Burak Cingi/Redferns

Burak Cingi/RedfernsDave Greenfield, longtime keyboardist of veteran U.K. punk/new-wave band The Stranglers, died Sunday, May 3, after recently testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, according to a message on the band’s official website. He was 71.

Greenfield joined The Stranglers in 1975, shortly after the band’s formation, and remained with the group until his passing. While The Stranglers never enjoyed commercial success in the U.S., they’ve had more than 20 top-40 singles in their native U.K., most of which were co-written by Greenfield. He was responsible for the music of the group’s biggest hit, the baroque-sounding, keyboard-driven “Golden Brown,” which reached #2 on the U.K. chart.

Among the other notable tunes he had a hand in writing are “Peaches,” “Skin Deep” and “Always the Sun.”

Greenfield’s current Stranglers band mates penned tributes to him that have been posted on the group’s website.

“[M]y great friend and longstanding colleague of 45 years, the musical genius that was Dave Greenfield, passed away as one of the victims of the Great Pandemic of 2020,” writes founding bassist JJ Burnel. “All of us in the worldwide Stranglers’ family grieve and send our sincerest condolences to [his wife] Pam.”

Adds founding drummer Jet Black, “We have just lost a dear friend and music genius, and so has the whole world. Dave was a complete natural in music. Together, we toured the globe endlessly and it was clear he was adored by millions.”

Original Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell, who left the group in 1990, also paid homage to Greenfield.  “He was the difference between The Stranglers and every other punk band,” Cornwell tweeted. “His musical skill and gentle nature gave an interesting twist to the band.”

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