Despite a surge of international success in the mid-'90s, we haven't heard much from UK Britpop band Northern Uproar in recent years. Unfortunately, sad news has now emerged that guitarist Jeff Fletcher has been killed in a frightening traffic accident. He was 36.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon (November 17) in Stockport, located just outside of Manchester. According to reports — and we should warn you that this gets a little gruesome — the musician was decapitated when he was hit by a truck. He was a pedestrian, and sources indicate that he was struck when he leaned out into the road to see what was coming.
The truck driver remained on the scene and is cooperating with police in an investigation about the incident. No arrests have been made.
Although Northern Uproar never achieved the success of Britpop leaders like Oasis or Blur, they nevertheless made an impact in the genre's heyday. After forming as teenagers in 1995, singles like "Rollercoaster" and "From a Window" charted, and they appeared on Top of the Pops. They released two albums on Heavenly Recordings before breaking up in 1998.
They reunited in 2006 and released two more albums, most recently 2013's All That Was Has Gone. Fletcher quit the band last year, but they have remained active without him.
The band have posted a couple of tributes to Fletcher on Facebook. They apparently played some of his songs at a show last night (November 18) in Ireland, and they wrote, "Our Jeff would not believe the amount of love and concern everyone is showing. He was a quiet man, he didn't do Facebook. Most that have met him say the same — a gentleman, talented and very, very funny. Our thoughts and love to Jeff's family."
Fletcher's family said in a statement, "We wish to remember our loving, caring, gentle giant Jeffrey Fletcher for his love of music, his talent on lead guitar and most of all, his infectious laugh. The outpour of love and wishes from friends old and new shows us how loved he has been and this is a comfort to his family. We cannot comprehend the fairness of a loss of someone who had such success as a young man to have had his life cut so short in such a tragic and sudden way. He will be dearly missed by his family and all that knew him. Goodnight Jeff."
The incident happened on Monday afternoon (November 17) in Stockport, located just outside of Manchester. According to reports — and we should warn you that this gets a little gruesome — the musician was decapitated when he was hit by a truck. He was a pedestrian, and sources indicate that he was struck when he leaned out into the road to see what was coming.
The truck driver remained on the scene and is cooperating with police in an investigation about the incident. No arrests have been made.
Although Northern Uproar never achieved the success of Britpop leaders like Oasis or Blur, they nevertheless made an impact in the genre's heyday. After forming as teenagers in 1995, singles like "Rollercoaster" and "From a Window" charted, and they appeared on Top of the Pops. They released two albums on Heavenly Recordings before breaking up in 1998.
They reunited in 2006 and released two more albums, most recently 2013's All That Was Has Gone. Fletcher quit the band last year, but they have remained active without him.
The band have posted a couple of tributes to Fletcher on Facebook. They apparently played some of his songs at a show last night (November 18) in Ireland, and they wrote, "Our Jeff would not believe the amount of love and concern everyone is showing. He was a quiet man, he didn't do Facebook. Most that have met him say the same — a gentleman, talented and very, very funny. Our thoughts and love to Jeff's family."
Fletcher's family said in a statement, "We wish to remember our loving, caring, gentle giant Jeffrey Fletcher for his love of music, his talent on lead guitar and most of all, his infectious laugh. The outpour of love and wishes from friends old and new shows us how loved he has been and this is a comfort to his family. We cannot comprehend the fairness of a loss of someone who had such success as a young man to have had his life cut so short in such a tragic and sudden way. He will be dearly missed by his family and all that knew him. Goodnight Jeff."
