Steve Mackey, bassist for Pulp at the time of his greatest hits, died Thursday at the age of 56, announced the same day the famous Britpop group, which is preparing to reform this year for a tour . "Our friend and beloved bassist Steve Mackey passed away this morning," the band posted on their official Instagram account, captioning a photo of a musician climbing a mountain in the Andes while touring America. du Sud in 2012, "a magical experience".
Originally from Sheffield, in the north of England, Steve Mackey had joined Pulp, formed in 1978 and then little known, in 1989 and had participated in the albums Separations, Different Class and His 'n' Hers, which marked the peak of the band, with hits like "Common People".
"Steve was someone who made things happen, in his life and for the band, and we'd like to think he's back in those mountains for the next leg of his adventure," reads the message posted by the group.
His wife, stylist Katie Grand, clarified on the bassist's Instagram account that he died "after three months in the hospital fighting with strength and determination."
After his career with Pulp, whose last album dates back to 2013, he helped produce artists such as Florence the Machine and Arcade Fire.
While Pulp leader Jarvis Cocker recently announced a new festival tour next summer, Steve Mackey said he did not plan to participate, explaining that he wanted to "continue projects in music, film and photography".
