The 1980’s hit pop group, Visage, lost their former lead singer, Steve Strange, to a heart attack on Thursday. The Welsh singer was declared dead in the Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital in Egypt after dying in his sleep. News of the singer, who was just 55 years of age, came as a shock to friends and family and have requested privacy at this time while they mourn Strange’s death. A report surfaced in December that Strange was admitted to a Welsh hospital near his hometown with breathing issues, but was released shortly thereafter.
Born to the name Steven Harrington, and later adopting the name “Steve Strange,” has been recognized as an unofficial founding father of the new romantic-pop music era. Before forming the band Visage, Strange was a vocalist of the new wave-punk band called the Photons, managed by Andy Czezowski. Shortly after leaving the band, Strange along with Rusty Egan, Midge Ure, Barry Adamson, John McGeoch and Dave Formula formed the band Visage.
While building the bands reputation, Strange partnered with David Bowie‘s top hit “Ashes to Ashes,” which is considered as an era-defining music video. Strange used his newfound fame to help propel his band to release a European top hit single, “Fade to Grey.” Though, after two well-received albums and a number of top singles, the band broke-up in 1985. With Wendy Wu, Strange went on to form the band Strange Cruise, though dissolved the band a year later after little success.
At the 2002 Here and Now Tour, which starred a variety of revived pop bands, Strange was featured as a solo artist, performing many of his early-1980’s hits. A few years later, he revived a newfound Visage band, called Visage Mk I, which featured Strange and multiple modern band musicians. As a guest on the show Loose Women, Strange announced that the nine new songs have been completed on the new Visage band’s album, which later added former member Steve Barnacle, in addition to Ultravox guitarist Robin Simon and vocalist Lauren Duvall. In 2013, the album, Hearts and Knives, was released.