DEVASTATING LOSS

Drummer, 56, Dies After Sudden Collapse Onstage

The rocker slumped over his drum kit during the second track of their 10-song set, his bandmate said.

Drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib died shortly after collapsing during a performance with his rock band Meditasi at Teruntum Rock Festival in Malaysia. Meditasi’s frontman and vocalist Bakaruddin Daud recalls seeing his bandmate slump over his drum kit during the second track of their 10-song set in Kuanta. An ambulance took Raja Azreen Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from heart complications. “The fans were quite alarmed when they saw what was happening,” Daud said. “He was really happy to meet up with friends. He didn’t appear sad or unwell,” the bandmate continued. The drummer’s brother Raja Azman said the 56-year-old had been recently diagnosed with diabetes and was hospitalized in June because of heart issues. Raja Azman added that his brother’s heart may have been affected by “extreme fatigue” noting that Raja Azreen “went straight” from a BMX competition to the music festival before collapsing.