Jason Thirsk

Jason Matthew Thirsk (December 25, 1967 – July 29, 1996) was the former bass player of the California punk rock band Pennywise who grew up in Hermosa Beach, California.

Thirsk, who had been in rehabilitation for alcoholism and also suffered from depression, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 28. The band decided to continue making music after Thirsk's death, and brought in bass guitarist Randy Bradbury from One Hit Wonder. The band then set about writing an album of new material which was made up of mostly anti-suicide messages. One of Pennywise's most popular songs, "Bro Hymn", was originally written by Thirsk as a tribute to three of his friends, Tim Colvin, Carlos Canton, and Tom Nichols, who died in a car accident. The band re-recorded the song after his death as a tribute to their fallen bandmate, replacing the line "Canton, Colvin, Nichols, this one's for you" with "Jason Matthew Thirsk, this one's for you", and renaming the track "Bro Hymn Tribute". It appears as the final track on Full Circle released in 1997, and also live on Live @ the Key Club, released in 2000. Justin Thirsk, Jason's brother and drummer from 98 Mute, appears on the re-recording both on drums and vocals.

Thirsk's Pennywise discography

*"A Word From the Wise" (1989, EP)
*"Wildcard" (1989, EP)
*"Pennywise" (1991)
*"A Word from the Wise/Wildcard" (1992, compilation of the EPs)
*"Unknown Road" (1993)
*"About Time" (1995)

and see also
*"Full Circle" (1997, dedicated to him)
*"No Heroes" (1996) Humble Gods (This was the last official recording to ever feature Jason Thirsk).