Drummer HAYLEY CRAMER Announces Her Departure From POP EVIL

Drummer Hayley Cramer has announced her departure from POP EVIL.

The U.K.-based musician, who joined the Michigan rockers in 2016, announced her exit from POP EVIL in a social media post earlier today.

She wrote: “Dear fans of POP EVIL, the time has come for me to part ways with POP EVIL. It is not a decision that I have made lightly. I have reached a point where I want to branch out and find new paths and adventures – into the unknown!

“My time with the band has been one of the best chapters of my life so far and I have made incredible memories. All of the band members, crew, and management have helped me grow, not only as a musician, but as a person. I am so thankful to everyone involved that has pushed me, elevated me, and cheered me on. That said, I feel there are new and exciting challenges, lessons to learn, songs and stages to be played.

“To the fans, thank you. Thank you for the energy you have brought to shows. POP EVIL fans sure know how to bring amazing energy! I’ve given my all to you each show and would never want to give you less. My decision to move on is because I would be doing the fans and my fellow bandmates a disservice by continuing with a feeling of needing a change.

“I wish POP EVIL all the best with continued happiness and success.

“Much love x Hayley“.

Cramer joined POP EVIL in May 2016 as the replacement for Josh “Chachi” Marunde, who exited the group in April that year.

Regarding how she came to be part of POP EVIL, Cramer told Modern Drummer magazine in a 2017 interview: “It’s been crazy. It came about at the end of [2015] through a mutual friend of ours, who knew that I wanted to get back to the States. I was stepping in and out of bands in England and throughout Europe, and I felt like I couldn’t find anything. I was like, ‘You know what? I’d really like to go back to the States, so if you hear of anything, let me know.’ He called me a couple of months later and said, ‘POP EVIL are looking for a drummer. You should apply.’ So I applied, and through various FaceTime and other online conversations, they took the chance and flew me out. We had one rehearsal and then went straight out on the road. I wasn’t playing the shows — the previous drummer was, and I was playing the soundchecks. And I spent a couple of weeks watching the shows and hanging out with them. It was pretty obvious that we hit it off straight away. It just felt really good for all of us. Chachi sort of said, ‘You know what, Hayley, it’s yours now. I can see that the rest of POP EVIL are happy and you seem happy, so take over.’ That was at the beginning of the DISTURBED and ROB ZOMBIE tour, which had some of the biggest shows for both the band and me. So they were pretty important shows, and it was important to do a good job. I’m a great a believer in diving into the deep end and either sinking or swimming. And usually I swim! [Laughs]”

Regarding what she was doing before she joined POP EVIL, Hayley said: “My first real band was called MCQUEEN, and that’s were I got to tour Europe and Australia. We did okay, but it kind of ran its course, and we all got sick of each other. I kind of stepped away from original bands for a while because I wasn’t ready to commit to one thing. I love so many different types of music, and I love playing with different people. So I was just in and out of bands, and I did quite a bit of teaching. [In 2015] I started feeling that I might want to find a band to commit to. I was sick of being the new guy all the time and thinking at every show, Oh, God. Am I going to remember this song? That’s when I started to look to America. I’ve toured Europe quite a lot and I wanted some new scenery, new people, and new cultures again. And that’s when POP EVIL happened.”