Still Not Dead

As I Lay Dying just left for a three-week tour of Germany. Longtime bassist Clint Norris, who lives in Encinitas, stayed behind and is working at Guitar Center in San Marcos. He didn't care to comment about the situation.

A spokesman for Strong Management of New York says, "Right now everyone [in the band] is still evaluating the situation. I'd rather talk to the band before I give a statement."

"I heard [Norris] was leaving because he wanted to start a family," says a musician. "I also heard there were some problems with the band." The other four members grew up in San Diego County. Norris moved here from Texas.

When As I Lay Dying returns, the band will resume writing material for its third Metal Blade record; they plan to enter the studio early next year. More than 200,000 copies of Shadows Are Security, their second release, have been sold.