Cathal Coughlan, the Irish singer-songwriter and frontman for the band Microdisney, has handed away on the age of 61. Identified for his work each in Microdisney and with the band Fatima Mansions, Coughlan had a profound and celebrated influence on the music business.
Whereas no particular reason for demise has been revealed, his household confirmed in a assertion that Coughlan “slipped away peacefully in hospital after an extended sickness”. Extra particulars haven’t but been made accessible.
Coughlan, who fashioned Microdisney in 1980, relocated to London in 1983. Though his band didn’t break into the mainstream, their influence on the indie rock and various scenes can’t be understated. Notably, the only ‘City to City’ got here near hitting the UK prime 40, marking considered one of their greatest successes.
After disbanding, Coughlan fashioned Fatima Mansions in 1988, describing it on the time by saying that the band had “an outlaw mentality”. Detailing additional, he added: “The expertise of getting been in a band that was doing OK and tumbling out of it was fairly unsettling and I used to be current on a hovercraft of alcohol and caffeine.” And but, they expanded upon his sound and stayed collectively till 1995.
Coughlan continued his solo profession lengthy after his work with Fatima Mansions. Along with working alone, he additionally collaborated with Luke Haines and Andrew Mueller on The North Sea Scrolls earlier than teaming up with producer Jacknife Lee for a brand new collaboration referred to as Telefís. Most not too long ago, Coughlan launched a solo album simply final yr.
Given the tragic information, lots of Coughlan’s contemporaries have already began to pay tribute to the artist on social media, equivalent to Tim Burgess, who tweeted: “Cathal Coughlan, music genius, has left this realm. His sensible songs stay. Play them loud and keep in mind him.”
Luke Haines joined him in tweeting: “I’m so sorry to say that my expensive good friend Cathal Coughlan has handed away. I’ve no phrases in the mean time. Simply disappointment and anger actually.”
Coughlan is survived by his spouse, Julie.
