Yesterday the news broke on British punk fans hard that Andy Gill of Gang of Four passed away at 64 in central London following a brief respiratory illness. He has worked with a huge slew of current artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Futureheads, Bono and more, and even worked with the late Michael Hutchence.
His bandmates John Sterry, Thomas McNeice and Tobias Humble all published a brief note together sharing the news with fans.
This is so hard for us to write, but our great friend and Supreme Leader has died today.
Andy’s final tour in November was the only way he was ever really going to bow out; with a Stratocaster around his neck, screaming with feedback and deafening the front row.
His uncompromising artistic vision and commitment to the cause, meant that he was still listening to mixes for the upcoming record and planning the next tour from his hospital bed.
But to us, he was our friend – and we’ll remember him for his kindness and generosity, his fearsome intelligence, bad jokes, mad stories and endless cups of Darjeeling tea. He just so happened to be a bit of a genius too.
One of the best to ever do it, his influence on guitar music and the creative process was inspiring for us all, as well as everyone who worked alongside him and listened to his music. And his albums and production work speak for themselves.
Go give ‘em a spin for him…
Love you mate
Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and fans today.
Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers shared a lengthy tribute on Instagram which you can see below. It’s sad to see he was in the middle of working on a new track with him, but maybe we’ll hear that collaboration sooner rather than later.
