In Memoriam: Paul Ryder

Paul Ryder

Photo credit: Happy Mondays

Sad news to report today as Happy Mondays bassist Paul Ryder has died of undisclosed causes. He was 58 years old. The new was shared by the band on Facebook.

“The Ryder family and Happy Mondays band members are deeply saddened and shocked to say that Paul Ryder passed away this morning,” they wrote on July 15th. “A true pioneer and legend. He will be forever missed… Long live his funk.”

Ryder co-founded Happy Mondays with his brother and frontman Shaun in 1980. The band signed to Factory Records in 1985 and recorded four albums – Squirrel and G-man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), Bummed, Pill ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, and Please – before breaking up in 1992. The band would reunite through the years, and though the bassist didn’t participate in 2007’s Uncle Dsyfunktional, he rejoined the group in 2012 and stayed with them until his passing. The band was scheduled to perform Friday night at the Kubix Festival.

Their musical style blends elements of funk, electronica, punk, and rave. Ryder’s bass lines provided the glue to bring all of the sounds together and make people dance.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Paul Ryder.

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