Henri Sangalang — the Halifax musician best known as the bassist of the Flashing Lights, Matt Murphy's side project between Super Friendz eras in the late 1990s and early 2000s — has died. He was 56.
Sangalang died last week on April 9, according to an obituary published on the Dignity Memorial website. No cause of death has been given. The son of Dr. Virgilio and Gloria Sangalang, the musician is survived by his children, Sebastian and Zoe Sangberg, both of his parents, and his sister and brother-in-law, Tracy and Steve Mageau.
Sangalang was also in the early Sloan incarnation Kearney Lake Road, which he formed alongside Chris Murphy and Jay Ferguson while they attended Dalhousie University together in the late '80s.
"He was a fantastic bass player and Henri's songs were probably the best ones in the KLR repertoire," Murphy wrote of Sangalang in an Instagram post. "'Prescription,' 'Every Trip and Fall' could have been hits but this was before Nirvana changed the world. We practiced all the time, played a few times and never made money but we loved it. RIP Henri."
Sangalang is remembered as a founding member of the local scooter and mod scene in Halifax, who was also a yoga instructor and worked at the Halifax Water Commission. A reception will be held for his family and friends at Cruikshank's Funeral Home on April 22, with a community event to follow on June 1 — what would have been Sangalang's 57th birthday.