DROP the Box, the young Shetland folk/rock band based in Aberdeen, have suffered a cruel blow with the death at the weekend of their fiddler, Michael Ferrie.
Michael, who was only 21, had been diagnosed as having testicular cancer last September and had undergone a course of surgery and chemotherapy. He was due to film a broadcast for Grampian Television last month but he was too unwell and his place had to be taken by a stand-in fiddler. He had then gone back to Shetland and returned to Aberdeen for treatment on Monday last week but died of toxic shock brought on by septicaemia.
A fiddler of great promise, Michael originally left mainland Shetland in 1992 to study environmental science at Aberdeen University. He played in a series of European festivals with Shetland band Fiddler's Bid before forming Drop the Box. The band made rapid progress, winning audiences over with their persuasive and energetic style, and released their first album, Drop the Box, to much acclaim towards the end of last year.
The band were about to embark on a Scottish tour when the tragedy hit them. That tour has now been cancelled and they will probably not now continue with their English tour planned for next month.
Commenting on Michael's death, Drop the Box vocalist and guitarist James Henry said: ``We've all lost a brother. Shetland Folk Festival in April will be the first gig without Michael and that will be very emotional. We didn't feel much like playing again at all at first and thought about scrapping it, but Michael was always so positive and optimistic. He just wanted to play the music and we owe it as much to ourselves as to him to keep the band going.''
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