Dave Kusworth of Jacobites, RIP
Dave Kusworth, of Jacobites, TV Eye and The Dogs D’Amour and other groups, has died at age 60. Details are scarce, but partner Anouschkat Elspass confirmed the sad new via Kusworth’s Facebook, writing, “I am heartbroken Dave the Love of my life, my soulmate, my lover and best friend has passed away in his sleep.”
Jacobites were formed by Nikki Sudden and Kusworth when their bands, Swell Maps and the Subterranean Hawks, broke up. (Sudden’s brother and Swell Maps drummer Epic Soundtracks was also in Jacobites.) Co-leading the band, Jacobites’ music was full of warm, romantic swagger, owing to Rolling Stones, Dylan and Velvet Underground. (Around the same time, Kusworth also played briefly played in glam rock band The Dogs D’Amour.) Jacobites’ mid-’80s albums were originally released on UK label Glass but Twin-Tone released a best-of 1986, and Numero Group reissued their classic 1984 self-titled debut and 1985’s Robespierre’s Velvet Basement in 2013.
When Jacobites ended Kusworth continued to make records on his own with The Bounty Hunters and The Tenterhooks. Rest in peace, Dave. Your music lives on.
Nikki Sudden died in 2006, and Epic Soundtracks died in 1997.
Read tributes to Dave from Teenage Fanclub‘s Norman Blake, The Auteurs‘ Luke Haines, The Lilac Time and more — and listen to some classic Jacobites — below.
https://twitter.com/MrNormanBlake1/status/1307442068369944579
Really sad to hear of the passing of Dave Kusworth. Nikki Sudden and his brother Epic Soundtracks both gone. Kevin Junior also. True poets all.
— Luke Haines Rock N Roll (@LukeHaines_News) September 20, 2020
So sad to hear that Dave Kusworth passed away in his sleep last night. Requiesce in pace 💔 @TheLilacTime @Monorail_Music @davidjhaskins @neetsy @xBrucexRussellx @chrisseventeen pic.twitter.com/TAfV7uJSTe
— Glass Modern (@glassmodern1) September 19, 2020
We’ve been compiling an album from old cassettes of songs from back then so the young Dave Kusworth has been with me this summer. So it’s heartbreaking to hear he has gone. Love to his family friends and fans sdx pic.twitter.com/5QbespfhGx
— THE LILAC TIME (@TheLilacTime) September 19, 2020
Away from our music, we just wanted to acknowledge the sad passing of Dave Kusworth. Rich met him a couple of times and he was a true gent. We have a couple of Dissidents who are fans of his beautiful songs. Taken too soon. RIP Dave pic.twitter.com/avw5k4Ra0f
— Richard Davies and the Dissidents (@RDissidents) September 19, 2020
Spinning the Cars Bye Bye Love trying to mend my 💔 RIP RBG and Dave Kusworth nothing left to do but play music loudly @93XRT. Join me now with you live untill 6am
— Lara Mondae / WXRT (@LaraMondae) September 20, 2020
RIP Dave Kusworth, what a heartbreaker XXX
— The Nightingales (@_Nightingales) September 20, 2020
Very sad news. RIP Dave Kusworth. ♠️💗♠️ https://t.co/GlKqtuv3gx
— Creation Records (@creationrecords) September 19, 2020