ASLAN’S NEW LEED SINGER
Veteran musician will take on Christy’s role, bandmates say
A VETERAN musician has been announced as the new Aslan frontman, seven months after the death of Christy Dignam.
The band revealed Lee Tomkins will front the Dublin group following the loss of Dignam, 63, on June 13 last year after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Lee is a former singer with indie-rock Dublin outfit DC Tempest, who have previously supported the likes of Bon Jovi, Razorlight and Kid Rock.
Hailing from Glasnevin, near Aslan’s Finglas base, he has also had a lengthy career as a solo artist.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Aslan members Billy Mcguinness, Joe Jewell and Alan Downey said they had “mixed emotions” making the announcement.
They added: “After 40 years of playing with our frontman Christy, we absolutely know it’s not the same and never will be but we want to continue playing our music and bringing our music to you.
“This is our way of letting our memories over four decades live on and keeping
Aslan alive within each of us and together and keeping our music alive for you all.
“We are looking forward to seeing you all again and we welcome Lee Tomkins, who will be singing our Aslan songs and has been a huge support to each of us in being able to make this happen.
“We, as always, are so grateful for the love and support you have all shown us, through our difficult times and our good times.
“We truly hope we will make you proud and we are looking forward to bringing you some songs that we have never performed live before. See you soon, Joe, Alan and Billy.”
Christy’s daughter Kiera, who has carved out her own music career, remained silent about the news. In December, Kiera revealed her father didn’t speak to the band in the last seven months of his life.
She was responding to comments she didn’t invite Aslan to her tribute concert, Christy Dignam: A Celebration, in Dublin’s Vicar Street on May 3.
In a statement on Facebook, Kiera said: “This has received amazing
support and a gener
ally positive reception, but has also drawn some negativity and speculation around why Aslan will not be part of this gig. I would like to address people’s questions, but I also want to address the abuse I’ve received, and the disgusting lies that have been written online in the past few days about me and the situation at hand.
“What I’ve been put through the last couple of days is nothing short of disgraceful, unwarranted and has almost pushed me to the edge.
“Firstly, Joe, Alan and Billy have announced that they will continue playing as Aslan which we fully support.
“The lads are musicians and music is their livelihood.
“They have to continue to work, and I fully support them going forward. The music is theirs as much as my dad’s so they have every right to continue.
“Some ridiculous comments have speculated that the reason Aslan were not invited was because I was not allowed to front Aslan.
“I have had my own band and my own music for years now and I have never had any desire to be part of Aslan.
“My dad didn’t speak to the other members of Aslan for the last seven months of his life. And there are a number of reasons why the band will not have a part to play in this concert, reasons which they are aware of.
“Although I feel that it is necessary for me to address this due to the needless bullying I’ve endured, I do not feel that it is right to air dirty laundry publicly and I will not go into detail about these reasons. So, in response to those who have felt it necessary to hurl abuse in my direction and claim that I should ‘think of what Christy would want’ I can assure you all that Aslan having any involvement with this gig is not what he would have wanted.
“I would ask of you all to please reserve judgement when you have no idea what happened.”
Aslan will play Cork on March 22 then dates in Waterford, Wexford, Limerick, Galway and Whelan’s on April 25.
This is our way of letting our memories over four decades live on
ASLAN STATEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT NEW MEMBER LEE