The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Aaron Montoya Father and sisters of Johnny Schou, 22, bassist of Tickle Me Pink, hold each other outside the Aggie Theater in Old Town Fort Collins Tuesday. A wake was held in place of the band's first major label album release scheduled for Tuesday night. John Sr. embraces Lauren, left, and Erin Schou. The musician was found dead in his Fort Collins home Tuesday morning. The autopsy report was inconclusive as to the cause of death.

Media Credit: Aaron Montoya A makeshift memorial to Johnny Schou sits with an extinguished candle and bouquet of white roses outside the Aggie Theater.

Clouds hung heavily over the Aggie Theater Tuesday evening, where a somber crowd had gathered to remember the life of 22-year-old Johnny Schou.

Schou, the bassist of popular Fort Collins-based band Tickle Me Pink, was found dead in his Fort Collins home Tuesday morning.

An autopsy report from the Larimer County Coroner's Office was inconclusive in determining the cause of death, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

Tickle Me Pink signed a record contract with Wind-up Records, an independent New York City-based label whose acts include big-time rock bands Creed, Seether and Finger Eleven.

The band is one of the few Fort Collins groups ever to achieve national prominence.

The band, which formed in Fort Collins in 2005, debuted their first Wind-up Records release, the album "Madeline", today in record stores across the nation. The album is featured on the front page of the Wind-up Records Web site.

Friends remembered Schou as a friendly, talented musician who took the time to help others in need.

Chris Lindblad, a friend of Schou, recalled working with the bassist at the local recording studio The Blasting Room, where Schou was an employee.

"He'd tell you anything you needed to know," Lindblad said. "He was really open and willing to share anything he knew."

A family friend, Brad Chapman, said he and everyone who had known Schou were devastated by his death.

Chapman said Schou's father, "couldn't have been prouder" when Tickle Me Pink signed with Wind-up Records.

Photographer Donavan Roubsouay said he shot photos of Schou last Sunday, when Tickle Me Pink performed at the Warped Tour. Ruobsouay said he felt devastated knowing his photos were the last ones of Schou performing.

"I felt like it should've been somebody bigger taking those," Roubsouay said.

Staff writer Erik Myers can be reached at news@collegian.com. Editor-in-chief Aaron Montoya contributed to this report.

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