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Dickie Hammond (of Leatherface) has reportedly passed away

photo: Dickie Hammond w/ Leatherface at Knitting Factory in 2010 (more by Chloe Rice)
Dickie Hammond

Mush, however, is a knockout. Led by a ferocious guitar attack (Stubbs and co-writer Dickie Hammond) at more manageable fast tempos — the rhythm section’s work is much improved — the fifteen-song fireball has awesome throat-grabbing drive and thoughtful lyrics. Following such great tracks as “Dead Industrial Atmosphere” and the anthemic “I Want the Moon,” the album ends with an eye-opening detonation of “Message in a Bottle” as if it were written by the Give ‘Em Enough Rope Clash instead of the Police. Mush is a shake-you-up, make-you-angry, get-your-ya-ya’s-out experience. [Jack Rabid & Jay Pattyn for Trouser Press]

Richard “Dickie” Hammond, singer, backup vocalist and co-songwriter of the great English punk band Leatherface (and of pre-Leatherface band HDQ, an eventual member of Angelic Upstarts, and more) has reportedly passed away. Louder Than War posted, “Sad news reached us here at Louder Than War overnight; the premature death of Sunderland born guitarist Dickie Hammond. […] We are trying to establish the circumstances of his death, though at this time details are very sketchy. He had been in ill-health and had been admitted to hospital in mid August 2014.”

Dickie had been a member of Leatherface since their earliest days when, especially on 1991’s classic Mush (and thanks in huge part to Frankie Stubbs’ gravelly voice), they helped pioneer a type of punk that influenced a handful of bands like their splitmates Hot Water Music and remains influential today. He didn’t immediately return upon their 1998 reunion, but did eventually get back with them for their final album, 2010’s The Stormy Petrel, and he toured with them that year (as pictured above).

Rest in peace Dickie. You’ll be missed.

Stream Mush and check out some tweets posted in honor of Dickie, below…