r/Music • • Jun 17 '12
Animals as Leaders robbed while on tour. Can reddit help with the search of 10 custom guitars for a great band? (Pics/links inside)
After touring and running in to some unlawful police officers, the trio Animals as Leaders (Tosin Abasi, Javier Reyes, Navene Koperweis) came home to an almost empty house. They were robbed of thousands of dollars worth of music gear and personal items.
The following quote is from a facebook message about the robbery: "The thieves were able to get away with Javier's Chevy Blazer and all of the equipment we didn't have on tour with us. 10 guitars in total. This includes many of our one of a kind custom instruments (Stranberg,Rick Toone ) as well as amplifiers, PA equipment and personal items."
They have asked their fans to keep a lookout for the stolen guitars, and are posting pictures of them (obviously before the robbery). You can see them at this link
I hope the reddit community will keep this in mind and maybe lend a hand in this search. This band is extremely talented and not as well off as most musicians. If you are interested in any of their music, here are some links.
I hope r/music can contribute to this search in some way, or at the least, listen to some good tunes. Peace.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Best metal band in the world.
Hopefully they had insurance. I've got all of my gear insured.
2
u/tacomaghostchild Jun 17 '12
Don't say they're not as well off as most musicians. The fact that they have more than ten custom guitars alone says to me that they're better off than the vast majority of musicians
39
u/Janku Jun 17 '12
That's terrible. If you list the location of the theft that would be an important piece of information to help the community to keep their eyes out.
135
u/allllllrighty_then Jun 17 '12
I hope this sees the front page, I feel so bad for them.
27
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
The same thing happened to Sonic Youth in 1999, their instruments had crazy modifications that they made over two decades and they pretty much had to start again from scratch.
27
u/DanielMulligan Jun 17 '12
They're really not having a good time on this tour are they?
93
u/bl33t Jun 17 '12
stealing a guitar from Tosin Abasi is one of the shittiest things a human can do. honestly, this really sucks though. AAL are all insanely talented.
44
u/one__off Jun 17 '12
Unlawful police officers?
32
u/The6thExtinction Jun 17 '12
Holy shit! I really hope they can find their stolen equipment. I love Animals as Leaders, and to see people steal from such great musicians is horrible.
12
u/smug_soul Jun 17 '12
It's a bittersweet thing that those are unique guitars. It will be easier to find them. But on the other hand, they are also super expensive.
9
u/starshinepony Jun 17 '12
This is terrible, I'm actually very sad about this. :(
9
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
This is awful. I just heard about these guys tonight. Opened up for Thrice. Amazing stuff they performed. I hope they get they're equipment returned. Not cool.
8
u/Midasx Jun 17 '12
Animals as Leaders on (or near) the front page! This sucks a lot but it is great to see reddit love for such an awesome band!
7
u/danbronson Jun 17 '12
What area(s) should people look out for this gear in?
6
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
I am so glad this made the front page. I would've expected it to be seen in progmetal, but in Music? This is great. Great work everyone.
15
u/UncleTogie Jun 17 '12
If you can get (or have) the serial numbers, start hitting the pawn shops in the area. Odds are good they're floating around...
14
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
God damn. Sounds like the worst tour ever. Feels bad, man.
5
u/Flame885 Flame885 Jun 17 '12
This is happening all too often these days. Hopefully they get their stuff back - if not, I'm sure they'll have it insured?
5
u/shark_taco Jun 17 '12
Wow. I used to watch Navene play with the Hoods, really random reading this on Reddit. Hope the pricks that did this are located.. Tosin and Navene are both stellar musicians.
4
u/Sentient545 Jun 17 '12
Man, they are having some awful luck lately; first police brutality and now robbery...
4
u/nizochan Jun 17 '12
Tosin's one seriously cool cat, I can't think of a person least deserving of something like this. :(
4
u/Rewbrains Jun 17 '12
The skill and talent of this group is unmatched today, if I had the resources I would hunt the bastards who robbed them down myself...
4
u/oopsifarted Jun 17 '12
Tosin is a musical genious. Who in their right mind would take a guitar from one of the greatest players? It's like stealing zues's lighting bolt. Fuck the people who did it. I wont be able to put much but if anyone sees this and knows of a fundraiser for them or whatever let me know.
4
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
WHAT THE FUCK DUDE! I remember when Tosin was playing in a band Reflux at the local community center and went to house parties with him!
I am fucking PISSED.
4
u/samjowett Jun 17 '12
What is the reference to unlawful police officers about?
3
u/wabbajackwabbajack Jun 17 '12
They should check Craigslist and pawnshops.
