Steve Harley, singer with Cockney Insurgent, dies at 73
Steve Harley, the frontman of 70s band Cockney Insurgent and finest recognized for ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)’, has died aged 73.
The information was confirmed by his household in a press release, who mentioned: “We’re devastated to announce that our fantastic husband and father has handed away peacefully at house, along with his household by his facet.”
Harley, who had been receiving most cancers therapy, had cancelled a run of reveals in late 2023, writing on his web site on the time that it was a “heartbreaking” resolution, however essential so as to struggle a “nasty” most cancers.
His household continued that they knew Harley can be “desperately missed by individuals everywhere in the world”.
“Whoever you realize him as, his coronary heart exuded solely core components. Ardour, kindness, generosity. And rather more, in abundance.”
Born Stephen Good, the musician grew up in London, and whereas working as a neighborhood journalist within the early Seventies, he began busking and enjoying within the metropolis’s folks scene.
He fashioned the glam rock group Cockney Insurgent in 1972 with Jean-Paul Crocker, Stuart Elliott, Paul Jeffreys and Milton Reame-James, and so they had been shortly signed by EMI Data.
The band had early success with singles comparable to ‘Judy Teen’ and ‘Mr. Mushy’, however they started to collapse because of different members wanting to write down extra of the group’s materials.
Harley reformed the band with a brand new line-up, together with Elliott, Jim Cregan, Duncan Mackay and George Ford, and renamed them Steve Harley & Cockney Insurgent. Their first single collectively, ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)’, was a UK Quantity One single in 1975 and charted on the Billboard Sizzling 100 within the US. Harley’s most enduring tune, it has been named by PRS as one of the performed songs in British broadcasting historical past.
Harley started a solo profession within the late Seventies, releasing six albums underneath his personal identify, most lately 2020’s ‘Uncovered’. Cockney Insurgent additionally reformed a number of instances, enjoying collectively as lately as 2021.
Tributes to Harley have been coming in on social media because the information broke – see a spread of messages beneath.
Extra terribly unhappy information. I met Steve a couple of instances. An awesome fella. He informed me a superb story about going for an Italian meal with Bowie and Bolan. Steve Harley R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/Cq7emE2QSi
— Marc Riley ⚽️🍺🐳 (@marcrileydj) March 17, 2024
Very unhappy. RIP Steve Harley. However fancy going out understanding, for sure, that at the very least one in all your songs shall be adored perpetually. Additionally cherished how, after we’d often meet, Steve would dig me out about some long-forgot (by me!) spat with the @nme a long time earlier. That is the stuff! pic.twitter.com/X5WAgX3VZg
— Danny Kelly (@dannykellywords) March 17, 2024
Steve Harley was a real ‘working musician’ He toured till he may tour no extra, enjoying his songs for followers previous and new. My ideas exit to Dorothy and his household at this very unhappy time. Our songs stay on longer than we ever can🙏
— midge ure💙 (@midgeure1) March 17, 2024
Goodbye Steve Harley. Identified him 40+ years.
These first two Cockney Insurgent albums I performed as a lot as something by Bowie on the time.https://t.co/Pou5uuEd25— Danny Baker (@prodnose) March 17, 2024
One in all my massive Prime Of the Pops moments watching Steve Harley and Cockney Insurgent play “Make Me Smile”, full with “Guitar!”.
— Gideon Coe (@gidcoe) March 17, 2024
Unhappy to listen to of Steve Harley’s passing. He introduced new time signatures & a contact of sophistication as glam floundered. He got here on like Bolan telling everybody he was the brand new Dylan. & he break up up his band like Bowie did. Made it massive in 1975 w/ No. 1 hit Make Me Smile. A effective raconteur too. pic.twitter.com/dOxBrYQdcl
— Mark Paytress🌿 (@Paytress) March 17, 2024
Ttfn Steve Harley. I will be listening to the Human Menangerie. For a couple of moments Cockney Insurgent had been cooler than Huge Dave. Nice band and songwriter.
— Luke Haines Rock N Roll (@LukeHaines_News) March 17, 2024
Harley is survived by his spouse Dorothy, with whom he had two kids and 4 grandchildren.