Darryl Hunt, the longtime bassist, and songwriter of the Pogues died on August 8 at the age of 72. A cause of death was not revealed.
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“We are saddened beyond words,” wrote The Pogues in a statement, revealing Hunt’s death on social media. “Our Darryl passed away yesterday in London.”
The band also added a verse from the band’s 1996 song “Love You Till the End,” in which Hunt wrote The Pogues’ seventh and final album, Pogue Malone, adding “I know you want to hear me catch my breath / I love you till the end.” The song, one of several Hunt wrote for the band, appeared in the 1999 Jay Roach-directed comedy-drama Mystery, Alaska and 2007 romantic comedy P.S. I Love You.
Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan called Hunt “a really great person and friend and a great bass player” on Instagram. “May he spend eternity doing whatever he wants to do in eternal bliss,” wrote MacGowan, “and blessings to all of the Pogues and to his family and friends.”
Former Pogues bandmate Spider Stacy added, “This is wretched. See you around the way, Daz.”
Born Darryl Gatwick Hunt on May 4, 1950, in Dorset, England, the bassist earned a BA in fine art at Nottingham Trent University and started veering into music after joining the band The Brother Creepers (later renamed Plummet Airlines) for a student film in 1973 and then formed the band The Favourites and played with Pride of the Cross.
In 1986, Hunt joined The Pogues after often working as their roadie and occasionally filling in for his former Pride of the Cross bandmate, Cait O’Riordan, as the band’s bassist. When O’Riordan switched bands in ’86 and married Elvis Costello (who also produced the band’s 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash), Hunt became a permanent band member and worked on their 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace With God, which birthed The Pogues’ biggest hit “Fairytale of New York.”
Though they always had some rotating members, Hunt remained with The Pogues until they disbanded in 1996 and returned in 2001 when they reunited and stayed with the band through their final show in 2014.
Hunt is survived by his daughter Sophie, family, and friends.
(Photo by Gary Wolstenholme/Redferns)
