Mike Alexander - 22.06.1977 - 05.10.2009
Dec 14th - Items now up for auction!
Thanks to Gary Holt, Phil Demmel, Paolo Gregoletto and Jackson Guitars we are running Ebay auctions to raise money for Mike's family.
Check them out here:
BC Rich Paolo Gregoletto Signature Bass
Exodus' Gary Holt Bernie Rico Custom Flying V
Dec 14th - RAFFLE DRAW Videos coming very soon
Editing and adding information to the videos has taken longer than anticipated - please keep checking back over the next few days (all winners will be contacted personally).
Nov 13th - Mike Alexander Memorial Shows
EVILE have announced two special memorial shows in the UK to honour their late bassist, MIKE ALEXANDER, who tragically passed away while on tour in Sweden on October 5th, 2009.
The two memorial shows take place on December 7th, 2009 at Rio's in Leeds and December 8th, 2009 at the Underworld in London, and will feature live performances from Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB plus special guests MUTANT and SEREGON. Tickets for the show are only available directly from the venue (IN PERSON FOR CASH) for £8 in advance, or for £10 on the door.
A huge raffle will also take place at the memorial shows, with loads of awesome prizes, limited edition and signed goods to be won, all of which have been generously donated by various bands and artists. All money raised will go to MIKE ALEXANDER's family.
To view the prizes, head to http://www.mikealexander.co.uk/raffle/
EVILE lead guitarist OL DRAKE comments:
"These two nights are for all the friends and fans of Mike who haven't had a real chance to say goodbye, and also for us to hold something a lot more appropriate than any funeral could be. Mike wasn't religious, and his beliefs were solely based in music, so there is no better way to say goodbye. He lived for music and metal. We picked a few bands who Mike liked and we'll no doubt be playing a few covers on the night. We're holding a raffle with LOTS of items kindly donated by some amazing people and bands from around the world. Keep an eye on our sites for details of these - please come along and grab a raffle ticket - all money is going to the family."
GAMA BOMB frontman PHILLY BYRNE adds:
"It's a real honour to play these shows for Mike. He was a star of a man and a brilliant friend, and it'll be great to do something for his family and friends. We're sure everyone will show their support for him at the shows."
Nov 5th - Metal Hammer - EVILE: The Mike Alexander Interview
Nov 4th - EVILE, EARACHE Records and WISEBLOOD Management present:
The MIKE ALEXANDER Memorial Shows
7th December - Leeds Rios
8th December - London Underworld
Line up TBA Shortly
+ Special Guests
+ DJs playing Mike's favourites
The entrance fee will be £5 minimum as a donation to Mike’s family
To raise more for Mike's family we will be holding a tombola/raffle - Items will include gifts from bands from around the world; EXODUS, OVERKILL, HIRAX and many more being confirmed every day (KEEP CHECKING BACK). Raffle tickets will be £10 with all takings going to the family.
Oct 20th - Destruction dedicate their Damnation Set to Mike - Ol to Jam with them
German thrash titans DESTRUCTION will dedicate their set at Damnation festival in Leeds, U.K. to EVILE bassist Mike Alexander, who tragically passed away on October 5, 2009 while on tour in Sweden.
The festival will take place at Leeds University Union this Saturday, October 24.
EVILE lead guitarist Ol Drake will make a guest appearance on guitar with DESTRUCTION, to play some of Mike's favoriteDESTRUCTION tracks with the band.
Ol Drake recently filled in on guitar for DESTRUCTION at Portugal's Caos Emergente festival.
Ol Drake comments: "Mike was a huge DESTRUCTION fan. It'll be a great way to pay tribute to him by jamming some of his favoriteDESTRUCTION songs with Schmier, Marc and Mike.
"Throughout playing with EVILE, Mike was always cautiously calm about exciting things. 'Mike, we're touring with MEGADETH!' 'Oh, cool'. 'Mike, we're touring with EXODUS!' 'Oh, cool'. I just knew he jumped around like a child when he got home, but when I called him to say I'm playing a show with DESTRUCTION in Portugal he went 'OH MY GOD!!!!!!! WHOAAAA, you bastard! Wow!'"
