NewsSeptember 24, 2008 11:45 AM ET3,450 views

My America loses vocalist

My America Is Watching Tigers Die has parted ways with singer and founding member David Rushman. The band comments: "We wish David the best with whatever the future holds for him, along with Ben Roethlisberger who probably needs it more. Fortunately, along with the bad news, there is also a wealth of good news to report at the time. With the change in lineup the rest of us are ready to move into this new phase as a band and accept the challenge and eventual adjustments that will come with it." For his part, Rushman has issued the following: "I am totally not stoked to be writing this, but I will no longer be a part of My America. The decision was made after I had a lot of down time to think about it. Basically what it boils down to is that I am not financially stable enough to live the self sufficient 'adult' lifestyle and still be able to tour as much as the rest of the band wishes to. Thanks to a $30,000 tab compliments of five years at the University of Delaware, as well as rent, car insurance, car payments, and a maxed out credit card, I am in a pretty immense amount of debt. I don't expect to be getting out of it anytime soon, but as it was, touring was pushing me deeper and deeper into the hole. This all really reached a head while we were doing our more recent US tour with Romans this past summer. I realized how fucked I was going to be when I got home... and guess what... I was. Over the course of the tour, there were talks about my financial situation between the rest of the band and myself, and I ultimately told them that I would NEVER knowingly hold them back because of it. After we went to Boston and back a few weeks ago and talks of a tour in November arose, I knew I couldn't do it. I also knew that if I tried to work it out and ended up backing out, like I probably would have, I would be doing exactly what I said I would never do: holding the band back. Having to turn down a show every once in a while because of work, or because I couldn't afford it is no big deal, but continually having to turn down tours because one of four members can't afford it isn't fair, and I knew the time had come for me to let go. The hardest part about it is that I in no way WANT to do this... I desperately want to be in this band. "For the last seven years of my life I have been playing music with these guys, and I honestly don't know what I am going to do without it. I have had some of the best times of my life driving around with these assholes... going to parties across the country, smoking weed in Wal-Mart parking lots, jerking-off in friends' showers, things that I would never have had the chance to experience if it weren't for this band. I have seen about 40 of the 48 continental United States because of the multiple east coast and couple of full U.S. tours that we went on, something that also definitely would not have happened without this band. The other guys in My America are my family, and no matter what, this will always be my band. I have no intention of starting or joining another band. I just know that not only would I not be able to dedicate myself to another band, but it would never be the same. I was a part of the countless demos, our 8-song EP, our seven inch, and the latest full length record that was put out by Pluto Records, I label I have respected for years. I made my mark on this whole "music" thing, and I am happy that I did it with Matt, Andy, and Brian. They in no way made me feel pressured to do this... it was completely my decision and they didn't make me feel bad about that either. I wish them the best of luck, and hope that I can catch them when they are opening for As I Lay Dying next fall... hopefully they will guest list me, but they always have been pretty stingy about that shit. "I also want to say thank you to all the sweet ass people I have met in other bands, at shows, or just hanging out. You are all awesome, and you gave me a little bit more faith in the human race. I hope that somehow I had a small effect on your life... whether it was on a personal level, or just because you liked my lyrics or beautiful voice. Bye Bye for now."



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