Cait Stoddard March 2nd, 2023 - 1:57 PM
According to spin.com Pulp‘s bassist Steve Mackey has died at the age of 56. Earlier today the band went on social media to announced the sad news but they didn’t reveal a cause of death. Also The Guardian reported that Mackey died after a three-month stay in a hospital.
View this post on Instagram
“Our beloved friend & bass player Steve Mackey passed away this morning. Our thoughts are with his family & loved ones. This photo of Steve dates from when Pulp were on tour in South America in 2012. We had a day off & Steve suggested we go climbing in the Andes. So we did. & it was a completely magical experience.”
In 1988 Mackey joined Pulp aft frequently attended the band’s gigs in Londo. The guitarist is known for expanding Pulp’s musical horizons in the late 1980s and early ’90s, through the realm of electronic and dance music, which Mackey was introduced to frontman Jarvis Cocker.
Mackey and Cocker continued working together, including on Cocker’s solo material, when Pulp disbanded in 2002. The musician reunited with Pulp for a two-year period starting in 2011 but last fall that he mentioned would not be a part of the band’s upcoming first shows in a decade for undisclosed reasons. Pulp is scheduled to return to the stage for a summer tour on May 26 at Bridlington Spa in Bridlington, U.K.
Also Mackey was a producer who worked with the likes of M.I.A., the Long Blondes, and Arcade Fire. He helped produce and co-write several songs on Florence + the Machine’s acclaimed 2009 debut album, Lungs.
In the article Pulp’s longtime label, Rough Trade express their sadness in the following statement.
“We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Steve Mackey, legendary bassist of Pulp and established producer in his own right. A camaraderie that translated into their brilliant music. Our thoughts are with the band, his family and friends. RIP Steve.”
