Founding drummer Kurt Dahle is leaving the New Pornographers. (That’s him with the popcorn behind Carl Newman in the press shot above.) As Brooklyn Vegan points out, the band announced Dahle’s departure in a Facebook post today:

Kurt Dahle is leaving the New Pornographers. It has been a great 15 years playing with an amazing drummer, singer and performer. We wish him the best.

Everything is still full steam ahead with the band and we look forward to continued rocking and singing of songs.

Seems like unfortunate timing for Dahle to skip out just when the band is revving up for a tour in support of the new Brill Bruisers. Hopefully whoever they get to replace him will maintain the ass-kicking oomph the group pulled off on Letterman.

We recently talked with band ringleader Newman about some of the most notable songs and videos in his career. Read that feature here.