Before anyone starts to believe for a minute that the headline has anything to do with the band XIII Minutes and its closure and disbandment, is far from the truth. The Rottweiler Records metal band has been in our faces since their signing with the label, and what I remember is an active band reaching to the crowds that it has always inspired.
We have just learned that guitarist and backing vocalist Aaron Smith has stepped down and is taking an indefinite hiatus from the band. Drummer and manager Jamie Kucinski announced a short while ago through Facebook Live of the news, and also that the band has canceled for only the second time in seven years. After the announcement, which couldn’t have been easy, he confirmed that the band had to cancel their live performance at the upcoming Tulsa Music Awards.
For those who haven’t seen the live feed, Jamie says:
“We are men of God, first and foremost, the door is always open for Aaron to rejoin the band as he is my brother and best friend.
“Keep us in your prayers, as we will be holding auditions for a replacement after two weeks when the music video is done.
“There has been no fallout of any kind, whether through myself or the band as a whole.”
The reason in itself hasn’t been revealed but, with what we have learned, it has been in the making for some time. Family is an important factor, and we all need to be understanding in the departure of a much loved artist.
As a magazine we have been very close to the boys and we wish Aaron Smith all the best and he is always in our prayers… We will see what will come in the near future but, the future is certainly bright with my guys at XIII Minutes.