Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe is confronting heartbreak on the road. In a raw and emotional interview with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk, the glam sleaze rocker discussed the recent loss of his fiancée Kimberly Burch, who tragically went overboard during The ’80s Cruise in March 2025. The cruise was en route from Miami to the Bahamas when the incident occurred. Burch was 56.
“I’m hanging in there. I’m just taking it a day at a time,” Downe said, his voice weighed with emotion. “Everybody thought going out on the road and doing what I do and being with my family in my band would be good for me. So I’ve taken their advice and [I’m] doing this.”
Burch and Downe had been engaged since 2022 and were together for nearly a decade. Shortly after her death, reports from The Hollywood Reporter stated that security footage showed Burch jumping from the ship and confirmed that Downe had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
More than a month later, Downe continues to grieve — but he’s also using the stage as therapy. Faster Pussycat’s tour, which launched May 30 at Count’s Vamp’d in Las Vegas, runs through early July, giving Downe a chance to connect with fans and find solace through his music.
“I just think it’ll be very therapeutic to get to see a bunch of fans and a bunch of friends across the country,” he said. “So I think it’ll be helpful.”
Fans also voiced concern about whether the tragedy might impact Downe’s long-maintained sobriety. He responded with clarity and fire: “What happened with Kimberly, too — it was alcohol and prescription-related. So I blame alcohol and pills on it. There’s no way I’d touch booze. For me, that’s just completely disgusting in my brain.”
“I’ve got some hatred for booze, ‘cause I loved the hell out of Kimberly,” he added. “And it was just hard to deal with.”
While Downe avoided digging into the deeper personal struggles Burch may have been facing, his message was clear: he’s leaning on the love of his band, his fans, and the hard-earned wisdom of his sobriety to keep moving forward.
