Jet Black, popularly known for being The Stranglers' drummer for decades, has passed away at the age of 84; did he suffer from a medical condition years prior to his death?
According to his representative, as reported by The Guardian, the musician spent his final years in North Wales to be close with his friends and family as he suffers from an undisclosed health issue, but he's been retired from the music industry since 2015 due to respiratory health issues.
He died "peacefully" after "years of ill health" on December 6, 2022.
The drummer, whose real name was Brian John Duffy, was one of the key members of The Stranglers as he was present when the band was formed in Guildford in 1974. He was also one of the reasons why the band had such a unique sound due to his undeniable talent.
Throughout the band's career, they achieved over 23 top 40 singles and 19 top 40 albums in the United Kingdom charts.
Some of their most popular hits are "No More Heroes," "Peaches," and "Golden Brown." They also had a big contribution to the pop-punk industry as their album "Black and White" is considered to be the first of its kind in its genre.
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The Stranglers Pay Tribute to Jet Black
Following his death, The Strangler's members and fans immediately took online to pay tribute to their old pal.
"The welcoming committee has doubled. After years of ill health, Jet has finally been released," bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel wrote, before praising his good friend, saying he was an inspiration and a "force of nature." (via Yahoo! News)
He concluded his tribute by crediting him as one of the main reasons why their band became a hit.
On the other hand, guitarist Baz Warne wrote that he loved Jet Black as he took him under his wing 20 years ago and he "never really came out from under it."
Who Was Jet Black?
Per the outlet, Jet Black was a simple person before he joined The Stranglers. He was in the field of business as he owned ice cream vans, which were later used to tour the United Kingdom.
During the band's early days, they would use his off-license apartment as headquarters for them to hang out.
Throughout his career, he also wrote two books that covered the band's arrest in France after allegedly starting a riot.
Not only was he a great musician, but also a furniture designer who designed a patented bass drum pedal.
Jet Black was survived by his wife Ava and his two children Anthony and Charlotte.
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