Invoice Fay, the cult singer-songwriter who discovered success later in his profession with the discharge of a number of albums by way of Useless Oceans, has died on the age of 81.
“It’s with nice disappointment that we announce the passing of Invoice Fay, who died peacefully this morning (February twenty first) in London, aged 81,” Useless Oceans stated in an announcement. “Invoice was a delicate man and a gentleman, clever past our instances. He was a non-public individual with the most important of hearts, who wrote immensely transferring, significant songs that may proceed to seek out folks for years to come back.”
“Solely a month earlier than his passing, Invoice was busy engaged on a brand new album,” Useless Oceans’ assertion added. Our hope is to discover a solution to end and launch it, however for now, we bear in mind Invoice’s legacy because the ‘man within the nook of the room on the piano’, who quietly wrote heartfelt songs that touched and related with folks all over the world.”
The North London native launched his eponymous debut in 1970, and adopted with Time of the Final Persecution in 1971. However with neither album experiencing industrial success, Fay was compelled to pursue different careers, together with as a groundskeeper, fruit picker, manufacturing facility employee, and fishmonger. It was not till the Nineteen Nineties that his music started to earn one thing of a cult standing, with Nick Cave, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and Okkervil River’s Will Sheff counting amongst his largest followers. Lastly, after greater than 40 years, Fay returned in 2012 with a brand new album referred to as Life is Folks by way of Useless Oceans. He put out two extra albums by way of the label: 2015’s Who Is the Sender? and 2020’s Numerous Branches.
Describing Fay’s music in a 2024 interview with the Guardian, Tweedy stated, “There’s a simplicity and an magnificence to it. You instantly recognise that is one thing uncut by ambition and vogue; it’s simply anyone humbly including their voice to contribute some magnificence in, and possibly make peace with, the world.”