Radiohead “shattered” by crew death in stage collapse

 British rock band Radiohead said they were shattered by the death of a member of their road crew, who was killed after the roof of an outdoor stage collapsed during sound checks before the group’s planned weekend show in Toronto.

“We have all been shattered by the loss of Scott Johnson, our friend and colleague. He was a lovely man, always positive, supportive and funny; a highly skilled and valued member of our great road crew. We will miss him very much,” Radiohead said in a posting on their official website.

Johnson, 33, a drum technician from Manchester, England, was setting up for Radiohead’s performance on Saturday at Toronto’s Downsview Park when the roof collapsed. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, and three other men were injured, police said.

Johnson had also worked since 2004 for British alternative band Keane, who released a statement on their website on Monday, saying: “He was the cheerful, dependable guy you could always turn to, who lifted the spirits of everyone around him. We can’t believe he’s gone.”

The Toronto concert was canceled and organizers LiveNation have notified ticket holders about refunds. They released a statement saying the incident was a “serious and tragic accident” and that the investigation is ongoing.

Radiohead, led by singer Thom Yorke and famed for such hits as “Creep” and “Paranoid Android,” are due to play their next concert in Rome, Italy at the end of June.

(Reuters) – (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Dale Hudson)