How Chad Gilbert Shaped New Found Glory and Pop-Punk's Defining Decades
Chad Gilbert didn't just play guitar in New Found Glory; he gave the band its melodic backbone. The co-founder, songwriter, and lifelong member died at 45 after living with cancer for several years, as Kerrang! reported. His death closed a nearly three-decade run that helped define pop-punk.
From Hardcore Frontman to Pop-Punk Co-Founder
Before New Found Glory, Gilbert sang for the hardcore band Shai Hulud. Then, in Florida in 1997, he joined with vocalist Jordan Pundik, bassist Ian Grushka, and drummer Joe Marino to form the group that would become New Found Glory. Marino was later replaced by Cyrus Bolooki. The Mosh Network credits Gilbert with helping shape the band from the start.
The formula was simple: fast, bright guitars and hook-heavy choruses. Gilbert wrote many of the signature riffs. Songs like "Hit Or Miss," "My Friends Over You," and "Sonny" became anthems of the late-'90s and early-'00s pop-punk wave.
A Catalog Built on Touring and Songwriting
New Found Glory released more than a dozen albums and kept a devoted following through relentless touring. Gilbert's contributions also included "All Downhill From Here," another staple of the band's catalog. In a tribute relayed by The Mosh Network, the band said his guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive challenged everyone around him to grow as musicians, performers, and human beings.
His influence extended beyond the main band. In the early 2010s, Gilbert had a solo project called What's Eating Gilbert, which showed a lighter, more personal side. His hardcore background also sharpened his guitar attack, giving New Found Glory an edge that separated them from cleaner-sounding peers in the genre.
Why It Matters
Pop-punk's golden era was built by bands who could write songs that worked both on the radio and in small clubs. New Found Glory did both. Gilbert's riffs were simple enough to sing along to and sharp enough to carry a live show. For nearly thirty years, his playing was the engine of a band that outlasted many of its scene mates.
His death at 45 is a reminder of how much of that era's sound came from a small group of songwriters. New Found Glory did not invent pop-punk, but Gilbert helped make it feel personal, fast, and fun. That combination proved durable: more than a dozen albums, international tours, and a catalog that kept the band on the road long after the genre's commercial peak.