The Firestarter is gone.
There’s sad news on this Monday (March 4) as Keith Flint of British electro-punk group The Prodigy has died, according to reports. He was 49.
The Fader posted a statement from the band, which reads: “It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother and best friend Keith Flint. A true pioneer, innovator and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.”
Flint’s bandmate Liam Howlett also confirmed the news, and wrote on Instagram that Flint committed suicide. He writes: “I can’t believe I’m saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend, I’m shell shocked, fuckin angry, confused and heart broken ….. r.i.p brother Liam #theprodigy”
The Prodigy rose out of the early-’90s British rave scene to become one of the biggest electronic groups in the world, mixing electronica with punk and hitting the mainstream with their 1996 song “Firestarter”.
They released their seventh album, No Tourists, back in November, and were set to tour North America this spring. On the itinerary was a May 13 show at The House of Blues in Boston.
The news of Flint’s death was revealed by British media earlier this morning.
Here’s word from The Mirror: “The singer… was found dead at his home today. Police are still at his property in Essex, but officers are not treating the death as suspicious. An Essex Police spokesman told The Sun: ‘We were called to concerns for the welfare of a man at an address in Brook Hill, North End, just after 8.10am on Monday… We attended and, sadly, a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Watch video of The Prodigy performing “Breathe” live in Boston a decade ago.
RIP.
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