Austin Leaves Driver Side Impact

The band has announced today that their keyboardist/backing vocalist, Austin Bishop is leaving the band to pursue Oxford University on scholarship. The band will not be replacing him, but will be carrying on, using a sampler named Austin. Cute.

The band released the following statement today:

Austin Patrick Bishop & Driver Side Impact

 

It is in sadness that we write to inform our dear fans and myspace-aholics that Austin has parted ways with the band. Austin was given an opportunity of a lifetime to study at one of the worlds most prestigious colleges for free. Next fall Austin will be attending The Oxford University in Europe. Austin is still one of our best friends that we see daily, and this decision was one of the hardest things he has ever done. Touring was one of his best memories and some of our best times have been spent in his company. EVERYONE please wish him the best of luck as he goes on to be a college boy! And please understand that this certainly is not one of those bands having hardships with members type-deals. We love him, he loves us, were in love. He just happens to be a very smart guy. If your wondering about a replacement, as of now we have purchased a sampler and we have named it after Austin, its name... is Austin. We are interested in MAYBE someday replacing Austin with a real human, however it inst in our close future. If anyone has any questions comments of concerns, you know what to do.

 

We have been very busy practicing playing shows and preparing for all of this falls planned touring. If you haven't checked the dates on the myspace, please do so as we will most likely be in a city near you very soon! Much love.

The fleshy human Austin will definitely be missed, but... holy crap! Oxford University? For free? That's insane.... Go Austin!

By the way, those tour dates are: