Darryl Hunt, the long-serving bassist and occasional songwriter of the legendary Anglo Irish punk group the Pogues, passed away Monday, August 8. He was 72.
The Pogues confirmed Hunt’s death on Instagram Tuesday, Aug. 9, writing “We are saddened beyond words. Our Darryl passed away yesterday afternoon in London.”It was not possible to determine the cause of death.
One line taken from a song Hunt wrote for The Pogues. “Love You ’Till the End,”It was also included in this post: “I know you want to hear me catch my breath/I love you till the end.”
Shane MacGowan of Pogues shared an additional statement Follow him on InstagramSend condolences “blessings” to Hunt’s family and friends.
“I am very very sorry that Darryl has passed away, we will all miss him, he was a really great person and friend and a great bass player,”He wrote. “May he spend eternity doing whatever he wants to do in eternal bliss.”
Hunt was bornHe was born in Hampshire, England in 1950 and began playing in bands such the Plummet Airlines or the punk outfit, The Favorites. Another early outfit, a lounge act dubbed Pride of the Cross, featured the Pogues’ original bassist Cait O’Riordan.
Hunt first entered the Pogues’ orbit as a member of their touring crew, doing sound, driving the van, and effectively serving as their tour manager. As O’Riordan began to drift away from the group, Hunt would fill-in for her on bass; he officially replaced O’Riordan in 1986, the same year she left the band and married Elvis Costello.
The Pogues achieved mainstream success shortly after Hunt joined them with their classic 1987 album. “Fairytale of New York.”Hunt, in addition to his duties as bassist, would occasionally play other instruments and write several songs for The Pogues, including the aforementioned “Love You ‘Till the End,” “Big City,” “Modern World,” “Living In a World Without Her.”
Hunt reminded in the Pogues until they split in 1996, The group reconnected in 2002 with MacGowan, Hunt, Spider Stacy, guitarist Philip Chevron, multi-instrumentalist James Feamley, drummer/harmonica player Andrew Ranken, and saxophonist Jem Finer, before disbanding again in 2014.