Australians will be mourning the death of a local legend this morning, as Richard Lane has passed away.
Lane, aged in his fifties, was the founder of Perth’s iconic garage rock outfit, The Stems, who made a name for themselves in the 1980s.
Richard Lane, founding member of The Stems, has sadly passed away.
Surviving bandmates of The Stems took to social media to share the heartbreaking news with their fans:
“With great sadness we have learned that Richard Lane, a foundation member of The Stems, has passed away. Dom, Jules, Dave and John would like to express their condolences to both Richard’s family and his legion of friends. We know he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
Lane was a singer, guitarist and keyboard player who co-founded The Stems with Dom Mariani in 1983, and released their debut album, At First Sight, Violets Are Blue, in 1987. The band saw instant national success, earning the opportunity to perform on the final episode of Countdown. Despite immediate growth and popularity with tracks like At First Sight, the band broke up within just a few months of their debut release. Regardless of the band’s short lifespan, Lane’s influence stuck around for years, where he continued making music in notable bands, including The Chevelles, The Rosebuds, The Painkillers and The On And Ons.
Much to the surprise of the band’s original 1980’s fans, The Stems decided to reform in 2003. Lane resumed his role as singer and multi-instrumentalist, and after five years the band released another record, 2007’s Heads Up. The band broke up once again in 2009, before they reformed once again in 2013, this time without Lane’s involvement.
It has not yet been announced what caused Lane’s death. The artist will be remembered for his contributions to the Australian music scene and celebrated as a local legend for many years to come.
