Chuckie Duff will give up his duties as bassist for Dear and the Headlights following the band's show at Martini Ranch on September 9. Duff, who co-owns Mesa's top-notch Flying Blanket Recordings with Bob Hoag, has not been touring with the band he co-founded for some time, and is passing the torch so he can focus on graduate school and his studio. His statement:

"I'm going to ASU this fall to get my MBA. Between that and not being able to tour because of family and studio commitments, I decided it was time to let the boys find a permanent replacement. It's sad to give it up, but DATH is poised to do great things, and I am excited to watch them continue to succeed even without me."

Readers of our print paper may recall Duff figured prominently in my cover story about the band earlier this summer. This certainly marks the end of an era for DATH, who I called the most important band in Arizona two months ago. Duff not only co-founded the band, he recruited most of the personnel and willed it back from an early but indefinite hiatus. His contributions will surely be missed. If you're a fan of the band you should be at that show. Click here for tickets.

• Music News