Pale Saints guitarist Graeme Naysmith dead at 57
Graeme Naysmith, a founding member of Leeds shoegaze pioneers Pale Saints, has passed away aged 57. At this stage, no cause of death has been revealed.
Pale Saints were formed in 1987 by Naysmith, who played guitar in the band, alongside vocalist/bassist Ian Masters and drummer Chris Cooper. During their nine years as an active band, they released three albums and notably, welcomed singer Meriel Barham to the group in 1990, who played a pivotal role in expanding their sound.
Their debut album, The Comforts of Madness, arrived in 1990, and over the decades, has achieved cult classic status. The shoegaze staple was re-issued by label 4AD in 2020 to commemorate its 30th anniversary.
Following the release of their second record, In Ribbons, Pale Saints were thrown into disarray when lead vocalist Masters walked away from the group. Although they brought in Colleen Browne to replace him and went on to release their third album, Slow Buildings, in 1994, it would be their final record.
In 1995, Pale Saints released their last track, ‘Jersey Girl’, which appeared on the Tom Waits tribute album Step Right Up. Shortly afterwards, Barham decided to move on from the band, and their break-up was confirmed in 1996.
Despite accruing a loyal fanbase, Pale Saints never reunited, unlike other shoegaze groups of their era such as Slowdive and Ride. However, Naysmith did eventually make music again with Cooper in The Program, who released three albums in the 2010s, with their final record, The Illusion of Choice, arriving in 2019.
Naysmith never stopped making music. In 2010, he performed under the pseudonym, Jock Strap, in the Longshots, which eventually became the X-Ray Eyes. They were an active part of the Leeds rock scene and supported Clem Burke of Blondie’s The Split Squad at the Brudenell Social Club in October 2023.
The X-Ray Eyes’ Sy Shields took to Instagram to pay tribute to his bandmate, writing, “Music was his passion. I never saw him get angry or frustrated with anyone or anything in all the time I knew him. He really was a lovely bloke and I miss him already.”
Meanwhile, The X-Ray Eyes shared on Facebook: “We’re devastated to say that our guitarist and friend Jock (Graeme) Naysmith died recently. He was a great guitar player but an even better guy and we’re going to miss him like you wouldn’t believe. He was a much loved husband and father and our thoughts our with all his family.”
The band’s message continued: “We managed to record a load of new songs with Jock over the last few years, hopefully they’ll be released in the future. Sy, Amir and Deany.”
They concluded by powerfully stating, “Through music, we can live forever”.
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