Kim Shattuck, the singer-songwriter and lead guitarist for punk rock band The Muffs, has died at the age of 56. Shattuck passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 2 following a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or simply as ALS, a nerve condition, her husband, Kevin Sutherland, confirmed the news on social media.
“This morning the love of my life Kim passed peacefully in her sleep after a two-year struggle with ALS,” he wrote. “I am the man I am today because of her. She will live with all of us through her music, our shared memories and in her fierce creative spirit. I love you forever my Kimmy. Thank you for sharing your life with me.”
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Melanie Vammen, Shattuck’s bandmate in the Pandoras, the Muffs, and the Coolies, re-shared the post, adding, “My heart is forever broken.”
Ronnie Barnett and Roy McDonald, also of The Muffs, also confirmed Shattuck’s passing in a post shared to Facebook.
“We are very sorry to announce the passing of our bandmate and dear friend Kim Shattuck,” the post reads. “Besides being a brilliant songwriter, rocking guitarist and singer/screamer extraordinaire, Kim was a true force of nature. While battling ALS, Kim produced our last album, overseeing every part of the record from tracking to artwork. She was our best friend and playing her songs was an honor. Goodbye Kimba. We love you more than we could ever say.”
Best known for fronting the Muff’s in the ’90s, Shattuck got her start in performing in 1985 as a bassist and backing vocalist in The Pandoras, an all-female rock band. In 1990, Shattuck, along with her bandmate Vammen, left the band to form The Muffs, with Shattuck fronting as lead singer-songwriter and guitarist and Vammen playing guitar, bass, and keyboards. They released their first singles, “Guilty” and “New Love,” that same year, with their self-titled album dropping in 1993.
Following the release of their 2004 album Really Really Happy, the band went on a break, during which Shattuck collaborated with a number of artists, including The Dollyrots, Bowling For Soup, and NOFX.
The Muffs reunited in 2014 to produce their first album in 10 years, titled Whoop Dee Doo. Their upcoming album, No Holiday, is scheduled to release on Oct. 18, Rolling Stone reports.
Earlier this year, Shattuck and Vammen again reunited to form a new band, The Coolies. Proceeds from their July-released Uh Oh! It’s…The Coolies EP were donated to ALS research.
