Rowland S Howard Has Died in Melbourne

Rowland S. Howard, 1959-2009 (Photo: Robert Carbone)
 

Rowland S Howard Loses Battle With Cancer

Wednesday, December 30 2009 at 04:00 PM.
Australia’s music scene has lost a true icon with the reported passing of Rowland S Howard today (December 30).  

While no official statement has been made by management, close friends of the guitarist have confirmed reports that he lost his ongoing battle with liver cancer at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital this morning.

 Howard, 50, was a former member of the Young Charlatans, The Boys Next Door (who later morphed into The Birthday Party) and These Immortal Souls. He penned the underground hit ‘Shivers’ for The Boys Next Door and memorably dueted with Lydia Lunch on Lee Hazlewood’s ‘Some Velvet Morning’.  

In 1999, Howard released his debut solo album, Teenage Snuff Film, which quickly became a cult classic. Its long-awaited follow-up Pop Crimes was released in October this year, sparking a run of well-received shows and garnering widespread critical acclaim (it topped M+N’s annual Critics Poll earlier this month).  

Howard’s ongoing battles with liver cancer recently forced the cancellation of several shows including a spot on the Homebake and Summer Tones bills.  

In his final interview with M+N, Howard said he was enjoying the renewed interest in his career. “It’s very gratifying,” he said. “When I play live, nobody calls out for ‘Shivers’ any more, because they are too young to have any kind of historical attachment to it … It’s peculiar in a way, it just seemed to happen on its own accord. And it’s great, because no longer do I look out from the stage and just see a bunch of ageing ex-junkies.”  Go to article  

Rowland S. Howard, Princes Bandroom, St. Kilda, 29 Oct 2009 (Photo: John Raptis)

Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Rowland S. Howard.

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Rowland S. Howard Obituaries:

• Farewell for ‘ridiculous, singular, charismatic individual’  (The Age, 7 Jan 2010)
• Hero to the Australian underground  (Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Jan 2010)
• Rowland S Howard: A guitar god remembered  (The Guardian, UK, 4 Jan 2010)
• Influential Melbourne guitarist Rowland S Howard dies  (Herald Sun, AU, 30 Dec 09)
• Rowland Howard hangs up his guitar for keeps (The Age, AU 31 Dec 09)

Articles on Rowland S. Howard (pending…)

• Still the boy next door by Michael Dwyer (November 1, 2008)

Rowland Fansites & Tributes:  

Immaculate Heart  – (poem, photos)

A Pictorial Tribute  - (images by Robert Carbone, Mess + Noise, 7 Jan 2010)

Outta the Black  –  (fansite dedicated to Rowland S. Howard)

Nick Cave Forum’s tribute to Rowland S. Howard  - (2007)

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NOTE: We invite guests to pay their respects in the comments section. If you have a tribute post, a favorite interview, article, or quote, feel free to share it. Thank you.  Updated 7 Jan 2010.