Dave Riley, the bassist for the influential Noise Rock Band Big Black died on Christmas Eve this year after a short battle with cancer. According to his roommate Rachel Brown, Riley discovered a complication around August, however due to a late diagnosis, the performer decided to wait in his home until he passed, rather than seek treatment.
“In late August, [Riley] developed a persistent sore throat that wasn’t responsive to antibiotics,” Brown wrote. “Initially dismissed as acid reflux, further testing showed that he had a large squamous cell carcinoma in his throat that had already spread to several places in his lungs. Since treatment wouldn’t have made any difference, Dave chose to come home to die. His doctor predicted that he had about six months left, but sadly the cancer was so aggressive that he didn’t even make it an additional two.”
Riley played in Big Black from 1985 to 1987 alongside guitarist Santiago Durango, and Steve Albini, who would later become a prolific record producer and figure in the music industry. He performed on the only two Big Black records, Atomizer and Songs About Fucking. Prior to his work with the band, Riley held engineering credits on Parliament’s 1980 LP Trombipulation and Funkadelic’s 1981 record, The Electric Spanking of War Babies.
“Dave’s passing fills me with sadness,” Durango told Rolling Stone after his passing. “Many of my favorite Big Black memories involve Dave, including the riot he single-handedly started by taunting the audience at one of our shows in Australia. A wicked prankster. Funny, charming, smart and talented. I would glue myself to Dave on our tours. Dave was a positive force in my life and I will miss him dearly.”
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