Jon Card obit

Legendary punk drummer Jon Card has died, with those left behind praising his talent and humanity

 

He was not on the list.

Canadian punk rock legend Jon Card has died, with friends and fans mourning his passing on Facebook. He was 63.

Born in Germany to a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot in 1960, Card started his playing career with the metal band Stonehenge before shifting his allegiance to punk. Raised in Calgary, he founded the hardcore band Plasticide there in his late teens.

Card would first rise to prominence as a member of Winnipeg legends Personality Crisis, followed by a stint with Edmonton-spawned thash icons SNFU.

Vancouverites got a front-row seat for his singular style—hard-hitting and brutally precise—when he joined D.O.A. in the late-’80s, staying with the punk forefathers until the early '90s. He also played with first-wave punk giants the Subhumans after they reunited in 2005.

Facebook is flooded tonight with remembrances of Card as a wildly talented drummer. Actor and writer Michael Scholar Jr. shared this: “A Canadian music legend died on the day of totality. No one played harder. Chris Crud used to have to nail a 2x4 in front of his base drum to keep it from moving. Rest in Percussion Jon Card. I’m lucky I got to see you play so many times with so many great bands. You will be missed."

Just as importantly, Card is also being remembered as a standup human being.

Vancouver author and musician Aaron Chapman wrote on Facebook: “We first met in Calgary in 1992 when he dutifully jumped aboard on tin-whistle at a Real McKenzies show after i was taken away by ambulance from the stage (i’d fallen off the speaker in a bad take of derring-do). I was honoured that a gent with such a musical pedigree filled in for me.”

Punk rock producer Brian Else observed “the world has lost another great man and musician.” Black Halos singer Billy Hopeless paid tribute with the remembrance, "You were a true ace in the deck a hell of a guy and a hell of a drummer I'll miss that smile."

And D.O.A. kept things succinct but heartfelt with “RIP old friend. Jon Card, Dec 11 1960-April 08 2024.”

Here’s Card pounding the skins with D.O.A. for"The Prisoner".