Grunge pioneers Screaming Trees played a pivotal role in giving the late 80s and 90s a distinct identity. Rock music evolved a great deal from where they left off and their contributions must never be forgotten. A crucial part of this unstoppable force was bassist and co-founder Van Conner, who played with the group for the duration of their time together, from 1984–2000. Last night, the legendary guitarist passed away at the age of 55.

The news was announced on a Facebook post by his brother and Screaming Trees lead guitarist Gary Lee Conner. He wrote: “Van Conner bassist and song writer of Screaming Trees died last night of an extended illness at 55 It was pneumonia that got him in the end. He was one of the closest friends I ever had and I loved him immensely. I will miss him forever and ever and ever…”

Variety‘s Jem Aswad wrote  the following about Conner in an obituary:

“The Trees were founded by the brothers, [Mark] Lanegan — who died last year — and drummer Mark Pickerel in rural Ellensburg, Washington in 1984. The band purveyed a psychedelia-influenced sound that synchronized with several other indie bands from the era, particularly the “Paisley Underground” groups from California like the Rain Parade and the Dream Syndicate. After releasing several low-budget recordings on the small Velvetone label, the band signed with the indie powerhouse SST Records and became one of the major groups of the American indie scene of the late ‘80s — which bloomed into the grunge/ alternative movement when fellow Washington State natives Nirvana took off in 1991 (Lanegan and Kurt Cobain were close friends and, unfortunately, as the singer confirmed in his autobiography, drug buddies as well).”

Conner’s contributions to rock and grunge will go down in history for shifting culture forever. The world just lost an icon.