Punk music icon Kenny Morris was 68. No cause of death has been given.
A founding star of iconic group Siouxsie and the Banshees has died. Post-punk music icon Kenny Morris, who helped to launch the band in 1977 and played on their first two albums, was 68. No cause of death has been announced.
The drummer was a key figure during the early years of the influential group and helped to shape the sound that would go on to inspire generations of artists. He appeared in the group alongside Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin and Peter Fenton, who was later fired onstage.
News of his passing was confirmed on Thursday with outlets including Louder than War, reporting his sad death. Musician and music journalist John Robb wrote a touching tribute, writing: “Kenny was a friend of ours, and it was always a pleasure to see and hang out with him when visiting Cork in Ireland, where he had been living.
“He was sweet, articulate, artistic and fascinating company and his beautiful eccentricity was adorable. He would turn up in a suit and a dress with open handcuffs on one hand and the next time in a totally different yet perfectly created bricolage of style, whilst still dressing in the artful confrontation of the 1976 punk era that he was such a key part of.”
Kenny Morris, seen here in a portrait from 1979(Image: Redferns)
Kenny joined Siouxsie And The Banshees in 1977, during the early days of the UK punk movement. While the band’s first-ever drummer was Sid Vicious – appearing with the group at the 100 Club Punk Festival before joining the Sex Pistols – Kenny was the group’s first permanent one.
His first studio recording with the group was in November 1977 at the band’s first John Peel session for BBC radio, where they debuted a new song called Metal Postcard, and went on to play on the albums The Scream (in 1978) and Join Hands (in 1979).
Kenny, who had Irish parents but grew up in Essex, left Siouxsie and the Banshees a few hours before they were due to perform in Aberdeen at the beginning of the Join Hands tour, in September 1979.
He departed alongside guitarist John McKay (who had by that point replaced Peter Fenton) and stepped away from music and fame, moving to Ireland where he lived in Cork.
John McKay, Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin and Kenny Morris in 1979(Image: Redferns)
