Singer Jay Reatard has died aged 29.
Reatard – real name Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr – was found dead at his home on early Tuesday morning by his room mate according to Memphis publication The Commercial Appeal.
Police spokeswoman Jennifer Robinson confirmed that Memphis police have opened an investigation into his death, but foul play isn’t necessarily suspected.
The singer, who recently released his album Watch Me Fall, had been complaining on Twitter that he was feeling ill. "If I don’t get well soon I’m gonna eat myself into pig champion/tad teritory," he said on January 9, before adding later: "Fuck this sick shit ! I’m out the door on a Pho’ soup run !"
After recording his first demo at the age of 15 and releasing debut LP Teenage Hate in 1998, Reatard went on to make several albums with the groups The Reatards (for which he was initially the primary member) and The Lost Sounds, the band he formed with his then-girlfriend Alicja Trout and Rich Crook.
In 2006 he released his first album under the Jay Reatard moniker, Blood Visions, before the release of his breakthrough album Watch Me Fall in 2009.
Reatard’s record label Matador released the following statement: "We are devastated by the death of Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., aka Jay Reatard. Jay was as full of life as anyone we’ve ever met, and responsible for so many memorable moments as a person and artist.
"We’re honored to have known and worked with him, and we will miss him terribly."
Meanwhile, Goner Records – who put out some of Reatard’s early records including Teenage Hate – said: "It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our good friend Jay Reatard. Jay died in his sleep last night. We will pass along information about funeral arrangements when they are made public.
Our thoughts are with the family of Jay Reatard, and his colleagues at Matador Records.
