James Atkins, kneeling front and center, with friends at last Decembers benefit show at Chop Suey.
James Atkins, second from right, wearing hat, with friends at last December's benefit show at Chop Suey.

Photo credit: Joseph W. Hirsch III

James Atkins, a prominent, well-liked musician best known for his stint in '90s hard-rock band Hammerbox, passed away from esophageal cancer, amid close friends and his favorite music (doing it right to the very end), on February 27. He was 49. Atkins's Hammerbox bandmate Carrie Akre eulogized, “James deeply loved his rock ‘n roll and adored his Pacific Northwest friends. He moved back over a year ago and to him, he was coming home. We are privileged to have known and played music with him.”

Hammerbox attained a high level of success in the late '80s and '90s, opening for Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, and L7 and appeared in the grunge documentary Hype! After Hammerbox split in 1994, Atkins played in Anodyne with Hammerbox guitarist Harris Thurmond and That Petrol Emotion’s Steve Mack and Softy with Coffin Break’s Peter Litwin. In 2004, Hammerbox reunited and recorded a concert album that was released in 2005 as Live EMP Skychurch, Seattle, WA. In December, Hammerbox once more reunited to play a benefit gig for Atkins following his cancer diagnosis. RIP, James Atkins.