Stephen Luscombe, co-founder and keyboardist of the popular British band Blancmange, has passed away at the age of 70. The news was confirmed on Facebook through the band’s official page.
“Heartbroken. RIP Stephen. Love you forever,” Luscombe’s longtime bandmate Neil Arthur wrote, which included a black and white photo of Luscombe.
Blancmange, which was described as a new wave band, formed in 1979, but they broke up in 1986. They reformed in the 2000s, going on to release their fourth studio album in 2011.
Fans Pay Tribute To Stephen Luscombe
Here are just a few of the many tributes that poured in following Luscombe’s passing.
“Celebrating the life of Stephen Luscombe, co-founder, songwriter & keyboardist of synth-pop pioneers Blancmange His innovative soundscapes helped define 80s electronic music, creating timeless tracks like ‘Living On The Ceiling’, ‘Blind Vision’ & ‘Don’t Tell Me,'” Universal Music Publishing UK posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Yesterday we said goodbye to Stephen Luscombe from @_blancmange_ he was also in ‘The West India Company’ and we went to India together which was amazing. We recorded with legendary Indian singer Asha Bosle who later sang on ‘Bow Down Mister’. We worked with a 100 piece Indian orchestra, caused riots in The Hare Krishna temple and recorded a version of @ABBAVoyage ‘I Have A Dream’ which never came out. Stephen along with Neil Arthur made one of the most seminal electro tracks. Living On The Ceiling. I saw them do it live supporting our @erasureinfo last year. Bye Stephen. Legend!,” Boy George wrote.
“RIP Stephen Luscombe. One half of the duo Blancmange. Us eighties kids will remember them well,” a fan said.
“Saw them live a few years ago. One of the most underrated 80s bands! synth-pop legends! RIP Give them a listen! #Blancmange RIP StephenLuscombe,” another fan wrote.
Stephen Luscombe Left The Band Due To Health Issues
In 2011, following the release of their reunion album, Luscombe suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which forced him to step away from music.
“I got pretty ill,” Luscombe told Classic Pop in a 2017 interview. “I had angina so had to watch my blood pressure. So touring was out – I’d just be too nervous.”
However, Arthur continued to perform under the band’s name.
And in that same interview, they also reflected on the band’s unique name.
“Even today I cannot believe that we did it,” Luscombe explained. “We weren’t ambitious, we were just having a laugh and getting paid for it! I still can’t believe it happened and that we were so lucky to start with.”
