Longtime Tour Manager and Sound Engineer Aaron Dilks Dies

Aaron Dilks -- a tour manager and live sound engineer who worked with a long, diverse list of acts that included Journey, Anthrax and Cee-Lo Green -- passed away suddenly Sunday night.

No cause of death has been reported for Dilks, whose sudden absence has sent waves of grief through the community of artists who retained his services over the years. Anthrax's Facebook page includes a tribute describing the band as "devastated by the sudden loss" and adding, "He was a wonderful man, we all cared greatly about him and he made the band sound like a monster. He will be missed."

The members of Fear Factory joined the chorus of tributes to Dilks, posting their own Facebook update that reads in part, "He was a superb human being, and enjoyed every minute of his life, and we enjoyed experiencing the ride with him."

Prior to making a name for himself as a tour manager and soundman, Dilks achieved a certain level of notoriety during his stint as Marilyn Manson's bodyguard, particularly for an incident that led to a pair of lawsuits after a former editor of Spin accused Dilks of assaulting him at Manson's behest.

In more recent years, Dilks could often be found on the road, smoothing out the wrinkles of the rock 'n' roll touring life for a broadening circle of clients that also included Hellyeah, who offer their own tribute below. He is survived by a daughter, his brother, and parents.

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