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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Metal guy and self-proclaimed “local legend” Ben Stover revealed late last week that his band, Corroded Oath, has officially retired. According to Stover, the aging bunch recently became too much for the guitarist to maintain, leading him to scrap the clunky old band and sell any salvageable parts.
With countless shows, tours, and an impressive 16 albums under their belt, Corroded Oath had a respectable 22-year-run, but the wear and tear on Stover’s vintage thrash metal four-piece over time became undeniable.
“I had to replace the vocals a couple times, and there was the carpal tunnel surgery, of course, but it was all pretty routine maintenance,” Stover recalled.
As the band became increasingly unreliable, however, Stover began to have his doubts. “You maintain it as best you can, but if I’m being honest, I wasn’t sure we would all make it through another show,” he said.
“Sure, I probably could have picked up something newer years ago, but I thought I could still get some good use out of it, maybe even just to play around town,” Stover said. “After that last album though, we just never quite played the same.”
When Corroded Oath had trouble starting on time at a show in Milwaukee, Stover knew he had to face reality.
“When it’s time, it’s time,” Stover said as he wistfully thumbed through old polaroids of the band during better times. “Maybe someone else can use something for their own band. Randy, the bass player, is actually my friend’s son, so I know he’s still got a lot of shows left in him.”
Stover paid tribute to the old stand-by with a touching post on the Facebook page of the recently scrapped band, for which Stover was able to collect a somewhat disappointing $212.45.
“I got a lotta miles outta this old thing. Took me across the country and back more than a few times, and never complained once,” Stover posted.
Upon further reflection, Stover actually remembered the band complaining pretty much non-stop, especially in the last 8-10 years.
Metal Week is a Hard Times production brought to you in collaboration with our friends at Metal Injection and Metal Sucks. Follow along on Twitter with #MetalWeek.
Article by Krissy Howard @OlDirtyBarnacle.
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