Nevermore founding bassist Jim Sheppard surprised by 'disrespectful' reunion rumors

Nevermore is seemingly gearing up for a 2025 reunion, but not without controversy. Founding bassist Jim Sheppard has publicly voiced his disapproval over being excluded from the plans. Sheppard, who played a pivotal role in the band's early years, took to Facebook—via a post shared by his wife Priscila—to call the reunion "disrespectful," stating he was never contacted about the "alleged" comeback.

Sheppard posted the following:

Since I have been receiving a few messages from James fans regarding a post Van Williams made on social media, I feel I need to respond to you with an update.

James has never been contacted about Van's plans with Jeff using the Nevermore name. I am sorry you think James is involved.

We do not know about their plans, and it is completely disrespectful of them to use the name NEVERMORE without consulting Jim Sheppard, as he is one of the founders of the band.
We are waiting for clarification on this alleged project and will proceed from there, whether or not clarification comes from them.

No further comment for now. Thank you.

This criticism surfaced just after guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams posted teaser videos on social media hinting at the return of the iconic prog-power outfit. The reunion comes as a surprise to many, especially following the band's dissolution in 2011 and the tragic passing of vocalist Warrel Dane in 2017, which led many to believe a Nevermore comeback would never happen.

However, the precedent for continuing without Dane was arguably set by Sanctuary, the band that preceded Nevermore, which remained active after Dane's death. While details on the exact lineup and plans remain unclear, Sheppard and his supporters are awaiting clarification about the reunion's direction and legitimacy.