold the metanarrative of Hamilton music in his head, and I think got closer to achieving that than any of us could have imagined. He made being a Hamiltonian fun.''

Hamilton bassist Justine ('The Bass Machine'') Fischer (Matty Simpson, Espanola) on Facebook.'''The one rule about Ric Taylor is you never talk about Ric Taylor.' At least that’s what he always used to tell me. But Ric was legendary. His passion and support for the music scene is what held the whole thing together for a time. And man, did Ric ever document that time.

''He was seemingly at every show, and you always felt like you were somebody if Ric made the time to make it to your show. And he always chose the pictures that felt the most authentic. He wasn’t interested in polished and pretty. He once flipped through his pictures for me, saying 'see this one? It’s not the nice, pretty one, but this is a better picture because it’s real and tells a story.'

''He always had a way of bringing out the weird, the real, and the rock n roll in people. He was unwavering and unapologetic, while still having a huge heart and caring more than anyone at the same time. We were truly lucky to have him in the Hamilton music community. His support for everyone’s music, regardless of genre or status,' never went unnoticed and he will forever be part of the fabric of the history of the Hamilton music scene. Honk if you loved Ric Taylor.''

Hamilton keyboardist/bandleader Greg Brisco (Brisco, Dinner Belles Blues Revue), on Facebook: ''Everyone that knew him had an opinion that was polarizing (before it became the current craze). I knew him as someone that had a shielded heart that was willing to support local music regardless of the genre or status. He served this scene long and well. God speed my friend, I will miss our conversations.''

To Billboard Canada, Brisco added ''Ric was of major importance to the Hamilton music scene and was often overlooked or taken for granted regarding his contribution. I was eighteen when I had my first interview with him for college radio. Every starting musician gets excited when they're on the radio regardless of it being commercial or public radio. He remembered everything.

''In the early days of social media Ric took to photographing every event to the point he was jokingly called Hamilton's paparazzi amongst musicians. Many would complain about the amount of pictures taken and posted by Ric. However, I bet, like me, they're now glad he did. He created a documented timeline for many of us as a result that we would have wished was available if he hadn't done so.

''During the lockdown craziness, Lou Molinaro organized a private birthday party for him at a studio and it was something that stayed with him. While he was in the hospital we would talk and he would often bring up how special that night was to him. That night stands out. It was one of the last moments of normalcy to the previous world and we (unknowingly) were having a send off to it. Nothing was ever the same after that and a Hamilton without Ric Taylor on CFMU, writing for View magazine and coming to shows taking pictures is truly a different world.''

Tim Potocic, co-founder of Supercrawl and head of Sonic Unyon, on Facebook: ''Rick will be missed. Huge contributor to the Music scene in Hamilton. My first connection with Rick was Surly magazine. I still have the OG print version and it will remain one of the many, many, memories I had of an amazing quirky guy.''

Hamilton singer-songwriter Laura Cole, on Facebook: ''You were truly one of a kind. A heart of gold (as Shari Dunn put it) and someone who gave so much love, kindness and support to our music community. You were at seemingly every show, always showing up, always cheering us on, always making us feel like what we were doing mattered.

''You gave me my first magazine cover. You gave me countless interviews, radio spots, conversations, encouragement and moments I’ll never forget. But more than any of that, you gave me your friendship.You were such a staple in our community, and truthfully, we’ve already been missing you. To know now that you’re really gone is heartbreaking. I hope you knew how loved and appreciated you were. You’ll remain in our hearts, in our stories and in our music. RIP, dear friend. You will be deeply, deeply missed.''

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 4, from 1-4 p.m. at District Kitchen + Bar (335 Plains Rd East, Burlington). Food and drinks provided.

Mike (Michael Thomas) Gardner, a renowned Ontario roots music bassist, died on Sept. 10, at age 76. An official obituary reports that ''He passed by his choice thanks to the M.A.I.D. program, after a brief battle with lung cancer.''"Mike had a passion for fishing, and had a remarkable talent for playing the stand-up bass. He was a session player on numerous albums, including Raffi, The Original Sloth Band, Valdy, Colleen Peterson and Jackie Washington, among others. He was a band member for many groups in Toronto, including The Royal Crowns, The Paladins and Melody Ranch.''

He was also a cook at beloved Toronto restaurant, The Gem, and retired after a lengthy career as a Media Librarian at TVO.

Gardner was a very active musician gigging and recording with a large number of important acts including The Paladins, Original Sloth Band, Raffi, Willie P. Bennett, Melody Ranch. Chris and Ken Whiteley, The Royal Crowns, Rick Taylor, David Essig, Caitlin Hanford and many more.

His recording credits include work with Doug McArthur (Letters From The Coast), Jackie Washington, Willie P. Bennett (Come On Train, Blackie And The Rodeo King), Raffi (Baby Beluga), Original Sloth Band, Chris & Ken Whiteley (in Junior Jug Band), Valdy, Colleen Petersen and many more.

