Alex Brown, the Gorilla Biscuits guitarist, has passed away. His death was confirmed by frontman Anthony ‘Civ’ Civarelli who, in a deeply affecting Instagram post, stated that the 52-year-old had died following basal ganglia stroke.
Alongside Civ, his former GB bandmates led the tributes to their friend during the weekend, with fellow guitarist Walter Schreifels expressing his sadness at Alex’s passing.
“It’s impossible to properly put into words, completely new terrain. Alex has been my brother since we were teenagers, it’s insane to think I won’t see him again, this is heartbreak,” wrote Walter on Instagram, before lauding Alex’s human and artistic qualities.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, and inspired by music from an early age, Alex got into the burgeoning hardcore scene in the early-’80s, admiring the DIY attitude shared by both the skateboarding and punk communities. It was this admiration that would ultimately lead him to move to New York in 1986, aged 20.
During only his second day in the city, Alex attended one of CBGB’s legendary hardcore matinée shows, catching a bill that included Death Before Dishonour, Bold and Youth Of Today. He would go on to form firm friendships with YOT frontman Ray Cappo and guitarist John Porcelly, becoming an integral part and a creative spark within the Lower East Side scene, while initially working in a record shop.
John and Alex swiftly set up the influential Schism fanzine that dealt with the polemics of the time in a manner that was full of wit and passion. They also planned a series of releases by hardcore bands they admired on their own Schism label, but their most prominent recording was by their own band, Project X – a studio collaboration featuring Alex, John (vocals), Walter (bass) and Sammy Siegler (drums).