Horrible News: David Longdon of Big Big Train Dies
It happened on Friday, but I just found out moments ago:
David Longdon, the frontman and multi-instrumentalist with British prog rock band Big Big Train, has died aged 56.
Longdon died in a Nottingham hospital on 20 November following an accident, the group said in a statement. No further details were shared.
The band’s bassist and founder Greg Spawton said: “It is unspeakably cruel that a quirk of fate in the early hours of yesterday morning has deprived him and his loved ones of a happy future together and all of the opportunities, both personal and musical, that awaited him next year and beyond.”
Steve Hackett, former guitarist with Genesis, paid tribute to Longdon: “He was a lovely guy and had a wonderful voice. He sounded fabulous singing on the vocal version of [Hackett’s song] Spectral Mornings.” Neal Morse of prog rock band Spock’s Beard, the group Marillion and Geoffrey Downes of Yes were also among those to pay their respects.
If you’re not familiar with Big Big Train, you owe to yourself to listen — and I would start right here. Give it 90 seconds. If you’re not hooked, it’s not your style. But if you liked early Genesis with Peter Gabriel . . . it’s your style.
RIP.
So awful. On top of hearing that a couple of my favorite cops died within the last few days.
It’s a night devoted to listening to Big Big Train.
Patterico (e349ce) — 11/22/2021 @ 8:22 pmSad story, like any cruel quirk of fate.
I had never heard of the group, but I’ll sample anything that Patterico recommends. It’s not bad, though the drums get annoying to me.
I’m now a little obsessed with “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.” It’s one of Pål and Magne’s best, and Morten’s singing is wonderful.
Radegunda (d113cf) — 11/23/2021 @ 9:57 amNever heard of ’em, but I’ll do a little Spotifying and check ’em out.
Paul Montagu (5de684) — 11/23/2021 @ 10:14 amIt’s sad that Longdon passed at a relatively young age.
I listened to the sample Patterico provided. It’s not my style, thus confirming that “if you liked early Genesis with Peter Gabriel . . . it’s your style”.
Dana (174549) — 11/23/2021 @ 10:46 amSometimes when I’m YouTubing, I’ll click on profiles of people who like something I like, and I’m amazed by how varied their other likes and interests are collectively. Someone might like a lot of stuff I actively dislike, and yet there’s a small convergence of taste, which might be as close as you get to objective proof that something is truly good.
Radegunda (d113cf) — 11/23/2021 @ 12:04 pmI like it better than early Genesis. Though I can hear the influence, the music of this band seems more accessible. 56 is young. Sorry for the loss to his family, friends, and fans.
JRH (52aed3) — 11/24/2021 @ 5:17 am