"I got to pass on one of Schmier's picks from him to Mike before the last tour and it made his day.
"Thank you to DESTRUCTION for wanting to dedicate their next set to Mike and for letting me jam some songs in his honor."
DESTRUCTION bassist and vocalist Schmier comments: "Ol Drake became a very close friend to the band since he helped us out after the broken finger affair.
"When I heard that Mike Alexander died, I was speechless and shocked. I had to sit down.
"The world never was a fair place. This again was a situation that shows how fast everything can be over and out.
"Mike Alexander was such a positive and funny guy, his band on the way to the top, a fucking shame and a tragedy.
"EVILE and DESTRUCTION thought it would be a cool thing to dedicate the DESTRUCTION gig in Leeds this weekend at theDamnation festival to Mike Alexander. We will jam his fave DESTRUCTION tunes with Ol on the second guitar. We are sure Mikewould have loved this — a memorable way for us to remember a lost friend!
"Rock in peace, brother!"
DESTRUCTION will play on the Jagermeister stage at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, at Damnation festival, Leeds.
EVILE will be unveiling a tribute site to Mike Alexander shortly and will welcome comments, memories and photos. Donations are welcome for Mike's children and family via www.ukthrash.co.uk courtesy of UKthrash.co.uk and Wiseblood Management.
Oct 16th - Early Evile venue put on Benefit show
Malc Shipman, the venue owner at the Snooty Fox in Wakefield,
is in the process of organizing a gig to raise funds for the family of
Evile's bass player Mike Alexander, who died suddenly in Sweden on Oct 5th whilst on tour.
He is desperate that as Evile ( along with all of us !) cut their 'metal' teeth at the Snooty, he should do something to recognise that fact.
he already has a Metal all dayer booked in on Nov 7th and is re-jigging everything, so he can turn it into a benefit fund raiser for Mike and his family.
This will be an all day show, with possibly 10 bands in the lineup, and we need as many folks as possible to support the event.
All monies raised will be added into the memorial fund set up by the team at UK thrash.
In order for this show to be seen by as large an audience as possible, The entire event will be streamed in broadcast quality on the web, live as it happens on the day
If possible, we would like anyone who has a website, Facebook, or Myspace page, to add the code or link to the media player, so that this gig can reach a world wide audience.
More details on the line up are to come, once its all confirmed, , and i will post the code for streaming as soon as I get it..
Its Big
Sherry @ UKthrash.co.uk
Oct 12th - Seregon EP Show - Raffle for Mike Alexander
On Friday the 30th of October SEREGON will be releasing their new 7 Track EP ‘DISPOSABLE SUFFERING’, this will coincide with an EP Release party the same day at Yate Community Centre in Yate near Bristol, UK. A charity raffle was already set to take place but due to the tragic events of 05/10/09 all proceeds made from the raffle and door sales will go to the family of late EVILE Bassist Mike Alexander.
Items included in the Charity Raffle:
• Signed copy of Metal Hammer (June 2007) by the members of MEGADETH & Promotional Beer Mat (Donated from personal collection of SEREGON’s James Moore).
• A set of MEGADETH Plectrums from the 2007 World Tour & Promotional Beer Mat (Donated from personal collection of SEREGON’s James Moore).
• A signed live photo of TESTAMENT in Dubai 2006, (Donated from personal collection of SEREGON’s James Moore).
• A signed copy of SEREGON’s new EP ‘DISPOSABLE SUFFERING’ and signed SEREGON Promo Shot.
• A ‘DISPOSABLE SUFFERING’ SEREGON T-Shirt and signed SEREGON Promo Shot.
• Various signed vinyl’s from EXODUS
• Goodie bag from WHIPLASH
• Epiphone ANNHILATOR Flying V in Black (JEFF WATERS Signature) prototype : Signed and dated by JEFF WATERS, shipping/donation to be paid for by Jeff’s sister, KATHY WATERS
• Plus many more item’s on the night!
