Victoria musician Leeroy Stagger’s Rebeltone Studio suffered extensive flood damage during the atmospheric river storm the weekend of November 14, 2021.
In an Instagram post on November 15, Stagger shared video of the water level showing water flowing from power and cable sockets.
“Pretty sad state of affairs,” said Leeroy Stagger in another Instagram video. “We saved the board. Some damage to some guitars and I lost a couple compressers, some distressers are hooped.”
Stagger then shows outside the studio, which is also his family’s home, where the backyard had been turned into a river by a nearby creek.
Friends and family spent hours wading in the water rescuing vintage guitars, drums, electronics, computers, hard drives and memorabilia
“When I arrived shortly after 7am the water was just past my ankles throughout the whole bottom floor of the house, items bobbing everywhere, it was surreal,” said Leeroy’s Stagger’s friend Tom Mrnka on a GoFundMe page. “Within a few hours it was at our thighs pouring in through every available crack and crevice and still rising.”
After the water receded, Stagger told social media followers that insurance should cover the repairs, but it will take a significant amount of time.
“I’m told we have great insurance but still haven’t had an adjuster confirm yet but soon. Looking like 6-8 months for this to be up and running again. This was literally our only source of income other than royalties which have been drying up. We are holding faith that there is a really big fat silver lining in all this.”
Stagger and his family moved back to Victoria in 2020 after living in Lethbridge, Alberta. He opened Rebeltone Studio in early 2021. The 2015 Alberta Peak Performance Project winner recently released his 12th full-length album ‘Dystopian Weekends’.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $30,000 (as of November 25) to help pay bills while the studio is repaired. The recording studio was the family’s main source of income.
To make a contribution to the GoFundMe, CLICK HERE.
You can also help by purchasing Leeroy Stagger merchandise at leeroystagger.com
