Billboard reports that punk drummer Charlie Quintana has died at age 56, according to social media tributes from a number of bands the journeyman musician performed with over his three-decade-plus career. Quintana played in Social Distortion and with former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin’s solo band. One of the group’s paying homage to the El Paso, Texas-born drummer was Cracker, who tipped their hat to Quintana’s prodigious, unique skills behind the kit.
“One of the greatest drummers of all time,” they wrote. “A true test of a drummers ability is a slow song. No one could ever match him on this.” At press time Billboard had reached out to confirm the details of Quintana’s death.
Izzy Stradlin tweeted, “Condolences to Charlie Quintana`s family,friends and fans.”
“Charlie Quintana was a great drummer and band mate in the 92 era Ju Ju Hounds.”
“Charlie Quintana had an extremely well developed sense of humor and his contributions to music as a percussionist are vast.”
Guitarist Chris Lawrence, who toured with Quintana in 1998 on Social Distortion singer Mike Ness’ first solo outing, called the drummer a “fuel injected turbocharged powerhouse with the timing of a nuclear clock.”
“Charlie Quintana…In 1998 I recorded guitar and pedal steel on Mike Ness’s first solo album. In 1999 we spent the entire year touring the US and parts of Canada to support that album as well as recording a second album. Charlie Quintana was the drummer on that tour and on the second album. He was one of THE most amazing drummers I have ever worked with, as good as it gets. A fuel injected turbocharged powerhouse with the timing of a nuclear clock. We spent many evenings after our shows at a hotel bar or one of our rooms enjoying a few (or more) drinks and exchanging tall tales and sharing our life stories. Charlie was as charming as he was difficult at times, a complicated and often conflicted man for sure. But behind all of that I saw him as a guy who was proud and passionate about his art and his life. His passing is not right, he has left this realm far too soon.”
