The last song by a promising musician who was killed in a horrific crash will be released as a tribute to him.
Jon Chandler, 26, of Preston Drove, Brighton was one of the five friends who died on the M25 on Bank Holiday Monday on the way back from a stag do in Leicester.
He was the lead singer and guitarist for band Mojo Fins, who signed to Brighton label Amazon Records at the end of last year and had been set to release their first single on Tuesday.
Jon's distraught bandmates have put the release of their debut Pinata Face on hold to give them time to grieve. They intend to release it as a tribute to him at a later date, unlikely to be before the end of June, and will donate all proceeds to charity.
A music video which will include some of the last footage of Jon will be released at the same time.
We have put a podcast of Pinata Face on our website for readers to hear. The song features Jon on vocals and was written communally by him and the rest of the band. The song has been described as "shy-eyed rustic pop" which "perfectly capture the essence of a laid back summer afternoon".
Jon, along with fellow musicians Andrew Graney, 29, Rohan Chadwick, 27, and doctors Matthew O'Donnell, 30, and Christopher Janaway, 28 died after the recovery truck they were travelling in smashed into the back of a moving lorry on the Surrey stretch of the motorway.
They had been returning from a stag weekend in a mini-bus which broke down. While seven of the stag party - including the groom - were collected by car and made it safely home, best man Jon and the others waited for the recovery vehicle which was embroiled in what police have described it as one of the worst collisions to have occurred on the M25.
The driver of the van, Michael Hutchinson, 44, from Rugby, also died and a sixth passenger, Dr Benjamin Pert, remains in Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead after undergoing facial surgery.
Crash investigators hope Dr Pert will be able to help with their investigation into the cause of the crash when he is well enough to be interviewed more fully.
An inquest into the deaths was opened and adjourned on Thursday at Woking Coroner's Court.
In an emotional tribute to his "five beautiful friends", groom-to-be James Forrer said they had shared a "terrific weekend's celebration... filled with laughter" in Leicestershire.
It has yet to be decided whether he and his fiancee will postpone their wedding.
Peter Coles, chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, paid tribute to Dr Janaway and Dr O'Donnell, saying: "Both Chris and Matt were popular and highly respected. They will be sadly missed by those who worked with and alongside them."
Mr Chandler's sister Emma Chandler said he had a "passionate outlook on life" and there were "not enough hours in the day" for him to achieve all he wanted to, including getting his band Mojo Fins off the ground.
Police confirmed that the recovery vehicle was set up to seat seven people, one driver and six passengers, safely and with proper seat belts.
The driver of the HGV was uninjured. He is being treated as a witness and has been helping police with their inquiries.
To leave your tributes to the Brighton men visit www.theargus.co.uk/yourargus and click on the book of condolence.
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