Urgent statement reguarding Rick Lancaster and the current future of WHUT?

For Immediate Release


Contact: SBE Records / Suburban 171, inc.
1335 Lakeside Dr. #1 Romeoville, Il 60446
630-312-8151 www.whuthc.com
whutbooking@yahoo.com


7.31.13

In general we try keeping the inner workings of WHUT? off public record. Today we need to address the bands state and future to our fans, friends, family and general public.

To begin, Rick Lancaster has stepped down as Bass Player of WHUT?. By doctors orders he has been forced to remove himself from the fold so he can keep up with the grueling schedule of constant medical testing and procedures as they wait out getting him a healthy, type O-negative liver.

As some of you know, Rick has had to deal with a life threatening liver disease (primary sclerosing cholangitis) for many years. Over the last 2 years it has been in full effect and Rick has been in and out of the hospital on a very regular basis, a lot of the time it has been weekly to daily visits dealing with the complications and the destruction of his immune system from the PSC. With all of this he has missed multiple tour, show and studio dates, but at no point ever stopped putting everything he had into supporting WHUT?, WasteLanD and our 171 enterprises. The only thing that will fix this is getting Rick a liver transplant, which he still is not high enough on the list and we are still waiting for the ok. By doctors orders he can not work, do activities that raise his heart rate, eat a normal diet, all adding to the strain of the problems. Once he gets to the point of reviving a transplant he will be in the hospital for months while his body adapts and starts to heal. The financial burden this all leads to would make the healthiest of man want to jump from the highest bridge, and yet Rick holds his head high, cracks jokes and is holding positive that this is just another hurdle in this run of life.

This leads to the current future of WHUT?. As of right now the band only has a handful dates booked for the rest of 2013 and plans on playing all dates including this Friday 8.2.13 with Jungle Rot at Chicago's Cobra Lounge. Whut? will be utilizing fill in bass players for these shows, including Phil Dollinger from the band A Silent Truth. PBS, Philly D and J.Keen plan to finish working on the material that was started earlier this year at the Nook Recording Studio in New Lenox with producer Nick Nativo, and have pushed back the plans on releasing it till early next year.

On Saturday September 7th, 2013 SBE has booked out Bada Brew in Crest Hill, Il to host a Benefit for Rick to help with the mounting living, medical, medication, and travel expenses. This event will include performances from WHUT?, Habit of Force, I Hate People, A Silent Truth, Villainous Grinn and more. Plus the event will have raffles and on-site donation drop off available. If you are interested in contributing to this event, or hosting your own benefit for Rick please contact SBE at whutbooking@yahoo.com with Help Ricky in the heading.

A 'Go Fund Me' page has been set up for online Donations at this address:
http://www.gofundme.com/3rnl7c?preview=1

Or to send donations directly to Rick's Paypal at ricklncstr@gmail.com or follow the links on www.whuthc.com

As a band, we will continue to stand behind our comrade in camo and will do everything we can to get Rick the help and treatment he needs. We hope all of you can contribute, even if it's only a buck or two it will go to help a great person and one who has really embodied what hard work, support and love of music really is.

WHUT?




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