Alan Lancaster, the bassist and founding member of English rock band Status Quo, has died, multiple sources confirmed.
Lancaster, who played a vital role in the success of Status Quo, died in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by his family. His close friend, Craig Bennett, confirmed the saddening news.
"At the request of his loving and deeply cherished family, [I] am heartbroken to announce the passing of Alan Lancaster, British-born music royalty, guitar god and founding member of iconic band, Status Quo," he said on Facebook.
The entertainment journalist disclosed that Alan Lancaster's cause of death was due to multiple sclerosis he had been suffering from for a long time.
According to the National Health Service, the illness is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that affects a person's brain and spinal cord. A patient who has been diagnosed with the condition can suffer from several symptoms, including vision problems, difficulty in moving arms and legs, and issues of balance and sensation.
Meanwhile, Status Quo's singer, Francis Rossi, recalled how Lancaster became an integral part of the band's career during the 1960s and 1970s.
Rossi acknowledged that they became estranged in recent years. Despite that, he will reportedly cherish the memories he had with him during their early days as bandmates.
The band's manager, Simon Porter, sent his sincere condolences to the family. He expressed his gratitude following their sell-out reunion tours in 2013 and 2014.
"Although Alan was not in the best of health even then, he got through the tours with determination and grit and was a pleasure to work with," he went on.
RIP, Alan Lancaster
Before his death, Lancaster had a rollercoaster ride with the Status Quo members, all of his previous schoolmates.
When the band debuted in 1962, it introduced Alan Key (drums) and Jess Jaworski (keys) as the other members. He continued performing with them until 1985 and managed to join them in 15 albums. More than 60 songs of which managed to reach the UK's Top 40 hits.
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In 2014, he reunited with Rossie, Parfitt, and Coghland for their final show as a band. At that time, he was already enduring the disease but still chose to continue the tours in UK and Europe.
His death followed the passing of Parfit in 2016.
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