Titus Andronicus Bassist Leaves Band

Ian Graetzer, the bassist and a founding member of New Jersey rockers Titus Andronicus, has left the band. The departure was announced at the group's raucous New Year's Eve show in Brooklyn and was followed up with a meandering blog post by frontman Patrick Stickles.

"If you were at the show, you also maybe heard me saying something about how it was our dearly beloved bassist Ian Graetzer's last show with the band," he wrote. "Well, the reason that I said that was that it was true -- Ian isn't in the band anymore. Shocking, I know, considering that Ian has been in the band since the very beginning (in fact, he and I were the two guys who decided to form the group) and been present for every glorious victory, every bitter defeat, and all the innumerable, interminable hours in between. Not anymore, gang."

Stickles revealed that Graetzer's decision was made months ago and that he is still on great terms with the rest of the band. The singer strongly implied that Graetzer will focus on visual art rather than music and will continue to help with the visual aspects of the band, including T-shirt designs. He also pointed out that, in addition to holding down bass lines, Graetzer was the lead businessman in the group and that will be another big role to fill in the upcoming year.

"Besides being the bass player, Ian historically handled the lion's share of our business operations, so his departure leaves two rather gaping holes," he wrote. "We will take moves to fill them swiftly and expediently in this new year, but I don't have any particulars to share with you now."

While a replacement has yet to be found, Stickles promised that the band would have one for their Feb. 10 gig at New York's Mercury Lounge, which will benefit the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls.