The members of Warrant are understandably upset by the sudden loss of Jani Lane, who was found dead at 47 in his Comfort Inn hotel room in Woodland Hills, Calif. Thursday.
In a statement obtained by E! News, the '80s metal band says they "are deeply saddened to hear the news of Jani's passing."
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Jani was a very important part of our lives for a long time. We will always be incredibly proud of the music we created together. He was a true talent and will be missed by all of us."
Warrant will honor Lane's memory during a Friday concert in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Lane joined the hair metal band in 1984, writing some of the group's biggest hits (including "Heaven," "Down Boys" and "Cherry Pie.") He quit and returned to the band numerous times before leaving for good in 2008.
Lane (real name: John Kennedy Oswald) is survived by four children, Taylar, Brittany, Madison and Ryan, from two previous marriages. (Taylar's mother is model Bobbie Brown, his first wife, who starred in Warrant's classic "Cherry Pie" music video.) According to Lane's Twitter account, his third wife's name is Kimberly.
Lane, who appeared on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club in 2005, struggled with alcohol throughout his career; just last year, he was ordered to serve 120 days in jail following his second DUI arrest.
The cause of Lane's death has been deferred pending the results of toxicology tests.