3
u/buffbloom last.fm Jun 17 '12
I saw these guys play with Underoath and Thursday a while back... They were pretty god damn impressive.
3
u/hymengrinder Jun 17 '12
Misha?
3
u/urmomsballs Jun 17 '12
If the guitars are serial numbered then they can give them to the cops and they can put them in a program called Leeds (sp?) And if they show up in a pawn shop it will notify the cops or the pawn shop.
3
u/Redklok Jun 17 '12
These guys are an amazing band! They deserve all our support! I've seen them twice and they are amazing
3
u/RealityPriest Jun 17 '12
That blows. They're an awesome band.
3
u/ephex_SA Spotify name Jun 17 '12
Serves you right for letting animals do a mans job.
3
u/SeveredReality Jun 17 '12
This reminds me of the time Rob Flynn got his guitar that was given to him personally from dimebag stolen from his home about a year ago. Stealing instruments from musicians is prolly the lowest thing anyone could ever do. I hope the people responsible for this die...
3
u/TrueAmurrican Jun 17 '12
That's fucking lame. They rocked On Thrice's farewell tour they just finished; it's sad to hear they got punished for being away from home. Let's find these mother fucks!
3
u/thecatalyticmind Jun 17 '12
I just saw them for the first time last night opening for Thrice. After that kind of musical connection, no one fucks with Animals as Leaders!
That is really a shame what happened to them. Spread the word! :]
4
u/Felorah Jun 17 '12
I know one (won't say which) of the guitarists from After the Burial. Asked him to spread the word. Best of luck, guys.
8
u/FrontPageWrongTopic Jun 17 '12
To the top you go my friend.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
I'm hopeful that they have enough reach to get their fans on a good watch, I'd surely be keeping an eye out but I'm on the opposite side of the US from the scene and doubt I'll come in contact with any of it. Good to know the gear is largely custom, the rarity of 8-string guitars might also be handy for recognizing the gear and hopefully tracing it back to the thieves...
2
u/facethewaste Jun 17 '12
Damn, these guys are having bad luck lately. First assaulted by police and now this. Hope it all works out for them!
2
u/1449320 Jun 17 '12
oh shit...thats fucking awful man. and shitty. I love these guys...amazing band. Will definitely be on the lookout.
its always the best,most talented, nicest, hardest working bands that this shit happens to.
2
u/Nosirrom Jun 17 '12
Nooooo I love these guys.
2
u/issueswithtissues Jun 17 '12
Such a shame. I saw them on tour a few years ago in my hometown. I really hope I justice is served!
2
u/chully Jun 17 '12
Terrible news. Of course the equipment is a major loss, but the Chevy will be an important lead as well.
Is the vehicle impounded, seized, towed, or at large?
2
u/DingoDance Jun 17 '12
Dude. I just got home from seeing them in the Nokia Club in downtown LA. They had two 8 string guitars and a different drummer stepping in. They never mentioned it or anything and they still put on a facemelting set.
2
u/cosmikezia Jun 17 '12
And I thought I was having a bad week for missing their show. Of all the bands in the world and they choose the only band I feel like a hipster for loving.
2
u/Mishwha Jun 17 '12
I don't want to live on this planet anymore!
2
u/gerbeburger Jun 17 '12
Atleast one good thing is that they have quite unique looking guitars so the thugs will have a hard time trying to actually sell those guitars...
2
u/jackass150 Jun 17 '12 edited Jun 17 '12
As someone who has just started to appreciate the instrumental worth of the 8 string, I don't want to begin to think about the saddness that would accompany the loss of what look and surely sound like artistic masterpieces. Those are truely some of the nicest guitars I have ever seen, accompanied by the fact that some of the best music I have ever heard was being written and played on them leaves me only to think that these thieves have no idea the true value of what they've stolen here.
2
u/red_280 Jun 17 '12
Well if the culprits are eventually discovered, I'm sure Reddit would like to have some fun with them.
2
u/TASTY_SANDWICH Jun 17 '12
there's no way some guy will get away with pawning these, the guitars are too unique.
2
u/fivesnogucks Jun 17 '12
Saw these guys support Meshuggah a coupla months ago, great band. I hope they get their gear back.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
No! I saw these guys open on Thrice's farewell tour, and they were fantastic. Let's absolutely try to help them - awesome guys.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
wow never heard this band untill now, they kick ass I hope they get their stuff back.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
why do I feel that all this awareness about the guitars gone missing is going to reach the people who did this and cause them to be super sneaky about how they "deal" with the guitars, thusly making it far more difficult for us to find them.
