It’s that similar hollow feeling when you split from a partner that you learn that one of the instrumental musicians in one of your favourite bands has left, and suddenly they are gone out of your life. Forever.

Shapeshifter almost pulled one on us on their recent summer tour, replacing one of their original members, drummer Redford Grenell, and the circumstances surrounding how he left the band are rather murky to say the least.

Redford perforated his eardrum during the September Australian tour, which was right before the official New Zealand album launch of `The System is a Vampire.’ Although this is a nasty injury, it has not been defined as the reason why he is no longer in the band. The other members in the band have been mysteriously silent about this in the media since, especially considering Redford has been the drummer for the last 10 years, and is apparently even highly rated by TOOL who picked out Shapeshifter specifically to open for them after the 2007 Big Day Out.

The first clue in this saga I stumbled upon was when watching “the making of..” by Clarke Gayford. The whole band is interviewed about the process to making the album EXCEPT Redford. The only footage of him is going mad on the drums during the recording process. Is this a retrospective edit?

The Marlborough Express Newspaper was one place prepared to ask about the drumming change, “the group have had to hunt down a new drummer after Redford Grenell walked out on the group during their recent Australian tour.” P-diggs is then quoted “All sorts of s… went down, but it’s run its course,” he then talks up the new drummer Johnny Hooves, a former drum and bass producer, “He’s a big block engine,” says Digsss. “We have got some great energy and we are in a better place than we have been before.” P-diggs was also quoted in the Australian media about the incident that Mr Grenell had  “come to the end of his road” with Shapeshifter, but wouldn’t elaborate further.

What does this tell us? No ” thanks heaps” Redford for drumming like a fucking animal for us for the last ten years? Any acknowledgment? None. His name was also quickly removed from their facebook band page and replaced with “Hooveseny”. Isn’t that like dating a chick for 10 years, and then breaking up and not even her acknowledging you?

Also a random fact. The Grenell family are obviously talented musicians as Redford’s Dad, John Hore Grenell performed the famous song `Welcome to our World’ that was popularised by the Toyota ads in the 90’s and sold 100,000 country albums in his 20’s. Guess his son wanted to be a bit more contemporary.