Overview

• Flipper drummer Stephen DePace confirmed Calderwood’s death to Pitchfork, with reports placing it on September 5 in Humboldt, California.
• His ex-wife Meri St. Mary said he died of a heart attack after recently recovering from a stroke at home.
• Calderwood joined Flipper around 1979–1980 after Ricky Williams’ exit, helping forge the band’s sludgy sound on early landmarks like the 1981 single “Sex Bomb” and the 1982 LP Album – Generic Flipper.
• The band’s turbulent history included Will Shatter’s 1987 overdose and Calderwood’s 1994 back injury, after which he stopped touring in 2015 as live duties shifted to David Yow.
• Flipper’s influence reached Nirvana—Kurt Cobain wore the band’s shirt on SNL and in a music video—while tributes from musicians and fans recalled Calderwood’s outsized impact; the first public word of his death appeared on Instagram via @whocaresanywaysf.