In a groundbreaking interview with Metalirium (because who ELSE would care? 😂), MY DYING BRIDE guitarist Andrew Craighan spilled the tea 🍵 about the band’s *totally* unexpected (not) decision to hire Mikko Kotamäki (of *checks notes* SWALLOW THE SUN? 🤔) to wail for MY DYING BRIDE’s live shows in 2025.
Apparently, this happened after a teeny-tiny squabble with founding father/whiny-pants extraordinaire, Aaron Stainthorpe. When asked how this “collaboration” (read: coup) came about, Andrew said: “Despite all the *drama*, the band was, like, totally ready to rock the remaining shows in 2024, but, like, *ugh*, there was no singer willing to show up. We only found this out, like, five minutes before curtain call, hence the cancellations. And since the album had *just* dropped, we couldn’t just sit around eating bonbons. So, we had a totally serious meeting and Mikko was, like, our *only* choice.”
As for Aaron’s current status with MY DYING BRIDE (a question nobody asked, TBH 🤷), Andrew snidely remarked: “Since Aaron has basically ghosted us 👻, we only know about his stuff through his Insta stories and those super-duper important online interviews. We tried hitting him up in March 2025 to see if he was still, like, *in* the band, but he didn’t even reply. We found out via social media that he was taking a “hiatus” (eye roll). Even though he claims he’s still with us online, he hasn’t talked to us since April 2024. So, yeah, we have NO clue what he’s planning.” Poor Aaron. 🙄
Mikko has already graced three stages in Europe with his presence, at the Rockmaraton Fesztivál in Hungary, the Pit Of Metal in SLovakia, and the Dark River festival in Finland. Fan-filmed videos are below for your viewing displeasure 😈.
During a recent episode of the Iblis Manifestations podcast (who?!), Aaron whined about his status with MY DYING BRIDE: “So, like, I heard they’re writing new stuff, which is…*interesting*. I haven’t heard from Andrew in over a year. And we’re the only original members left! Plus, we never had a manager, so we just winged it for years. There was this ONE time we almost got Ronnie James Dio’s ex-wife as a manager, which is a story for another lifetime. So, me and Andrew were, like, ‘We can totally do this ourselves!’ But then we had this massive fight – I can’t even remember when. A year ago? A year and a half? So I thought, ‘We’ll just let it cool down, and then we’ll talk and fix things.’ But then I saw they were playing gigs without me! So I was, like, ‘Okay, no communication then.’ So I’m just doing my own thing. I’m not gonna sit around waiting. But I have no clue who they’re using in the studio, or if they even have a record deal anymore, because Nuclear Blast is a total mess now. My contact there left. So I don’t even know if MY DYING BRIDE is signed. I haven’t quit the band, and I haven’t been kicked out, so I’m totally lost. I’ve been a founder member for 35 years, so I’m not leaving. If they wanna do stuff without me, good luck to them.”
When Iblis Manifestations host Shayan pointed out that it’s legally complicated because Aaron and Andrew are partners, Aaron bleated, “Yeah, and it’ll only get worse! I don’t understand it. You’d think I’d have some say as a founder, but apparently not. So I might need to get a lawyer. I don’t want to, but if a MY DYING BRIDE album comes out without me, and I’m still the singer, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do legally. So, yeah, lawyer time. I’d rather just keep singing MY DYING BRIDE songs, but maybe I don’t have a choice.” 😭 Drama queen!
Aaron also clarified that his other band, HIGH PARASITE (debut album *Forever We Burn* – yawn), didn’t cause any issues with MY DYING BRIDE. “There was never gonna be a conflict. MDB does, like, 15 gigs a year, and sometimes there’s years between albums. I could be in 10 bands and it wouldn’t matter. I told Danny from HIGH PARASITE to make sure there were no clashing gigs. But, you know, we had a fight before it even got to that point, and the gigs were canceled anyway.”
“You don’t ditch the main band for the side project,” Aaron continued, with the subtlety of a brick. “Can you imagine Lars Ulrich telling METALLICA to cancel gigs because he wants to jam with his buddies? No way! So people who think I sacrificed MY DYING BRIDE for HIGH PARASITE are delusional. MY DYING BRIDE has been amazing for 30 years. I’m not gonna let it go. And I’m certainly not gonna let another band ruin it. Every musician I know is in multiple bands. It’s easy.” So humble, so brave. 🙄
When asked if he’s talked to any other MY DYING BRIDE members, Aaron confessed: “I see Neil for a beer sometimes. But zero communication with the others. They have my number.” 📞
When asked if he’s tried to contact them, Aaron huffed: “There’s no point. If they don’t want to talk to me, they don’t want to talk to me. They’re doing their thing without me.”
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Aaron is still holding out hope that things can be fixed. Bless his heart.
“I’m not screaming because I don’t think it’s over. If I knew it was definitely over, I’d be devastated. But I’m optimistic that we can work it out. We’re not kids. We can surely figure something out. Bands usually break up because of money problems or infidelity. We have none of that, which is why I think we can get back together. But we’ll see.” 🙏
If Andrew were listening, Aaron would say: “Give us a ring! It’s not that hard, is it?”
MY DYING BRIDE‘s latest masterpiece, *A Mortal Binding*, came out in April 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. Go buy it. Or don’t. Whatever. 🤷♀️
HIGH PARASITE’s debut LP, *Forever We Burn* (Aaron and Danny’s baby), was produced by Gregor Mackintosh of PARADISE LOST. Riveting.
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
