Posted by Senseless Things singer Mark Keds has died, it has been confirmed.
The band formed in West London at the end of the 80s, informed by deep punk roots and an unavoidable knack for killer pop-leaning songwriting.
With their powerful live shows and commitment to playing anywhere at any time, Senseless Things quickly became cult heroes, travelling around the country.
Avowedly political – song titles include ‘Homophobic Asshole’ – Senseless Things made incursions into the mainstream, even playing Top Of The Pops.
Frontman Mark Keds was a key figure in this, unleashing a wave of energy onstage while aiding the band’s intense studio process.
Senseless Things split following one final album in 1995, while Mark Keds went on to form Jolt – curiously, Pete Doherty was a fan, and half-inched one of Keds’ lyrics on The Libertines indie smash ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’.
News of Mark Keds’ death was confirmed by Senseless Things cohort Ben Harding. In a statement, he wrote: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to tell you that, sadly, Mark – our singer, friend and main songwriter – is no longer with us. We understand that he passed away at his home during the early hours of this morning. As yet, the cause of death is unconfirmed.”
“Mark, particularly as a young man, had a virulent thirst and passion for culture and knowledge. He devoured books, film and other people’s music and passed them on to us and others, and referenced so much of it in his own work. It was Mark who took charge of our fan communications in the early years, spending days and days writing to people and organising gigs (and places to crash afterwards), making friends for life in the process.”
“He was beloved across the country, from Inverness to Plymouth, from Ipswich to Aberystwyth, and across the world, from Tokyo to California. It’s his passion and lust for life that will stick with us, and we’re truly thankful (we know Mark was, too) that we all got to do it properly one last time at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in 2017.”
Finishing, he wrote: “We love you, Mark. It seems cliched to say ‘gone too soon’, but damn, it’s true. He was only 50. It’s no fucking age to die. Our love and thoughts go out to his friends, his family, his loved ones and the ones who loved him.”
Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and loved ones.