When asked by the UK’s TERRORIZER Magazine how he felt and why SEREGON have taken so many opportunities to help Mike’s family, SEREGON’S James Moore said:
“The main reason as to why we are doing everything we can is simple, the UK Thrash scene is a big family and families need to stick together and look after one another. After playing with Evile a few times, Mike instantly made you feel like you had been friends for years and I can find comfort in knowing the last time we spent time together was having a blast at Bloodstock with friends all around. Mike and Evile raised the bar for unsigned Thrash bands like us as well as hold the door open and help many of us through, for that we are truly grateful. We will miss you Mike, Love and Bruises. James.”
A huge thank you also goes to Marita at Punishment 18 Records and Kathy Waters for helping us make the contact with several of the bands. Raffle tickets will be available on the night and entry to the show will cost £5.00, for more details please go to
*** A message to all, everything made from the Charity raffle will go to support the daughter of late Evile Bassist Mike Alexander, please come to the show, dig deep and celebrate a true gentleman of the UK Thrash scene with us. RIP Mike. ***
SEREGON 'DISPOSABLE SUFFERING' CD RELEASE HALLOWEEN PARTY! BEHOLD THE 'NIGHT OF THE THRASH!'
This is a party and so Fancy Dress is a must, plenty of prizes and the charity raffle will have lots up for grabs including Exclusive SIGNED MEGADETH and TESTAMENT Goodies! :D
Featuring:
Seregon
Brink Of Extinction
Hope Of The Hated
Area 51
Friday 30th October
Doors - 7:00PM
Entry - £5.00
For tickets get in contact with the bands, but you WILL be able to buy them on the door.
Tickets are limited so i'd buy them now to avoid disappointment!
Or call James : 07966 734 555
Ben : 07856 127 250
Yate Community Centre
100 Station Rd
Yate, (Bristol) South Gloucestershire
BS37 4PQ
This gig is a halloween fancy dress themed gig!
(Turn up in fancy dress and you get a free raffle ticket)
Seregon shall be releasing their new 7 track EP 'Disposable Suffering' the same day as well!
A raffle will be held after the 2nd band has played and all proceeds will go to a good cause!
Mike's Evile Biography
Mike Alexander
Born: London
Instrument: Bass
Growing up within a musical family, Mike Alexander took a lot of his inspiration from his late father who in his younger days played drums going on to DJ at family gatherings, weddings etc.
Not having much interest in the style of music his father played, Mike gravitated more to the likes of the Sex Pistols and Guns n Roses.
While at school a friend of his introduced him to Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, but there didn’t have much interest towards those bands, so he stuck with the Sex Pistols and Guns n Roses.
In the summer of '92 he encountered Metallica for the first time and became an instant fan of the band.
It would be another two years before he would pick up a bass and start learning how to play.
Much to the dislike of his family, Mike started listening to more and more metal bands such as Exodus, Slayer, Carcass, Overkill and Pantera.
After moving to West Yorkshire in '96 the search to join a band started very quickly, but to no avail.
After trying out in a handful of bands which didn’t work out, he was all set for giving up the hunt, but decided to have one last try after finding an ad in a guitar shop in Huddersfield, to this day Mike still has the ad at home.
Not being totally sure about going for it, it was his girlfriend who made him call the number, this changed his life forever.
After having a meeting with Matt the two of them arranged to go to a rehearsal room and play a few songs and see how things would go.
About half an hour into playing Mike started feeling this wasn’t right for him. The level of playing by the three other guys was so high he just wanted to hide in the corner and cry.
Mike still remembers standing outside the rehearsal room when they finished playing, and Ben asking him why he wasn’t already in a band. That and how blown away he was with the playing that day made him want to join the band immediately.
A week later he was in.
Mike Alexander is currently using:
Kustom Amps and Cabs
Dunlop bass guitar strings
Vintage Warp Axxe Bass
BC Rich Warbeast