Helix Drummer Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz Dead After Secret Cancer Battle

Helix drummer Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz has died on the age of 68, vocalist Brian Vollmer confirmed.

Hinz joined the Canadian onerous rock band in 1982 and remained till 1996, then returned in 2009. He’d been identified with most cancers in 2023 however didn’t need the information made public, his bandmate revealed.

“We’ve known about this since last April, but were unable to tell anyone at Fritz’s request,” Vollmer stated in a press release. “He wanted his privacy through this.”

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Citing the drummer’s “tough” nature, he referred to an accident in 2018 that left Hinz in an induced coma after fracturing his cranium. “When he fell off the ladder… and nearly died, I thought that was the end there. Fritz surprised everyone by coming back less than eight months later.

“Many months later he told me that at the end of [one show] he nearly stood up and fell forward through his drums at the end of the show ‘cos he had vertigo so bad. Like I said, One tough guy.”

Vollmer added that Hinz was “the funniest guy you’d ever want to meet,” in a position to make use of humor to dilute essentially the most critical state of affairs, and his persona and recognition made him “Helix’s David Lee Roth.”

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He continued: “Fritz was the consummate rock drummer. It was his craft. He prided himself in his playing, and well he should have … The world has lost one of its great rock drummers… [t]he public has no idea the sacrifices that musicians make for their craft.

“You think of the music business as a fairly low-impact kind of job. In reality you give up your personal life, your financial life, any type of regularity in your life… not to mention the physical scars.

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“Fritz… loved his drums and he loved drumming and performing. He took great pride in everything he did. I’m going to miss him so much.”

Vollmer reported {that a} appropriate memorial occasion could be organized sooner or later, and requested followers to offer Hinz’ spouse privateness within the meantime. “Traci hasn’t slept in six months,” he stated. “She’s been an angel throughout this whole ordeal. I don’t know what Fritz would have done without her… When she wants to talk to everyone she will.”