The Rev -James Owen Sullivan died he was 28

James Owen Sullivan ,^[1][2] better known by his stage name, The Rev, was the drummer for the American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, and was as well the lead vocalist in the avant-garde metal band Pinkly Smooth, along with fellow Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Synyster Gates. Sullivan lived in Huntington Beach, California and was married to Leana MacFadden (also known as Leana Silver). He was found dead on December 28, 2009,he was 28.^[3] (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009)

James Sullivan performed vocals and piano in his and Synyster Gates' side project, Pinkly Smooth, in 2002. He was most notable as the drummer and a backing-vocalist in Avenged Sevenfold.

His vocals were also featured in other songs from the Avenged Sevenfold eponymous album, such as “A Little Piece of Heaven”, “Brompton Cocktail”, “Gunslinger”, “Lost”, “Afterlife”, and “Almost Easy“. Sullivan also played many different instruments other than the drums, such as the piano and guitar and had used these abilities to write songs such as “A Little Piece of Heaven.” Before leaving to join Avenged Sevenfold, Sullivan performed with the third wave ska band Suburban Legends, as their drummer.

Sullivan was the primary writer for the songs "Almost Easy", "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Afterlife" and "Brompton Cocktail" that appear on Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album. He also wrote parts for "Critical Acclaim" and "Lost". He provided vocals in "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Afterlife", "Crossroads", "Critical Acclaim", and the cover of Iron Maiden's "Flash of the Blade". ^[4]

He had stated he was influenced by drummers such as Vinnie Paul, Mike Portnoy, and Terry Bozzio.^[5]

Sullivan stated that he had 6 different cars, one for all, but one day of the week. Ironically, in his earlier life he lived in a car, and at another time lived in a laundromat, where he worked during the day, and slept at night. He was arrested 7 times total throughout his lifetime, although only for incidences such as bar fights. ^[6]

Sullivan's arms were covered in various tattoos and he had the word "fiction" tattooed down his chest as part of a large tattoo on his torso. He also had handcuffs tattooed upon his neck; a "VII" behind his left ear, and a few smaller tattoos on his hands, including a dollar sign on the lower part of his right pinky and his wife's name on his left ring finger. On his right hand there was a bottle with handcuffs on both sides along with a pair of wings and the numbers "2" and "12", speculated to be a tattoo dedicated to himself for his birthday. There was also a tattoo behind his right ear of what appeared to be a bird. He sported a labret piercing and an industrial piercing in his left ear. He was also the tallest member of Avenged Sevenfold. ^[7]

Sullivan was found dead in his home at approximately 1:00 PM PST December 28, 2009, aged 28 years.^[3] His death was reported as due to natural causes at the scene, however, the results of the autopsy performed were inconclusive, and further tests are pending.^[3]

There were statements from Avenged Sevenfold and were posted to the their official website along with their MySpace, Facebook and Twitter profiles. Soon after the discovery of the death of Sullivan, Avenged Sevenfold made the following statement:

"It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we tell you of the passing today of Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. Jimmy was not only one of the world's best drummers, but more importantly he was our best friend and brother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jimmy's family and we hope that you will respect their privacy during this difficult time.

Jimmy you are forever in our hearts. We love you.

M Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance and Johnny Christ"^[8]

Shown on Avenged Sevenfold's official webste was a message from Sullivan's family which expressed their gratitude to his fans for their support:

"We would like to thank all of Jimmy's fans for the heartfelt comments that have been posted – it is comforting to know that his genius and antics were appreciated and that he was loved so much. Our hearts are broken – he was much too young to fall. Óg agus saor go deo (forever young and free)"^[9]

On December 14, 2009, exactly 2 weeks before his death, Sullivan was sent an email from drummer Steven DuBois, suggesting that he include a drum solo in the new album, saying "...you are the only drummer alive today capable of the job."^[10]

Sullivan is survived by his wife, Leana McFadden.^[11]

In addition to comments made about the passing of Sullivan, the band's manager Larry Jacobson expressed how Sullivan was a kind figure to all. Jacobson stated within the interview that;

He was expressive. He'd tell you how he felt about you -- you didn't wonder because he'd put his arm around you," he said. "He knew how to tell his friends he loved them." ^[12]

In addition to Jacobson, over 50 musical artists have commented upon the death of Sullivan. ^[13] Sullivan's funeral was held on January 6, 2010. In attendance were the family and friends of Sullivan as well as bands such as Lostprophets and Brian Haner Sr..^[14]

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