March 30, 1998 13:13

SHED SEVEN SINGER INJURED IN STAGE SCUFFLE

[B]RICK WITTER[/B] suffered facial injuries in an onstage brawl with a stage-invading fan...

Shed Seven's vocalist Rick Witter suffered extensive facial cuts and bruising after fending off a stage invader at the band's recent Dublin Red Box show (April 21).

The young male fan leapt onstage as the band were finishing the last song of their main set, put his arm around Witter, yelled into his ear and danced around the stage. But when the fan pulled Witter's hat off, the singer pushed him away and the pair grappled before toppling into a stack of guitar amps at the back of the stage. Witter sustained a deep gash to his forehead.

Security bundled the fan offstage and out of the venue. Witter, who was shaken by the incident, was treated by St John's Ambulance staff at the venue. The following day he said:

"It all happened really quickly. I could see this lad getting onstage. Usually these people just get up and say hello, put their arm around you and jump off. But he was trying to say something in me ear. I couldn't hear him but apparently he was saying, 'Morrissey's here and he says hello.'

"I'm thinking, 'What the fuck's he on about?' Then he nicked my hat and I lost me temper. He put it in his coat so I jumped at him. It was half my fault for brawling because I wanted my hat back. I fell into him and we both started falling around on the floor. I've got a fucking huge lump on my head. But if he's invading my space and nicking my stuff he's gonna get one."

Witter added: "It's actually a bit annoying Morrissey being there at such a bad gig 'cos I've been a real fan of his since the '80s."