Rest in peace to an early custodian of the Seattle grunge scene
Singer-songwriter known for his work as the Screaming Trees vocalist and collaborations with Queens of the Stone Age has passed away aged 57 as confirmed by his twitter account this morning.
The post read “Our beloved friend Mark Lanegan passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland. A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time. We ask please respect the family privacy.”
Our beloved friend Mark Lanegan passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland. A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time. We ask Please respect the family privacy
— mark lanegan (@marklanegan) February 22, 2022
The Screaming Trees formed in Seattle in 1984 and were part of the city’s emerging grunge scene in the early ‘90s alongside the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden.
The groups 1992 release Sweet Oblivion saw them reach global acclaim, but after their follow up Dust was unable to reach the same heights, the group disbanded in 2000.
By that point though, Lanegan was already an established solo artist with his fifth release in 2001 Field Songs saw collaborations with Duff McKagan and Soundgarden’s Ben Shepherd.
“Even when I’m making my own solo records I’m collaborating with people,” he told MusicRadar in 2013. “It keeps things interesting for me.”
This propensity to collaborate reached greater heights after Queens of the Stone Age’s 2002 breakthrough Songs for the Deaf in which he sang lead vocals on ‘Song for the Dead’, ‘Hangin’ Tree’, ‘Song for the Deaf’, and ‘God Is in the Radio’.
In addition to his vast array of collaborations, he released three books which detailed everything from lyricism and songwriting to alcoholism and addiction to recovering from COVID-19.
He has left behind an incredible legacy.