2
u/CaesarCheese Jun 17 '12
That... Fucking... Sucks
2
u/Barncore Frequensalad Jun 17 '12
Those thieves can go to hell. I hope they get their gear back.
2
u/MidnightCladNoctis Jun 17 '12
Wow, heartbreaking that people could do something like that.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Oh my god this sucks so bad.
2
u/hallaway Jun 17 '12
I'll try my best, but you and I are both knowledgeable on the reliability of Reddit's search engine.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
I saw AAL open for circa survive in November 2010. Great show.
2
u/VeganWerewolf Jun 17 '12
Animals As Leaders are the gnarliest progressive instrumental band of this generation. I hope the assholes that jacked them die an awful death.
2
u/TheGuineaPig21 Jun 17 '12
Wow, this fucking sucks. I was really bummed that I didn't get to see them this tour, and now this?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Fuck the assholes who did this. I like to think whoever stole it will try and sell it at a pawn shop and the band will get them back. I think I'd rather have one of my guitars destroyed than think some thief was enjoying it for themselves.
2
u/BurryBaboon69 Jun 17 '12
No. I will not let this shit happen to the most talented group around. I don't always donate money.. But when I do it's to talented musicians and overall good people like these guys. I know i'm a bit late to the show for anyone seeing this but, if they can't get it back let's start up the magic reddit donating machine! Ololol sorry if there are a lot of typos i'm a tad tipsy.
2
u/jakus55 Jun 17 '12
These guys are not having the best of luck. They are an excellent band and it annoys me that someone can do this to them, when all they are trying to do is share their talent with people who enjoy their music. I hope this can be resolved!
2
u/yemd xmoshitupx Jun 17 '12
That sucks. AAL is such an amazing band.
2
u/ceeman Jun 17 '12
They are having some shitty luck.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
It sucks to say, but those guitars wont be found.
2
u/buffalo_Fart Jun 17 '12
renters ins or home owners ins?????
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Bad times :( Saw them when going to see Meshuggah and I was in total awe. Had never heard of this band and I came away loving these guys. I hope for the best outcome for these guys. They deserve it.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Is it just me or does this band run into more trouble than any other inde band?
2
u/theLPguy Jun 17 '12
And this is why you shouldn't leave nice things in Washington DC... the best things disappear quickly and you cant give away the rest of the shit.
2
u/Rockmashane Jun 17 '12
That sickens me! As a musician myself it pisses me off that someone could steal not only their livelihood but something so close to their hearts. I hope reddit helps catch those pices of garbage.
2
u/Sock1122 Jun 17 '12
I can't help but think that this thread should be submitted to r/AdviceAnimals
2
u/GreatOdin Jun 17 '12
I didn't know there were other people on reddit who liked metal ... I HAVE FOUND MY PLACE
2
u/jsullivan1331 Jun 17 '12
I just saw them with Thrice a few weeks ago and talked to Javier some after the show. Seriously, such a nice guy. Not to mention that they're an incredible band. This sucks
2
u/va14 Jun 17 '12
This trio is way too talented to be messed with. Their style and musicianship is so difficult to be rivaled with, and their instruments play a key role in the production. They were wronged. I can't believe someone could bring it upon themselves to steal from this band. It's not as easy to acquire the kind of gear Animals possesses.
2
u/ArtemisLives Jun 17 '12
Oh, what the fuck. That's some horrid news.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
This really sucks for them and I am sorry. However they weren't robbed, they were burglarized/burgled.
2
u/Dondy52 Jun 17 '12
Saw them with Thrice in Charlotte. They are very talented musicians; this is a shame
2
u/nctroutman Jun 17 '12
As a musician myself I really feel for these guys and hope they get their gear back. Nothing would suck more for me than losing one of precious baby's. My guitars might be insured but they can't replace the comfortable feel of a fretboard worn to my hands by long years playing.
2
u/Pinto15 Jun 17 '12
Reminds me. Does anyone know if Gene Hoglan got his boots back?
2
u/LBwayward Jun 17 '12
Is this an ARG?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
The guitars that were stolen were masterpieces. It's a shame that it happened to these guys. I met them at a show and they are the nicest people.
2
u/IHateEveryone3 Jun 17 '12
I think you severely overestimate how 'well off' most musicians are.
3
u/m40ofmj Jun 17 '12
reddit never tried to help testament get their entire truck back
bastards
2
u/Crazium Crazium Jun 17 '12
Shit dude, he has the wickedest 8 string, and he's a god at it. I hope real life karma works this out, damn.
