Category: Obits

Mark Hollis, Talk Talk leader who bridged synthpop and post-rock, 1955-2019

Mark Hollis, Talk Talk leader who bridged synthpop and post-rock, 1955-2019

Mark Hollis, the co-founder, lead singer and chief songwriter for Talk Talk, a British group that made its mark with early ’80s synthpop hits before morphing into something altogether artier, has died following a short illness, his former manager confirmed Tuesday. He was 64.

Lorna Doom, bassist for legendary Los Angeles punk act Germs, 1958-2019

Lorna Doom, bassist for legendary Los Angeles punk act Germs, 1958-2019

Lorna Doom, the bassist for legendary early Los Angeles punk outfit Germs and a striking figure described by her own family as “a woman of mystery,” succumbed to cancer this week, dying after a year-long illness in Thousand Oaks, Calif., at the age of 61. Former bandmate Don Bolles announced her death.

Pete Shelley, co-founder, songwriter and guitarist for the Buzzcocks, 1955-2018

Pete Shelley, co-founder, songwriter and guitarist for the Buzzcocks, 1955-2018

Pete Shelley, the co-founder, guitarist and brilliant songwriter behind genre-shaping U.K. punk act Buzzcocks, as well as an accomplished solo artist in his own right, has died, the band announced Thursday via its social media accounts. The BBC reports that Shelley died of a suspected heart attack in Estonia, where he was living.

John Wicks, lead singer/songwriter for power-pop favorites The Records, has died

John Wicks, lead singer/songwriter for power-pop favorites The Records, has died

John Wicks, the lead singer and songwriter for The Records, the late-’70s/early-’80s U.K. power-pop combo best known for their cult-favorite single “Starry Eyes,” has died following a years-long struggle with cancer, according to friends and a former bandmate. The band released three albums on Virgin Records.

Conway Savage, longtime keyboardist for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, 1960-2018

Conway Savage, longtime keyboardist for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, 1960-2018

Conway Savage, the Australian musician who played piano and organ, and provided backing vocals, for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for more than a quarter-century, died Sunday night, about 10 months after the band revealed he was being treated for a brain tumor. He was 58.

Nick Knox, longtime drummer for psychobilly legends The Cramps, 1953-2018

Nick Knox, longtime drummer for psychobilly legends The Cramps, 1953-2018

Nick Knox, who joined the legendary punk/psychobilly outfit The Cramps in 1977 and played on the group’s first four albums before leaving following 1990’s Stay Sick! and its minor commercial breakthrough “Bikini Girls with Machine Guns,” died this week at the age of 65.

The The's Matt Johnson pens moving tribute to late father: 'It has been a privilege to be his son'

The The’s Matt Johnson pens moving tribute to late father: ‘It has been a privilege to be his son’

Just a week into his The The comeback tour, bandleader Matt Johnson was hit with devastating news today as he learned that his 86-year-old father, Edward Charles Johnson, had died, according to a statement posted to the band’s official Facebook page. Read the full statement here.