Kim Shattuck onstage with the Pixies in London, November 2013. (Photo: Andy Crossland for Live4ever Media)
The death of Kim Shattuck, who fronted The Muffs for many years and had a brief stint with the Pixies in 2013, has been announced. She was 56.
Shattuck had been battling ALS for two years, and her passing was announced by her husband Kevin Sutherland on social media. Her Muffs bandmates, Ronnie Barnett and Roy McDonald, followed with their own statement which reads:
“We are very sorry to announce the passing of our bandmate and dear friend Kim Shattuck. Besides being a brilliant songwriter, rocking guitarist and singer/screamer extraordinaire, Kim was a true force of nature. While battling ALS, Kim produced our last album, overseeing every part of the record from tracking to artwork. She was our best friend and playing her songs was an honor. Goodbye Kimba. We love you more than we could ever say.”
Many members of the US rock world have been leaving their tributes, including Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong who called Shattuck ‘one of his favourite songwriters’.