Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, Founding Guitarist of Black Midi, Dies at 26
Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, a talented musician and founding guitarist of the acclaimed London post-punk band Black Midi, has passed away at the age of 26. According to a statement from his family, Kwasniewski-Kelvin struggled with mental health issues and “finally succumbed” despite efforts to support him.
Early Life and Career
Kwasniewski-Kelvin met his future bandmates at the London performing arts academy BRIT School as a teenager. The band was part of a vibrant music scene in London, performing alongside other experimental acts like Black Country, New Road, Shame, and Squid at the Brixton venue the Windmill. This collective of musicians was known for pushing the boundaries of noise, free jazz, and art-rock, and Black Midi was a key part of this movement.
With Kwasniewski-Kelvin’s avant-garde approach to guitar, the band’s live performances were highly energetic and unpredictable. Their debut LP “Schlagenheim,” released in 2019, was a critical success and shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize. The album showcased the band’s eclectic sound, which incorporated elements of spoken-word jams, radio plays, and even covers of Bruce Springsteen and Christmas standards.
Struggles with Mental Health and Later Work
In 2021, Kwasniewski-Kelvin announced that he would be taking a hiatus from the band due to mental health reasons. Although he did not perform on the band’s follow-up LP “Cavalcade,” he did co-write some of the songs. The band released one more album, “Hellfire,” in 2022, before eventually parting ways. In 2024, Kwasniewski-Kelvin released a solo single, “Paedophile Ring [Free Palestine] [End the holocaust] [End the war now],” on Bandcamp.
Kwasniewski-Kelvin’s family has released a statement urging fans to “take a moment to check in with your loved ones” to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. The statement reads, “He will always be loved… so we can stop this happening to our young men.” The music community is mourning the loss of this talented young musician, and his contributions to the world of post-punk will not be forgotten.
For more information on Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin and his work with Black Midi, please visit Here
Image Source: www.latimes.com
