June 28th 2024.
The music world was shocked by the news of the passing of Crazy Town's frontman on June 24th. Shifty Shellshock, whose real name was Seth Binzer, was only 49 years old at the time of his death. Fans and loved ones were left devastated by his sudden departure and many were curious to know the cause. Now, it has been confirmed that Shifty's death was due to an overdose.
Howie Hubberman, the band's manager, spoke to PEOPLE and revealed that drugs played a significant role in Shifty's untimely passing. He shared that Shifty had been struggling with addiction and despite the band's quick rise to fame with their hit song "Butterfly," Shifty was never able to fully overcome his addictions. Hubberman expressed his regret that despite their efforts, they were unable to help Shifty and keep him with us. The cause of death was a combination of prescription drugs and drugs that were purchased on the street.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is still waiting for the toxicology report before listing an official cause of death for Shifty. This was not the first time that Shifty had battled with substance abuse. Just eight weeks before his death, he had shared an emotional post on Instagram about his journey towards sobriety. In it, he acknowledged that he needed to love himself more and fight less.
In 2012, Shifty was admitted to the hospital after losing consciousness and was in a coma before being released. He had appeared on reality TV shows like Celebrity Rehab and Sober House, where he openly discussed his struggles with drug addiction. Shifty's journey with Crazy Town began in 1992 when he met co-frontman Bret Mazur. The two initially called themselves Brimstone Sluggers before forming Crazy Town in 1999. They were set to tour with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's Ozzfest in 2000, but Shifty's arrest for throwing a chair out a window while intoxicated led to their cancellation.
Despite this setback, Crazy Town's hit song "Butterfly" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 2000 and was also number one in several other countries. The song samples "Pretty Little Ditty" from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' album "Mother's Milk," and the band is credited as songwriters. Their debut album, "The Gift of Game," sold over 1.5 million copies. However, their follow-up album in 2002, "Darkhorse," was not as successful, and the band eventually parted ways.
Crazy Town reunited in 2007 and were back on stage in 2009. Their third album, "The Brimstone Sluggers," was released in 2015. Shifty was a father to two children, Halo from his marriage to Melissa Clark, and Gage with his partner Tracy. He also had a brief relationship with "Punky Brewster" actress Soleil Moon Frye in 2010. However, the following year, police were called to a domestic disturbance between the two.
In 2022, Shifty began dating his childhood friend, Soleil, again, but their relationship was cut short when he was arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. Shifty's passing has left a void in the music industry, and his loved ones will always remember him as a talented musician and a kind soul. If you have a story or memories of Shifty, please reach out to our entertainment team. We'd love to hear from you.
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