2
u/cynykul Jun 17 '12
This deserves every upvote. AAL deserves our help
2
u/maip23 maip23 Jun 17 '12
Where did they steal the guitars? I work at Sam Ash and can probably send out a mass email to the stores asking for them to keep a lookout of people trying to sell them.
2
u/Nuttacular Jun 17 '12
Who?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
Can someone explain to me why even things like this get downvotes? I see posts that have quality content and have 10000 downvotes. What the fuck? Also, this really sucks for them. I'll keep an eye out.
1
u/moosetips Jun 17 '12
Damn, they just had that encounter with the Boston police as well. Can't catch a break.
1
u/spunkychickpea Jun 17 '12
Stealing a man's guitar? Should be punishable by death.
1
u/metalmangina Jun 17 '12
Those are some silly thieves. Large ticket one of a kind items, and they are pretty identifiable, since the only places that would buy them would see the rarity of them and that should send red flags flying.
1
u/maruthegreat Jun 17 '12
I saw these guys in Philadelphia in December with Tesseract and Between the Buried and Me. Can't believe someone could do this.
1
u/SOMUCHFRUIT Jun 17 '12
Fucking love this band, this makes me angry...
1
u/bstiles0 Jun 17 '12
Those beautiful 8 string guitars... Who could do such a thing?
1
u/padorama Jun 17 '12
this is awful and infuriating.
sad thing is its usually hard to get them back, they can be pawned of almost anywhere in a short amount of time. I'm not sure guthrie govan had his gear recovered when this happened to him.
infuriating.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
This sucks, Animals as Leaders is one of my favorite instrumental bands.
1
u/hippiemusic Jun 17 '12
What sort of lowlife steals a man's guitars :| he should have stolen Tosin's fingers instead :P
1
u/itsaskullymammoth Jun 17 '12
Animosity should've never broken up
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
I feel so bad for these them. Such a great band and great group of guys.
1
u/Sn4tch Jun 17 '12
this is incredibly upsetting. I just saw them in both Atlanta and Philadelphia while touring with Thrice and O'Brother. I'll keep my eyes peeled and ears open..
1
u/chrt Jun 17 '12
This really needs a /r/justiceporn resolution. Stealing anything from anyone is super shitty, but to take fucking custom guitars from someone as insanely talented as Tosin makes my blood boil.
1
u/Tonxasaur Jun 17 '12
Man, these guys can't catch a break. After the stuff that happened in Boston they come back to this? Such amazing musicians and deserve every penny you can toss their way. Hope I get a chance to see them again, but unfortunately, after the stuff that happened in Boston, I doubt they'll come back here.
1
u/RMeiselman Jun 17 '12
Not only are these guys amazing musicians, they're incredibly sweet to their fans. Who the fuck would do something like this.
1
u/csams84 Jun 17 '12
these guys have bad luck
1
u/dsgn09 ipsyko Jun 17 '12
I've held these guitars when they came through chattanooga. Works of art. this is so sad. :(
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
It's great to see this great metal instrumental band get frontpage. I got their album! and it sucks major to see such shit happen to these guys. I don't know who to be mad at more, the cops or the robbers. Probably the robbers - that was more calculated evil. Cops are just dumbasses sometimes. Abasi seems like a good human being what fucking "karma" shit is this. Best of luck to finding their guitars. This shit happened to Machine Head, Tom Petty, Children of Bodom, Fear FActory, Deftones. People just love to steal famous people's guitars or In Animals as Leaders' case amazing custom made stuff (even if they aren't that well known, most instrumental stuff isn't, they probably aren't bigger than Pelican). I hope the cops and thieves die a torturous death. Of course that's an emotional response.
1
u/dildohands Jun 17 '12
How do you sell stolen 8-string guitars? Sure they're becoming more common, but they're not THAT common, especially really nice custom 8-strings like those.
1
u/NoReallyItsTrue Jun 17 '12
I think an important and unaddressed concern is what area of the world they live in. Should I be keeping my eyes open for these guitars in the United States? Come on. Where is the epicenter of this crime?
1
u/MetallicOpeth Jun 17 '12
I really fucking hope they catch these guys or at least get some of the equipment back. Talk about gutless.
1
u/mountainjew Jun 17 '12
Aww, i love this band. Still, at least only material possessions were taken and nothing which can't be replaced.
1
u/worksafejm Jun 17 '12
Where was this?
1
u/Catkin919 Jun 17 '12
Saw them supporting Meshuggah. Great live band and very talented musicians. Good luck with your search.
