Guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin has died. He was 26.
A founding member of the award-winning English rock band Black Midi, known for their harsh yet inimitable sound, Kwasniewski-Kelvin died on Monday after “a long battle with his mental health,” according to a statement from his family published by the band’s record label Rough Trade.
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“A talented musician and a kind, loving man finally succumbed; despite all efforts,” the statement read. “He will always be loved. Please take a moment to check in with your loved ones so we can stop this happening to our young men.”
Kwasniewski-Kelvin, known for wicked guitar riffs and for doing dangerous flips on stage before Benson Boone was a thought in any of our minds, was prominently featured on the band’s 2019 debut album Schlagenheim. The album was a critical darling of music publications everywhere and made the shortlist for the Mercury Prize. In 2021, he announced he was leaving the band due to mental health issues.
“I’ve been taking some time off from the band as I have been mentally unwell,” he wrote on the band’s Facebook page. “Because of this, I haven’t featured on forthcoming material. I’ll be back soon.” At the time, his bandmates said they were “fully behind our best mate in his recovery and can’t wait ’til we can all be + play together again soon.”
In 2024, while embarking on his own solo career, the band’s singer-guitarist Geordie Greep said on Instagram in a now-deleted post that “Black midi was an interesting band that’s indefinitely over.”
Kwasniewski-Kelvin continued to play guitar on various projects until the end of his life, including an appearance on Wu-Lu’s 2022 album Loggerhead.
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