Category: Obits

Steve Strange, Visage frontman and New Romantic pioneer, 1959-2015

Steve Strange, Visage frontman and New Romantic pioneer, 1959-2015

Steve Strange, the Blitz Kid, frontman of synthpop group Visage — best known for its Top 10 hit “Fade to Grey” — and key figure in the New Romantic movement of the late ’70s and early ’80s died today of heart failure at a hospital in Egypt, the reunited Visage announced via Facebook. He was 55.

Ian Allen — key member of Negativland in the ’80s — 1958-2015

Ian Allen — key member of Negativland in the ’80s — 1958-2015

Ian Allen, a key member of Bay Area culture-jammers Negativland from 1981 to 1987, died on Saturday from what the band is calling “unexpected complications and infections” following a heart-valve replacement surgery at Stanford Hospital in California, according to an announcement this morning on the group’s Facebook page.

Peter Gutteridge, of The Clean, The Chills, Snapper and more, 1961-2014

Peter Gutteridge, of The Clean, The Chills, Snapper and more, 1961-2014

Peter Gutteridge, a man described as a hero of New Zealand music and a linchpin of that nation’s famed “Dunedin sound” through his roles in The Clean, The Chills, The Great Unwashed, Snapper and more, died earlier today, according to New Zealand music journalist Simon Sweetman and the Flying Nun Records.

Tommy Ramone, last original member of the Ramones, 1949-2014

Tommy Ramone, last original member of the Ramones, 1949-2014

Tommy Ramone, the last surviving original member of the Ramones, who played drums on and co-produced the band’s legendary first three albums (1976’s Ramones, 1977’s Leave Home and 1978’s Road to Ruin), passed away earlier today, according to the Ramones’ Facebook page. He was 65.

Annik Honoré, girlfriend of Ian Curtis and Les Disques du Crépuscule co-founder, 1957-2014

Annik Honoré, girlfriend of Ian Curtis and Les Disques du Crépuscule co-founder, 1957-2014

Annik Honoré — girlfriend of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis at the time of his death, the alleged inspiration for “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and the co-founder of the Les Disques du Crépuscule and Factory Benelux labels — died this week at the age of 56, according to press reports and associates.

Casey Kasem’s greatest hit: Negativland and “the letter U and the numeral 2”

Casey Kasem’s greatest hit: Negativland and “the letter U and the numeral 2”

The death of Casey Kasem on Sunday reminded different people of different things, from those long-distance dedications on “American Top 40” to his iconic voicing of Shaggy on “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” But for some of us, Kasem’s greatest achievement was his most unintentional.

‘Alphaville will never be the same again’: Keyboardist Martin Lister, 1962-2014

‘Alphaville will never be the same again’: Keyboardist Martin Lister, 1962-2014

Martin Lister, the keyboardist and musical director for German synthpop group Alphaville (“Forever Young”) since the mid-1990s, died unexpectedly this past week, the band today announced, saying, “We are all speechless and shocked” and that “Alphaville will never be the same again.”

Scott Asheton, of The Stooges, 1949-2014

Scott Asheton, of The Stooges, 1949-2014

Scott “Rock Action” Asheton, the co-founder and longtime drummer of proto-punk legends The Stooges who in recent years was sidelined by unspecified medical issues, died Saturday night at age 64, bandleader Iggy Pop announced today via the group’s Facebook page.

Buren Fowler, former Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ guitarist and R.E.M. sideman, 1959-2014

Buren Fowler, former Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ guitarist and R.E.M. sideman, 1959-2014

Buren Fowler — who played lead guitar in Southern rock act Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ from 1988 to 1993 after working as Peter Buck’s guitar tech and an occasional second guitarist on two R.E.M. tours — passed away Friday night, according to messages posted to both Drivin’ n’ Cryin’s official website and Facebook page.

Devo’s Bob Casale, 1952-2014

Devo’s Bob Casale, 1952-2014

Devo fans are mourning another loss this morning with news that, less than eight months after the death of beloved drummer Alan Myers, one of the band’s original members, Bob “Bob 2” Casale, has died unexpectedly from “conditions that lead to heart failure,” the band announced on Facebook today.

Charlie Chesterman, frontman of Scruffy the Cat, loses battle with cancer

Charlie Chesterman, frontman of Scruffy the Cat, loses battle with cancer

Charlie Chesterman, the frontman of Boston college-radio favorites Scruffy the Cat, part of the late-’80s cowpunk scene that helped spawn the alt-country movement, lost his ongoing battle with cancer on Monday, according to posts on Facebook this morning by friends, including former bandmate Stephen Fredette,

Lou Reed, rock icon and leader of The Velvet Underground, 1942-2013

Lou Reed, rock icon and leader of The Velvet Underground, 1942-2013

Just months after surviving a secret liver transplant and declaring himself “a triumph of modern medicine, physics and chemistry,” legendary rocker Lou Reed — the leader of The Velvet Underground, who would later release classic solo albums such as Transformer, Berlin and New York — died today at age 71.

‘RIP Lou Reed’: Morrissey, David Bowie, Ian McCulloch, Pixies and more on legend’s death

‘RIP Lou Reed’: Morrissey, David Bowie, Ian McCulloch, Pixies and more on legend’s death

Not surprisingly, news of legendary rocker Lou Reed’s death traveled with lightning speed across the Internet today, and an entire generation of musicians influenced by him and The Velvet Underground quickly weighed in on the legend’s passing. Below we’ve collected social media reaction from many of them.