Who was Rob Laakso? Kurt Vile & The Violators musician dead at 44

Rob Laakso, an American musician, record producer, and engineer best known as Kurt Vile’s recording partner and multi-instrumentalist in his backing band The Violators, has died at the age of 44.

Laakso collaborated with Kurt Vile on the following tracks:

• God Is Saying This to You… (2009)
• Smoke Ring for My Halo (2011)
• So Outta Reach (2011)
• Wakin on a Pretty Daze (2013)
• It’s a Big World Out There (And I Am Scared) (2013)
• B’lieve I’m goin down… (2015)
• Bottle It In (2018)
• Watch my moves (2022)

Laakso was also a multi-instrumentalist who was a member of the shoegaze band Swirlies, among other things.

In 2013, Laakso replaced Adam Granduciel as a full-time member of The Violators. He worked on the majority of Vile’s albums, including Wakin on a Pretty Daze in 2013, b’lieve I’m goin down… in 2015, and Bottle It In in 2018.

He recently collaborated with Vile on his 2022 album Watch My Moves.

Laakso passed away on May 5, 2023, after a battle with cancer.