Former Screaming Trees frontman and renowned solo artist Mark Lanegan has died, aged 57.
“Our beloved friend Mark Lanegan passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland,” read a statement from his manager. “A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time.”
Lanegan first rose to prominence during the grunge era as the frontman for Screaming Trees, who formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1985. He began a concurrent solo career with 1990’s acclaimed The Winding Sheet and released a further 11 solo albums, the most recent being 2020’s Straight Songs Of Sorrow.
He was also an on-off member of Queens Of The Stone Age, making key contributions to their hit albums Rated R and Songs For The Deaf. A prolific collaborator, Lanegan latterly teamed up for memorable releases with Isobel Campbell, Greg Dulli (as The Gutter Twins), Soulsavers and many more.
In 2020, he released the darkly comic memoir Sing Backwards And Weep, detailing his struggles with addiction alongside his colourful musical escapades and close friendships with the likes of Kurt Cobain and Alice In Chains’ Layne Staley. Last year he published a follow-up, Devil In A Coma, revealing how he nearly died from Covid-19.
“Mark Lanegan was a lovely man,” wrote Peter Hook on Twitter. “He led a wild life that some of us could only dream of. He leaves us with fantastic words and music! Thank god that through all of that he will live forever.”
“Hearing about Mark Lanegan passing away has properly stopped me in my tracks,” wrote Badly Drawn Boy. “I’m absolutely gutted. Met him on a couple of occasions and I was nervous because I loved him so much. He was a perfect gentleman, really kind. One of THE great singers of the last 30 years. So sad”
Mark Lanegan was a lovely man. He led a wild life that some of us could only dream of. He leaves us with fantastic words and music! Thank god that through all of that he will live forever. RIP Mark. Sleep well. Love Hooky. X pic.twitter.com/Xnx76y68YC
— Peter Hook (@peterhook) February 22, 2022
Hearing about Mark Lanegan passing away has properly stopped me in my tracks. I’m absolutely gutted. Met him on a couple of occasions and I was nervous because I loved him so much. He was a perfect gentleman, really kind. One of THE great singers of the last 30 years. So sad ?
— Badly Drawn Boy (@badly_drawn_boy) February 22, 2022