Longtime Taking Back Sunday drummer Mark O’Connell has announced his departure from the band.
Sharing the news on Instagram, O’Connell thanked fans for their “love and support” before adding “my departure wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t entirely my own”.
At the time of writing, Taking Back Sunday are yet to comment on O’Connell’s exit from the band. While eagle-eyed fans suggest the split hasn’t been amicable. O’Connell released a solo track last week called ‘Follow The Money’, tagging TBS frontman Adam Lazzara. Some fans have labelled it a “diss track” aimed at his former bandmate.
Previously, former/founding Taking Back Sunday guitarist Eddie Reyes stirred rumours on the ‘Caught On The Mike…’ podcast by saying “he (Mark) walked away” from the band.
Mark O’Connell joined Taking Back Sunday in 2001 and played on every release including 2023’s ‘152’ full-length.
Taking Back Sunday will return to the UK in July as one of 2000trees Festival‘s five headliners.
Read Mark O’Connell’s Full Message
“After nearly 25 years as the drummer of Taking Back Sunday, I want to confirm that I am no longer with the band,” reads the message to his followers and fans. “It’s taken me some time to address this. Thank you for your patience as I’ve reflected on how to share my story.
“First, I want to thank the fans – your love and support have meant everything to me. You’ve been the heartbeat of TBS, and a huge part of my life for nearly a quarter of a century. I owe it all to you.
“My departure wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t entirely my own. Over the past few years, I’ve focused on my family and personal growth, including committing to my sobriety. Unfortunately, during this time, I didn’t always feel the support from those I thought of as brothers, and creative differences made it hard to move forward together.”
As well as expressing his gratitude to those who have supported him, Mark also took time to look ahead to his future in music.
I’m excited to share that I’ll be releasing new music soon – both as a solo artist and with some old friends. I’ve poured my heart into this project, and I can’t wait to share it with you. This is a new chapter for me – one of passion, creativity, and hope. I hope you’ll join me on this journey as we continue to be a part of each other’s stories.
“That said, I’m grateful for the incredible memories with each of my bandmates – and all of you, as well as all the opportunities along the way. I’m choosing to focus on the good as I move into this next chapter.”
