E. William Tucker (1961 - May 14, 1999)

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Originally from NJ, William Tucker was a prolific post punk/industrial guitarist who was mainly a session player. He taught guitar lessons locally for a while and had Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo from the band Ween as one of his students.

After Al Jourgensen from Ministry heard a Swinging Piston’s single on which Tucker played guitar, he asked him to join Ministry’s A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour in 1989 (and as a result, moved to Chicago that same year). This opened up several doors afterwards for him as he became a highly sought after musician by other bands who were impressed with his guitar playing skills. He later went on the road with Foetus, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, the Revolting Cocks, KMFDM, and Pigface.

In 1999 Tucker joined Ministry again for what would have been his second year long tour with them on their Dark Side of the Spoon tour. He committed suicide on May 14th by overdosing on prescription medication and then slitting his throat, several weeks before the start of the tour.  He had an undisclosed terminal illness which he was painfully suffering from for close to a year.



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