He played bass on a 1988 EP by Arsenal, a recording project of Big Black guitarist Santiago Durango.
Ritscher's self-immolation took place on the side of the Kennedy Expressway near downtown Chicago during the morning rush hour of Friday, November 3, 2006.
Regarding Ritscher's suicide, Roeper stated, "With all great respect, if he thought setting himself on fire and ending his life in Chicago would change anyone's mind about the war in Iraq, his last gesture on this planet was his saddest and his most futile.
In his self-penned obituary he confessed to feeling guilty for not killing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld when he had the chance.
[6] Ska-punk band Less Than Jake wrote a song about Ritscher's death titled "Malachi Richter's Liquor's Quicker" for their 2008 album GNV FLA. Ritscher's name was intentionally misspelled as Richter in reference to his credit on the 1988 Arsenal EP he'd played bass on which his name had been similarly misspelled.
"[7] David Lester, guitarist in Mecca Normal, designed a poster of Malachi as one of his Inspired Agitator series in 2008.