Stick Men guitarist Markus Reuter has issued a statement detailing a major theft that hit the band during their recent tour of Chile. The group’s luggage was targeted by what Reuter describes as an organized operation, with equipment and personal belongings taken from their suitcases while in the care of the airline.
The gear losses are substantial. The band lost two Quad Cortex units and a sample pad belonging to drummer Pat Mastelotto. More difficult to replace are three hard drives belonging to Reuter — containing dozens of in-progress music projects, archival recordings, and more than 300 unreleased live recordings spanning the past decade.
The personal toll runs deeper still. Those same drives held Reuter‘s only complete archive of photos and videos of his daughter from birth.
The band is not soliciting direct donations, but Reuter pointed fans toward their Bandcamp pages as the most practical way to offer support: purchases of digital downloads from their Bandcamp page and the Bootlegs page will help offset what he called “the severe financial and emotional blow of this loss.”
Stick Men are also appealing directly to their Chilean fanbase. If any of the stolen gear or personal items surface — whether in circulation or being traded — the band is offering a reward for information leading to its recovery.
Despite the setback, the band confirmed they will be back on the road next week.
Reuter‘s statement reads as follows:
“Hi everyone, keeping it as short as possible: I’m writing to share a difficult update regarding our recent travels in Chile. Unfortunately, we (Stick Men) were victims of an organized theft where much of our gear and personal items were stolen from our suitcases while in the custody of the airline.
“The loss is significant. While I still have my primary instrument, we lost essential equipment, most notably including two of our Quad Cortex units and Pat‘s sample pad. More devastatingly, three of my hard drives were taken, containing dozens of music projects, archival data, and over 300 unreleased concert recordings from the last decade. On a personal level, these drives also held the only complete archive of photos and videos of my daughter since she was born.
While we are not asking for direct donations, many of you have asked how you can help. If you would like to support the band during this time, the most effective way is to visit our Bandcamp pages and purchase digital downloads. Supporting our digital catalog helps us recover from the severe financial and emotional blow of this loss as we continue our tour next week.
“And if any of our Chilean friends hear of our equipment and personal items being traded, we’re very interested in recovering what was stolen from us, and we offer a reward for that.
“Despite this setback, we will be back on the road next week and look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming shows. Thank you for your ongoing support and for standing by us.”
