Tributes Pouring In for ‘80s Punk Rock Legend, Dead at 60. The sudden death sent shockwaves through the musical community.

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he news rippled through the punk and new wave communities this weekend, and with it came an outpouring of sadness for a beloved figure who helped define the bleeding edge of ’80s style and sound.

The music world is mourning the loss of Ray Mayhew, the dynamic drummer for the beloved British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, who died on Thursday at the age of 60, with no cause of death yet reported, according to The Mirror. The news has sparked an outpouring of love and remembrance for a musician who helped define one of the most visually and sonically audacious acts of the 1980s.

Mayhew was a founding member of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, which was formed in 1982 by former Generation X bassist Tony James, 72, with help from his good friend Mick Jones, 80, a former member of The Clash, who helped him select band members. The band name came from a Moscow street gang, and they adopted an image that was just as provocative. With sky-high, multi-colored mohawks, heavy makeup, and gender-bending outfits made of plastic and leather, their appearance was designed to shock and grab media attention—and it worked.

Before they had even released a song, James created so much hype that a bidding war erupted between record labels, and, according to Music Glue, EMI signed them with a massive advance, rumored to be £4 million. Their debut single, “Love Missile F1-11,” was a massive international hit in 1986, climbing to number three in the UK charts and solidifying their place in pop and cinematic history, perhaps most notably for its inclusion in the opening sequence of 1986 cult classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

While every member of the band was a spectacle, Mayhew was the crucial rhythmic engine, driving their punk-infused, electronic sound forward with power and precision.

The news of Mayhew’s passing was shared by his former bandmates in heartfelt Facebook posts. Singer Martin Degville, 64, was the first to share his grief on Facebook, calling Mayhew his “best friend.”

“It is with great sadness that I have been informed today that my best friend and drummer of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Ray Mayhew, has passed away,” Degville wrote on Saturday. “May God bless you – you will forever be in my thoughts, and also in the hearts of the fans who love you. You were a force, a light that shone so brightly. Rest in peace, mate. Love you always.”

Guitarist Neal X, 64, born Neal Whitmore, also posted a tribute, sharing a classic photo of the drummer in his youth. “Sad to hear the news that former Sigue Sigue Sputnik drummer Ray Mayhew died earlier today,” he wrote. “We shared some magic moments together through the ’80s. Rest in peace old friend!

Fans remembered him not just for his music, but also for his singular talent and personality.

“RIP Ray, you were a force, a true punk spirit, a funny guy,” read one comment on Neal X’s post.

Another fan in the same comments section beautifully summed up Mayhew’s quiet power within the explosive band: “Though he was the least in the limelight in the band, it’s a noticeable light that’s gone out.”

Sigue Sigue Sputnik was more than a band; it was a musical revolution, and it was Mayhew’s steady rhythm that was the heartbeat of their iconic sound. After leaving the band in 1989, he went on to form his own project, Mayhem Deranged, but his legacy remains inextricably linked to the meteoric rise of Sputnik.

“He kept that controlled mayhem together,” one fan commented in a tribute to the band– and drummer– that was “ahead of [his] time.”

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