An architect and driving force behind one of the most successful heavy rock bands in the history of the style, bassist/vocalist Mike Dean will step away from the band he co-founded, Corrosion of Conformity. The band’s announcement today comes as something of a shock, and lands even as the long-tenured C.O.C. look to release a new album next year following-up 2018’s No Cross No Crown (review here), which reunited the group with guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan, also of Down.

The band notes below that those recordings are in progress, and this seems to be a fresh enough advent that there’s no word of who will replace Dean in handling the crucial bottom end of C.O.C.‘s sound, but at the very least, it means the next C.O.C. record will be just the second in the band’s 42-years-and-counting tenure not to feature Dean, who fronted both early and later incarnations, on bass. That leaves guitarist/backing vocalist Woody Weatherman as the lone remaining founding member, with Keenan having first come aboard for the other Dean-less LP, 1991’s Blind (discussed here), before stepping into the lead vocalist role on 1994’s commercial breakthrough, Deliverance (discussed here), for which Dean also made a return.

You can see his reasons listed below, among them the 2020 passing of drummer Reed Mullin, but whatever drove the decision, there’s no question that seeing the band onstage without him will be a big change, even if it’s not the first time such a thing has happened. And as Dean has a number of other projects and outlets, there’s a certain comfort in knowing it probably won’t be long before the next thing comes up.

Just saw this on socials, so here it is:

This is from our brother, Mike Dean:

“Recently I made a decision to step away from Corrosion Of Conformity, a band started 40 odd years ago by Reed Mullin, Woody Weatherman, and myself.

I’m extremely proud of everything we’ve done together, and look forward to hearing more from the band going forward.

When I rejoined COC for the finishing touches of the “Deliverance” album, I moved back to Raleigh, NC for an all-in creative campaign, but time, distance and side projects and life in general has changed all of that.

Ever since Reed drifted away from the band and then passed way, it’s been difficult for me to collaborate on new material with bandmates who live hundreds of miles away.

I look forward to putting together a new Raleigh based outlet to create new music with more alacrity and with more of an emphasis on my own ideas than in recent times.

Also, I look forward to continuing to record and produce other artists.

All the best to Woodroe, Pepper, and COC crew, and most importantly, many big thanks to the fans of all iterations of the band, who have made this real for all of these years.

Salute!

Mike Dean

PS Stay tuned here for links and more information”

We, Woodroe and Pepper, are in full support of Dean’s future endeavors and wish him all the best in the quest. Thankful for the music made and (R)evolutionary paths created.

That being said, this book of Corrosion is not finished, nor will the train stop. The opportunity to play music and create is something that we don’t take lightly, and we will not waver. New COC recording is well underway and will be released in 2025.

Much love and respect to all the free thinkin’ beer drinkin’ friends and fans worldwide, looking to making more. Without you, we are just growing deaf in a garage.

See you on the horizon.

Stay tuned, stay heavy.

Always,
Corrosion of Conformity

http://www.coc.com
http://www.facebook.com/corrosionofconformity
https://www.instagram.com/coccabal/

C.O.C., “Your Tomorrow”

Tags: Corrosion of Conformity, North Carolina, Raleigh

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