Former Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies is filing a lawsuit following an early 2014 accident at a gym, the Herald Sun reports. Gillies was working out at Melbourne Health and Fitness for the first time with trainer Jeremy Strong, and while bench pressing he complained that the weight he was bench pressing was too much. Strong insisted that he continue to bench the weight, which unfortunately led to Gillies suffering a serious right shoulder injury.
Gillies alleges Mr Strong not only dismissed his concerns, with words to the effect of “c’mon mate, you’ll be alright” but then twice increased the weight on the bar.
Gillies was unable to drum for eight months, and had to turn down major TV roles on Celebrity Apprentice, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, and Celebrity Big Brother. Gillies is still partially incapacitated.
“It is unlikely, given the nature of his injury, that (Gillies) will ever achieve pre-injury level of drumming skills to enable him to tour or return to his previous ability,” his statement of claim says.
“(Gillies) experiences severe pain and fatigue in his shoulder after drumming and, notwithstanding the deterioration in his skills, would not be able to undertake the gruelling demands a lengthy tour requires.”
Gillies is set to release a solo album later this year.