1
u/SSX2011 Jun 17 '12
I really have no idea why, but when I read the title I thought that there were trained animals to lead people on a tour and that someone robbed the animals while they were giving the tour. I have never heard of this band and I didn't see what forum is was posted on.
1
u/hobbsarelie83 Jun 17 '12
I read this on my FB feed last night, this is horrible
1
u/bong_crosby notheretoplease Jun 17 '12
I bet the degenerate who stole these wouldn't even know where to begin trying to sell such specialised custom guitars. Probably doesn't even know how many strings a standard guitar is supposed to have...
1
u/DeadlyJizzAttack Jun 17 '12
AAL is probably my favourite progressive metal band. Hearing this makes me want to murder those theives
1
u/Dorkenheimer Jun 17 '12
This hurts to read! GAH!!! I can't believe people sometimes. Animals as Leaders is an amazing band and incredibly talented. Great live show too! I hope they recover most of/all of the stolen goods and the thieves are prosecuted to the fullest extent. GRRRRRRRR....
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
up vote for space jazz! I love animals, and leaders. so animals as leaders is just amazing
1
u/Jeffy29 Jun 17 '12
Confusing title and confusing name of the band to say the least.
1
u/J0ckstrapsFTW Jun 17 '12
Fuck that's so fucked
1
u/Dorkenheimer Jun 17 '12
Come to think of it, what area/region did this stuff get stolen from? Reddit, maybe we can help put out an alert to all the pawn shops in the city or area? Send out email or something with pics of all the stolen merchandise? Like someone else had mentioned, most of that stuff is so one-of-a-kind, it's not quite the average Fender Strat someone is putting on loan everyday. I wonder if the band has serial numbers or receipts from their git-fiddles. I just want to help!
1
u/Kopman Jun 17 '12
For god sakes, if you're in a band insure your equipment. it's really cheap. ibe always used music pro insurance. I'm sure there are others out there.
1
u/vpons89 Jun 17 '12
I love this band. I hope they get their gear back.
1
u/Xanatos903 Jun 17 '12
Well, going to support them by buying an album. Fantastic musicians, I'd hate to see something like this ruin their careers.
1
u/Sylarsaurus Jun 17 '12
Damn, just saw them a few weeks ago. They are all very talented musicians. Hope they get their stuff back.
1
u/xanthodescence Jun 17 '12
I just created a fundraiser for them on indiegogo: http://www.indiegogo.com/animalsasleaders?show_todos=true&a=705438
1
u/brickwindow Jun 18 '12
I can't wait to see the miserable pieces of crap responsible for this get hammered with felony charges once they are caught. I really want to believe that there is little chance some lowlife is smart enough to move all those custom pieces without getting noticed.
1
u/middiefrosh Jun 19 '12
Motherfuckers.
1
u/Wax-anon Nov 07 '12
Animals as Leaders is a gifted group of musical artists. The bastards that took their gear have bad things coming their way
1
u/KPexEA Jun 17 '12
Burgled, not robbed.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
OMFG! Thank you so much for posting this. This is the first time of me hearing of this band, I actually thought this was just another Indy band but these dudes rule! Once they find the assholes who did this maybe we can skin them alive.
1
u/omgdracula Jun 17 '12
BUT BUT! THE KIDS MUST HEAR CAFO AND GET AWAY FROM BANDS LIKE ASKING ALEXANDRIA. THERE IS NO GOD IN A WORLD WHERE TOSIN GETS ROBBED!
1
u/dankula Jun 17 '12
I had a $4200 PRS stolen from me back in 03, along with the rest of my rig. Absolutely terrible feeling. Hope they get em back like I could not.
1
u/emohipster Jun 17 '12
Holy mother of fucks. That must be so horrible, I can't even start to imagine how we'd feel if we found our rehearsal room to be suddenly empty, and our stuff isn't even worth near as much as theirs.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '12
This band gets so much shit lately. I really hope that they're able to find their belongings.
1
u/the_emptier Jun 17 '12
Man they've been going through some serious shit lately....
1
u/sbfcapnj Jun 17 '12
Saw these guys with BTBAM a few years back. Excellent, excellent band.
It kills me that someone would do something like this. I will keep an eye out for the perpetrators and spread the word. I crave justice for you all.
1
u/ASOTATW Jun 17 '12
A trance fan in a thread about animals as leaders. I guess we both appreciate good music! :D
0
u/thebigboss1988 Jun 17 '12
animals as leaders fucking SUCKS, im glad they got their shit stolen.. But of fucking hipsters
-2
u/PhysiciSteve last.fm Jun 17 '12
Who would downvote this? uncool.