After multiple Twitter rumors prompted a post from Brooklyn Vegan and a confirmation from The Commercial Appeal, we’re sorry to report that the rumor is true. Memphis garage rocker Jay Reatard has died at 29.
From the Matador blog:
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.
According to Goner Records, Lindsey’s former label, he died at home in his sleep last night; funeral arrangements have yet to be made public. Memphis police spokesperson Jennifer Robinson has said that an investigation is ongoing. If you never experienced Reatard’s garage-punk assault live, then you missed out on a performance that was consistently raw, furious, and inimitable. He will be missed.
Watch “Waiting For Something,” a short doc on his career, after the jump.
Waiting For Something – a short documentary about Jay Reatard