Brian "Brizz" Gillis — co-founder of the Massachusetts boy band LFO, who were launched to fame by 1999's "Summer Girls" — has died at 47 years old. Gillis's former bandmate Brad Fischetti shared the news in an Instagram post yesterday (March 30), though no cause of death has been revealed.
"The first two chapters of the LFO story lost a main character yesterday," Fischetti wrote in his tribute to Gillis. "Brian 'Brizz' Gillis passed away. I don't have details and it wouldn't be my place to share them if I did. I am really struggling to process this tragic loss. I've said it before and I will continue to say it; the LFO Story is a tragedy. If you know what I've been doing, you know I'm trying to bring light into the darkness. Trying find redemption in pain and suffering. Trying to honour the legacy."
Gillis, Fischetti and the late Rich Cronin (who died in 2010 following a battle with Leukemia) formed LFO — which stands for "Lyte Funkie Ones" — in New Bedford, MA, in 1995. Their self-titled debut album dropped in 1999 and sent the band fame-ward with "Summer Girls" (the "I like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch" song), with the beachy video getting heavy rotation on MTV.
Gillis left LFO in the late '90s and was replaced by Devin Lima. The trio went on to release one more album in 2001 before a 2002 hiatus. Lima and Fischetti reunited for the song "Perfect 10" in 2017, and Lima died from cancer the following year.
In his Instagram statement, Fischetti wrote: "My relationship with Brian was complex. It contained moments of great tribulation but also of great joy. I learned a lot from him about the business of music and how to put together and rock a show. And it's those positive aspects of our relationship that I will lean on now and forever."
"I know that soon or maybe already, Brizz will be greeted by Rich and Devin." he continued. "And I hope that together, they will make some sweet sounds. I would really like that."
See Fischetti's post below, and revisit "Summer Girls" while you're at it.
"The first two chapters of the LFO story lost a main character yesterday," Fischetti wrote in his tribute to Gillis. "Brian 'Brizz' Gillis passed away. I don't have details and it wouldn't be my place to share them if I did. I am really struggling to process this tragic loss. I've said it before and I will continue to say it; the LFO Story is a tragedy. If you know what I've been doing, you know I'm trying to bring light into the darkness. Trying find redemption in pain and suffering. Trying to honour the legacy."
Gillis, Fischetti and the late Rich Cronin (who died in 2010 following a battle with Leukemia) formed LFO — which stands for "Lyte Funkie Ones" — in New Bedford, MA, in 1995. Their self-titled debut album dropped in 1999 and sent the band fame-ward with "Summer Girls" (the "I like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch" song), with the beachy video getting heavy rotation on MTV.
Gillis left LFO in the late '90s and was replaced by Devin Lima. The trio went on to release one more album in 2001 before a 2002 hiatus. Lima and Fischetti reunited for the song "Perfect 10" in 2017, and Lima died from cancer the following year.
In his Instagram statement, Fischetti wrote: "My relationship with Brian was complex. It contained moments of great tribulation but also of great joy. I learned a lot from him about the business of music and how to put together and rock a show. And it's those positive aspects of our relationship that I will lean on now and forever."
"I know that soon or maybe already, Brizz will be greeted by Rich and Devin." he continued. "And I hope that together, they will make some sweet sounds. I would really like that."
See Fischetti's post below, and revisit "Summer Girls" while you're at it.