Iconic rocker pulls out of band’s 25th anniversary tour following wife’s death

The guitarist for Mudvayne has pulled out of the band’s tour following the death of his wife (Picture: Javier Vicencio/Eyepix Group/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Greg Tribbett, lead guitarist and founding member of Mudvayne, has pulled out of the band’s 25th anniversary tour following his wife’s death. 

Greg’s bandmates confirmed the news of his absence online and sent their love to the family following Debbie’s death. 

The wrote: ‘Tour starts today! We are going to miss our brother Greg on this tour, sending him and his family all the love.

‘- Chad, Matt, Ryan, & Mudvayne crew.’

Mudvayne embarked on the landmark tour on September 11 and are set to continue through October 26. 

Debbie had been diagnosed with Angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up in her honour.

Greg and Debbie share one six-year-old son.

Greg Tribbett is known for his distinctive stage persona (Picture: Jeff Hahne/Getty Images)

A fan page online wrote earlier this week: ‘With the heaviest of hearts we mourn the loss of our dearest most beautiful friend Debbie Tribbett.

‘Anyone who has been here from the start of the Mob family knows she was a huge integral part of this page and the family she did take a step back once she needed to but was still watching and sharing as she always did.

‘She was fiercely supportive of MUDVAYNE and her loving husband Greg always so proud!

‘I thank her for bringing her love and light to so many of us who were lucky enough to connect with her.

‘We miss you beautiful sweet friend more than words can say god bless you and may your family be blessed with strength.’

Mudvayne was formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1996, emerging during the late-1990s wave of nu-metal.

The band has been hugely influential in the metal scene (Picture: Javier Vicencio/Eyepix Group/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The group consists of lead guitarist Greg Tribbett, drummer Matthew McDonough, lead vocalist Chad Gray, bassist Ryan Martinie, and live rhythm guitarist Marcus Rafferty.

They quickly set themselves apart with a blend of complex musicianship, theatrical visuals, and a willingness to experiment beyond genre conventions.

Their early years saw them adopting elaborate face paint and pseudonyms, a stylistic choice that gave them an otherworldly edge and placed them alongside contemporaries like Slipknot in terms of shock value and stage spectacle.

The band broke through with their 2000 debut L.D. 50, which included singles such as Dig, which gained heavy rotation on MTV2 and earned the band both a devoted fan base and critical recognition for their technical skill.

Their follow-up, The End of All Things to Come (2002), further broadened their sound, while later releases like Lost and Found (2005) leaned into more accessible melodies without losing their heaviness.

They are often cited as one of the few nu-metal acts able to transcend the style’s clichés by infusing progressive rock complexity into mainstream-ready aggression.

After disbanding in 2010, the group reunited in 2021 for live performances, earning renewed interest from longtime fans and a younger generation discovering their catalog for the first time.

The band’s 25th anniversary tour kicked off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will proceed throughout the United States before concluding in Connecticut.

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