Douglas McCarthy, the frontman and principle songwriter for the influential British industrial band Nitzer Ebb, has died, aged 58.
The news was announced in a statement from the band’s social media channels, which disclosed that McCarthy died on Wednesday morning (12 June).
“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform that Douglas McCarthy passed away this morning,” the band’s representatives said.
“We ask everyone to please be respectful of Douglas, his wife and family in this difficult time. We appreciate your understanding and will share more information soon.”
No cause of death has been given.
The band’s record label, Mute, also shared a statement: “We’ll miss him terribly, his spirit, artistry and personality effected Mute indelibly in the most wonderful of ways.”
Born and raised in Essex, McCarthy met his future bandmate, drummer David Gooday, when he was 10. Together, they formed Nitzer Ebb with friends Bon Harris and Simon Granger in 1982, signing with Mute in the UK and Geffen in the US.
Their debut album, That Total Age, was released in 1987 and supported by a tour with their labelmates, Depeche Mode, for the electronic band’s Music for the Masses European tour.
“Musically, we took our influences from a fairly eclectic array of artists and styles – Forties jazz, Fifties rock ‘n’ roll, glam, disco, punk and the post-punk scene that was emerging as we were starting to go out,” he told the Mute Records blog Documentary Evidence in 2012.
“Bands like The Banshees, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Theatre of Hate, The Birthday Party, Neubauten and Malaria! were all playing live shows that we would go to. We were also listening to Cabaret Voltaire, DAF, Fad Gadget, The Human League, Abwärts, Virgin Prunes, Soft Cell and The Normal among many more.”
Nitzer Ebb split after the release of their fifth album in 1995, and McCarthy moved to Los Angeles, then Detroit, before returning to the UK where he studied design and film in Cambridge.
After dabbling briefly in advertising, he returned to music as a solo artist, as well as collaborating with producers including Terence Fixmer, then reuniting with Nitzer Ebb in 2007.
Their sixth and final album, Industrial Complex, was released in 2010; McCarthy released a solo album, Kill Your Friends, in 2012.
McCarthy stepped down from a European Nitzer Ebb tour last year, citing liver cirrhosis “following years of alcohol abuse... for over two years I have not been drinking, but recovery is a long process.”
Producer Alan Wilder, one of his most frequent collaborators, wrote on social media: “Such sad news to have lost this fella. My friend of over 35 years. Prolific lyricist and dynamic performer with Nitzer Ebb, occasional guest vocalist with Recoil.
“Despite his health struggles, he never ever wallowed or lost an ounce of his incredible razor-sharp irreverent humour, or his deeply warm heart. Farewell old chum.”
Scottish pop rock musician ‘seriously ill’ in intensive care
Sabrina Carpenter fans upset over new album cover: ‘I’m not feeling it’
Liam Payne fans ‘not ready’ as pop singer to appear in new Netflix series
Woman arrested after trying to break into BTS member Jung Kook’s Seoul home
Ozzy Osbourne bandmate admits concern ahead of Black Sabbath’s farewell show
Jimin and Jungkook complete military service to pave way for BTS reunion
