Steve Strange, Visage lead singer, dies aged 55
Steve Strange, lead singer of 1980s pop band Visage, has died aged 55 following a heart attack, his record label says.
The Welsh New Romantic Icon – best known for the hit Fade To Grey – died in hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Ex-Visage bandmates Midge Ure and Rusty Egan said they were "devastated" to hear of his "untimely passing", adding: "Steve was a major face of the 80s."
Boy George tweeted he was "heartbroken" about the death of Strange, saying he was "such a big part of my life".
Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon tweeted that Strange was "the leading edge of New Romantic. God Bless him".
Fellow 1980s pop star Billy Idol tweeted: "Very sad to hear of my friend Steve Strange passing, RIP mate."
Spandau Ballet guitarist Gary Kemp dedicated the band’s performance in Italy to "a maverick to the end", while his brother and the band’s bassist, Martin Kemp, tweeted: "RIP Steve Strange goodbye my dear friend. I will miss you!"
Strange, pictured with Boy George in 2001, was known as a New Romantic pioneer
Strange’s agent, Pete Bassett, said he would be remembered as "a hard-working, very amusing and lovable individual who always was at the forefront of fashion trends".
"Up until last year he was putting together a book of fashion styles based on the New Romantic movement and it comes as a great shock.
"We understood that he had certain health problems but nothing we knew was life threatening.
"His friends and family are totally shocked, we had no idea anything like this was likely to happen."
He had suffered ill-health, including in December last year when he was admitted to Princess of Wales Hospital, in Bridgend, with a bronchial infection and an intestinal blockage.
BBC News – Steve Strange, Visage lead singer, dies aged 55
I had the pleasure of spending time with Steve on a few occasions and he was a man of fascinating contradictions. Tempestuous, kind, witty, cutting, determined yet sometimes vulnerable. I was there for his first live gig after several years away from the stage and while he was understandably nervous backstage the moment he picked up the mic and the music started it was like someone had flicked a switch and he was electrifying, every inch the consummate performer, and he owned the stage. I am incredibly sad that I’ll never get to walk into a dressing room and hear him call out with the name he always called me, or that I’ll never feel the shiver of excitement that hearing the opening notes to Fade to Grey again and knowing that I was about to see the man behind that iconic track nail it yet again.
Rest in peace, Steve. :sadwavey: