The music world is in mourning following the death of Kenny Morris, the original drummer for the seminal post-punk band Siouxsie And The Banshees. He was 68 years old.
A Founding Force in Post-Punk
Kenny Morris was a pivotal figure in the band's formation in 1977, helping to launch one of the most influential groups of the era. He performed alongside vocalist Siouxsie Sioux, bassist Steven Severin and guitarist Peter Fenton during the band's crucial early years.
His drumming was integral to the sound of the band's first two landmark albums: 1978's The Scream and 1979's Join Hands. Both records are celebrated as classic post-punk releases and each peaked inside the Official UK Albums Chart Top 20, cementing the Banshees' place in British music history.
Tributes from Friends and the Music Community
Musician and journalist John Robb, a friend of Morris, led the heartfelt tributes. He recalled Morris's sweet and artistic nature, describing his "beautiful eccentricity" as "adorable."
Robb painted a vivid picture of the drummer's enduring style, noting he would appear "in a suit and a dress with open handcuffs on one hand" or in a "perfectly created bricolage," maintaining the artful confrontation of the 1976 punk scene he helped define.
A self-taught musician, Morris famously joined the band after seeing them perform live. His departure, however, was as dramatic as his entrance. In 1979, following an argument during a record signing event, both Morris and guitarist John McKay abruptly left the group.
An Enduring Musical Legacy
The cause of Kenny Morris's death has not been publicly confirmed. His passing marks the loss of a key architect of the post-punk sound that reshaped the UK music landscape in the late 1970s.
While his time with the Banshees was relatively brief, his contribution was profound. The rhythmic foundations he laid on The Scream and Join Hands continue to inspire generations of musicians, ensuring his legacy will resonate far beyond his years with the band.
