Coheed Replace Armed Robber Bassist

They reveal new four-stringer Zach as former member Tod awaits trial for holding up drugstore while on tour, claiming he had a bomb.

Coheed And Cambria have named Zach Cooper as their new bassist after sacking Michael Tod following his arrest for armed robbery on tour last July.

Tod is awaiting trial after witnesses say he entered a drugstore and showed staff a message on his phone, saying he had a bomb which he’d detonate if they didn’t give him the drugs he asked for.

He jumped in a taxi with six bottles of pills and returned to the Comcast Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts, where Coheed And Cambria were to support Soundgarden. He was arrested moments before he went on stage after the taxi driver identified him. The band dismissed him immediately.

Now they’ve unveiled Cooper, who’s already working with them on their upcoming album.

He describes the experience of being called for an audition as “surreal,” explaining: “Someone had recommended me and obviously had nice things to say. They sent me one clip of two songs and I came in and played along with them in the control room. I had people standing around watching me. I was surprised when I got called back the next day and asked to track the two songs I’d played along with. I felt very comfortable in the room.”

Coheed mainman Claudio Sanchez says Cooper’s reserved approach to the audition got him the job: “In his situation, what would I have been like? I’d have been pretty damned reserved. You could start seeing this excitement, flair, a clear picture of what the songs need to be. Every day I’m blown away by what Zach does.”

The genre-spanning rock band regrouped with sacked drummer Josh Eppard in November after his replacement Chris Pennie bowed out. At the time they said: “We understand there are risks involved bringing Josh back into the fray. Even with his two years of sobriety, this is a giant leap of faith on our part. But at the end of the day, we have all grown up, and we have all been through so much, that playing with Josh again is sort of like coming home.”