Here are some of the tributes to Gardner posted by his musical peers:

Toronto musician Michael Clifton: ''Thinking about my friend and former bandmate Mike Gardner who passed this week. I've been listening to some of his recordings and remembering his sterling musicianship. Mike was a natural who played with skill and soul in equal measure.''

Toronto singer-songwriter and radio host Danny Marks: ''Mike had the rare ability to walk the bass authentically without getting in the way of the piano left hand or the guitar's lower strings. He was easy to play with and drenched in roots, rockabilly and folk traditions. Like all of us, Mike fought his demons and in later years found some solace in connecting on social media. We played together lots in the 70's and 80's, drifted apart after and reconnected for a bit recently. Mike was a sweet man and certainly if wings are handed out, he will fly away to a better place.''

Wayne King: ''Mike was my first pro bandmate. We joined the union together for our first paying gig $8 each at the YMCA. In The MODest, he played bass lines on a six string guitar but he could also play guitar. The first song we played ( I sang and played tambourine and maracas) was 'Till There Was You' by the Beatles and he played it note for note including the iconic solo. At 14 years old I was in awe. We reunited years later when I got him to slap the bass rockabilly style. Brilliant player and funny guy..”

Noted roots singer-songwriter Caitlin Hanford (Quartette, The Marigolds): ''RIP Mike. He was a sweet guy. My deepest condolences to his friends and family.''

Garnet Rogers: 'This is hard news. I hadn't seen him in years, but it was always fun to think of him and imagine what he might be doing at any given moment. Sweet quiet guy, and always knew what to play and what to leave out.''

Rick Taylor: ''Rest in peace my dear friend and brother Michael Gardner. We had a long journey together and created many wonderful musical works. Mike was my first bass player back in the early 70’s and was instrumental in hooking me up with Willie P. Bennett. We did so many concerts, TV, radio shows together.

''He went on to perform in some of the greatest Southern Ontario roots music acts to ever happen. I was fortunate to hook up with him a few times over the past few years in The Falls. We have a beautifully intertwined tribe of friends and family.''

His obituary reported that ''Michael has been cremated per his wishes and did not want a funeral. His life and contribution to music can be honoured by cracking a can of beer and listening to his favourite Canadian band, The Band. Donations to Music Counts would be greatly appreciated.''

International

Cheetah Chrome (born Eugene O'Connor), a legendary American punk rock guitarist and songwriter known for his work in The Dead Boys and Rocket From The Tombs, has died, at age 71. A cause of death has not been released.

The Cleveland-bred punk group the Dead Boys announced the news in an Instagram message on Sunday night (Sept. 13) in which they wrote, “We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome. Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement. a one man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy.”

Billboard reports that ''Chrome got his start in the short-lived, chaotic pre-punk Cleveland band Rocket From the Tombs, joining the band fronted by journalist and future Pere Ubu singer David Thomas for a year before it imploded and produced the Dead Boys and Pere Ubu.

''Dead Boys was fronted by kinetic, unpredictable live-wire singer Stiv Bators — who died at 40 in June 1990 — and earned a reputation as one of the most intense, unhinged bands of the era. The group, which also featured drummer Johnny Blitz, bassist Jeff Magnum and rhythm guitarist Jimmy Zero, moved to New York in 1976 and gained notoriety with a series of wild shows at the Mecca of punk: CBGB.'

''The group’s 1977 debut album, Young, Loud and Snotty, was produced by former Escorts singer Genya Ravan and exploded out of the gate with the song that would become their signature howl to arms: 'Sonic Reducer.' The headlong blitz featuring Bators’ strangulated vocals, Chrome’s paint-peeling guitar solo and Blitz’s double-time surf rock solo is considered one of the building blocks of the punk movement. It’s been covered by bands from Pearl Jam to Foetus, the Dictators and Patti Smith and was the featured cover by former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson during his stint with Guns N’ Roses.''

During their original run, the Dead Boys only released one more album, 1978’s We Have Come For Your Children, produced by ex-Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi. It included a Stooges-esque rager “Ain’t It Fun,” which GNR covered on their 1993 covers album The Spaghetti Incident.

The band imploded the next year and Chrome went solo with Cheetah Chrome and the Casualties. The Dead Boys would reunite several times over the years for shows, including in 1987, 2004 and 2017, but never released another studio album.

Chrome also performed around New York with the Stilettos and on on Ronnie Spector’s 1980 debut solo album, Siren, as well as recording with punk agitator G.G. Allin.

He reformed Rocket From the Tombs in 2003 with a lineup featuring David Thomas and bassist Craig Bell, as well as Television’s Richard Lloyd, to record Rocket Redux, a compilation of re-recorded songs from the band’s heyday.

