Long time Helix drummer Greg 'Fritz' Hinz dead at 68
The Canadian music industry is mourning the loss of one of the country’s best-known heavy metal drummers.
Long time Helix drummer Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz passed away Thursday after a battle with cancer.
Hinz joined the group in 1982 and stayed until 1996. He rejoined Helix 13 years later.
Hinz played with the band up until spring of 2023 when he began treatment for cancer.
Hinz played on Helix’s biggest album, 1984’s Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge, which spawned the international hit ‘Rock You.’
Helix frontman Brian Vollmer called his friend one of the greatest metal drummers Canada has ever produced.
“We played with some of the greatest names in the business,” Vollmer told CTV News.
“We played a couple tours with Motörhead, all sorts of bands. He was well loved by the musical community. And he was a great drummer. He was very underestimated, I would say, in the annuls of Canadian rock.”
Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz was 68.
Helix drummer Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz is seen in this undated image. (Source: Brian Vollmer)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
Health Canada warns some naloxone kits contain false instructions
Health Canada is warning some take-home naloxone kits come with bad instructions that should be ignored in favour of the correct guidance.