Colin Vearncombe, the voice of Black, dies, aged 53

The singer of Wonderful Life had been in a critical condition since a car crash earlier this month


Colin Vearncombe, the singer of Black, has died, aged 53. A simple announcement was placed on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon: “Colin Vearncombe. 26/5/1962-26/1/2016. A full statement will follow shortly.”

Colin Vearncombe had a brief taste of pop stardom nearly three decades ago, but his music is just as intriguing today

Vearncombe, best known for the 1987 hits Sweetest Smile and Wonderful Life, had been in critical condition in hospital in Ireland for two weeks, following a road traffic accident near Cork airport. He had been placed in an induced coma, and last week it was announced that he had “only a slim chance of pulling through”.

An update on his Facebook page on Sunday said his condition had seriously deteriorated.

Vearncombe had a 35-year career in music, releasing his first single with Black, Human Features, in 1981. Black signed a major label deal with WEA in 1984, but was soon dropped. In 1985, he wrote and released the single Wonderful Life as a comment on his situation, which became a worldwide hit after it was rereleased by A&M in 1987.

Though he never replicated that commercial success, he was able to continue working, releasing eight albums as Black and six under his own name, including last year’s Black album Blind Faith, which received a four-star review in the Guardian.

Though a Liverpudlian, Vearncombe had moved to Cork because “I like my elbow room, and eccentricity is tolerated here” – he lived with ex-wife, four sons and a selection of foreign students who lodged with him.

Vearncombe attributed his commercial failure after the success of Wonderful Life to rows with his label, which caused him to stop writing songs – “his one regret”,he said in an interview in 2014. He suggested to the interviewer that the piece should be headlined “Portrait of a modern has-been.”

Black’s wife Camilla and his three sons paid tribute to the care he had received in Cork University hospital. “Colin received the best possible care from the expert and highly professional staff there and we are deeply grateful for everything they did,” they said.

Black was said to have died peacefully with his family at his bedside “who were singing him on his way”.

The funeral will be private one and a memorial service is being planned in Liverpool in the near future with a charity for donations in his memory to be announced.
Black’s management said they were aware many people will want to celebrate his life and work. They added: “No need to laugh or cry. It’s a wonderful, wonderful life.”

Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey, 67, dies

Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey has died at the age of 67, the band has announced.

He died in New York City on Monday from complications arising from rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia.

"Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us," his family and fellow band members said.

The Eagles were one of the most successful bands of the 1970s, with multiple hit singles including Hotel California, in 1976.

Frey co-founded the Eagles in 1971 with Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner.

He co-wrote Hotel California with Henley, and composed a number of the band's biggest songs on his own, including Heartache Tonight and Lyin' Eyes.

The Eagles notched up more than 150 million album sales worldwide, with Hotel California and their greatest hits among the best selling in history.
Flawless harmonies: Mark Savage, Music reporter

The Eagles were one of the great forces of 1970s rock. They may not have had the dynamics of Led Zeppelin or the tangled relationships of Fleetwood Mac, but they dominated the airwaves. AM radio would play the hits, filled with flawless harmonies, while FM stations would spin the longer, unedited album cuts.

Frey emerged as one of the band's chief songwriters, the Lennon to Don Henley's McCartney. He penned their breakout hit Take It Easy - a song as laid back as its title suggests - with Jackson Browne. But later singles, including Take It To The Limit and Hotel California, were group efforts, while the two frontmen would share vocal duties - Frey's supple tones a perfect counterpoint to Henley's rasp.

In the US, they scored five number one singles and four number one albums; while their greatest hits sold 30 million copies.

"It boggles the mind somewhat," Frey told Rolling Stone in 2012. "But as long as I keep taking out the garbage and cleaning up after the dogs and taking the kids to school, I'll have perspective."

Nonetheless, success took its toll on the band. Frey used to describe their break-up in two words - "Hotel California" - explaining that the pressure of following up that record tore the band apart.

In 1980, Henley famously said the Eagles would reform "when hell freezes over". Fourteen years later, that became the title of the band's comeback album, as the old friends made amends.

Upon hearing of Frey's death, Henley commented that "the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken."

"He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction," Henley said in a statement.

"But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved."

After the Eagles' acrimonious split in 1980, Frey enjoyed success as a solo artist, most notably with The Heat is On, recorded for the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop.

The band reunited in 1994 and became a hugely popular touring act.