Chrome left the group again shortly after they released the new LP Barfly in 2011 and took up a gig as creative director of A&R for Plowboy Records in his new hometown of Nashville, releasing a long-awaited solo debut, Solo, on the label in 2014.

Billboard reports that The Dead Boys — with no original members — announced a 2027 tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Young, Loud and Snotty in August, with the dates slated to kick off in Morro Bay, Calif. on Jan. 7.

Chrome published a memoir, Cheetah Chrome: A Dead Boy’s Tale From the Front Lines of Punk Rock, in 2010.

The Dead Boys had a major impact on the early punk rock scene in Toronto and Hamilton, especially, and Chrome later often played in those cities.

Some top Canadian punk rock musicians were amongst those paying tribute to Chrome on social media.

On Facebook, John Catto, from Toronto pop heroes The Diodes, recalled that ''The Dead Boys were always quite close to the Toronto punk scene. We brought them to Toronto to play the Crash 'n' Burn and I remained friends with Stiv into the Lords of the New Church days and beyond. Cheetah was possessed of the ;magic sauce' and brought power and chaos to every stage he set foot on. This news came as depressing and unexpected.RIP Cheetah xxx"

John Borra (The Viletones, Change of Heart), on Facebook: ''I'm saddened to hear about the passing of Cheetah Chrome. He came up to Toronto about half a dozen times to do a short tour or just a couple of shows — usually facilitated by Lou Molinaro — and The Screwed would be his backing band. Playing Dead Boys and Rocket From The Tombs songs with the man himself was a true honour and a lesson in rock and roll. RIP my friend.''

John Kastner (The Doughboys, The Asexuals): ''Really sad to hear about Cheetah leaving this world. Your records changed my world and getting to know you and play with you was special for me…Safe travels me friend.'

Former record label executive, artist manager, art gallery owner and photographer Ralph Alfonso, on Facebook: ''Jesus, the needle has reached the end of another record. Mortality is something a lot of us have to think about these days. I met the Dead Boys at CBGBs in 1977 when they opened for The Damned (their debut US appearance). I thought The Damned were ok, but the Dead Boys were unbelievable. None of their albums ever captured what I saw that night.''

''I got to interview them and they were great. They had no record out yet and were happy to talk to a writer from Canada. Later that year, we booked them for two nights at [Toronto punk club] Crash'n'Burn. The Dead Boys at full power in a sweaty basement on a home-made stage - YES!''

''For musicians of a certain age and a certain bent, 'Sonic Reducer' is their 'Louie Louie;' a rite of passage to prove your worth. And in doing so, Cheetah Chrome/Gene O'Connor will always be alive.God bless. Safe journey. Time is short. Live fast.''

Duncan Sheik, a Grammy and Emmy-winning American singer-songwriter, died on Sept. 18, at age 56, of organ failure, after a stay in hospital.

The Instagram post announcing Sheik’s death praised the singer’s award-winning work and gentle spirit. “The world has a lost a singular talent, and deeply influential voice in music and theater,” it reads, citing his Grammy nomination for the hit song ''Barely Breathing” and his Tony- and Grammy Award-winning work on the 2006 coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening, for which he wrote the music.'

Billboard reports that ''The Brown University graduate and former college bandmate of singer Lisa Loeb moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to seek his future in music and scored a hit out of the box with the Billboard Hot 100 No. 16 relationship-on-the-rocks lament 'Barely Breathing,' a jangly ballad on which he crooned over strummy guitars.''

The song, which spent 55 weeks on the Hot 100, earned him a best male pop vocal Grammy nomination. “Barely Breathing” ranks in the top 40 of both of Billboard‘s Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs and Greatest of All Time Adult Pop Songs recaps. It hit No. 1 on the weekly Adult Alternative Airplay chart and No. 2 on Adult Pop Airplay, as well as the top 10 on the weekly all-format Radio Songs chart and Pop Airplay.

Sheik released a follow-up to his self-titled debut album, Humming, in 1998. Billboard notes that ''His melancholy, meditative musical style, boyishly handsome looks and quiet, shy demeanor made Sheik an unlikely and, in his telling, sometimes unwilling heartthrob to his Gen X fans, a tag he sometimes bristled against.

He followed up Humming with 2001’s Phantom Moon, a Nick Drake-like collaboration with poet and playwright Steven Sater, followed by six more studio albums. His most recent, Claptrap, was released in 2022.

Over the past two decades, he worked extensively in musical theatre, writing scores for Broadway and off-Broadway shows. He earned a Tony Award for best original score and best orchestration for the 2006 hit coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening — with a book and lyrics by Sater — whose initial cast included many future stars.

He went on to write the music for the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland-inspired musical Alice By Heart, as well as the 2013 musical adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis horror novel American Psycho (rather a commercial flop) and the 2013 musical adaptation of Because of Winn-Dixie.