BRUSSELS (AP) — Charlie Cullen, bassist and founding member of… Squad Train, best known for hits like “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia,” has died. He was 58 years old.
Carolyn Stevens, Colin's sister, confirmed her brother's death to The Associated Press on Wednesday. He died after slipping and falling while showering while at a friend's house in Brussels. Celebrity website TMZ.com reported.
Colin grew up in Southern California and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After college, guitarist Jimmy Stafford and singer Rob Hotchkiss played in a group called the Apostles. The band eventually disbanded, and Colin moved to Singapore for a year to write jingles.
Eventually, Colin, Hotchkiss and Stafford moved to San Francisco, where Train formed in the early 1990s with singer Pat Monahan. Colin brought in drummer Scott Underwood to complete the group, according to an interview with Colin and Hotchkiss in Berklee's alumni magazine.
AP reporter Margie Sarulita reports on the death of former guitarist Charlie Cullen.
As one of the founding members of the pop rock band, Colin played on the band's first three records, 1998's self-titled album, 2001's “Drops of Jupiter,” and 2003's “My Private Nation.” The latter two peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
“Meet Virginia”, from Train's debut album, broke into the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, but it was their second album that confirmed the band's success.
The eight-time platinum single “Jupiter Drops (Tell Me)” appeared. Rolling stones Session pianist Chuck Leavell and Leonard Cohen Series coordinator Paul Buckmaster wrote about the death of Monahan's mother. It reached number five on the Billboard charts and won two Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song.
Colin left Train in 2003 due to drug abuse.
“Charlie is a great bass player, but he was in a lot of pain, and the way he was dealing with it was very hurtful to everyone around him,” Monahan said. He told NBC San Diego.
In 2015, he reunited with Hotchkiss to start a new band called Painbirds, alongside Tom Luce. In 2017, he formed another band, The Side Deal, with Stan Frazier of Sugar Ray and Joel and Scott Owen of the PawnShop Kings.
On Wednesday, tributes to Colleen appeared on Train's social media pages.
“When I met Charlie Colin, in the foreground left, I fell in love with him. He was the sweetest man and what a handsome young man. 'Let's form a band and that's the only sensible thing to do.'
“His unique, beautiful guitar playing helped get people to notice us in San Francisco and beyond. I will always have a warm place for him in my heart. I always tried to get him closer but he had a vision of his own. You are a legend, Charlie. Go charm those angels,” he continued. Unsigned post.
Before his death, Colin documented his time in Brussels, declaring it “officially my favorite city” in March. Instagram share.
Colin also served as musical director of the Newport Beach Film Festival.
“Charlie was a special part of the Newport Beach Film Festival family,” said Todd Quartararo, co-founder of the Newport Beach Film Festival. “We will certainly miss his heart, compassion and creativity.”
He is survived by his parents, a sister and a niece.
“Wannabe web expert. Twitter fanatic. Writer. Passionate coffee enthusiast. Freelance reader.”
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