Kenny Morris, original drummer for Siouxsie and the Banshees, dies at 68

Kenny Morris, the original drummer for the British goth-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees, has died. He was 68.

Morris’ death was announced on Jan. 15 by the drummer’s longtime friend, music journalist John Robb, in the publication Louder Than War. An exact date and cause of death have not been released.

Morris “had been at the heart and soul of the early punk scene,” Robb wrote in his tribute to Morris.

Kenneth Ian Morris was born in Essex, England, on Feb. 1, 1957, and studied fine art and filmmaking at North East London Polytechnic and Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts.

He briefly joined future Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious’ band Flowers of Romance in 1976 before joining Siouxsie and the Banshees the following year.

Morris recorded a pair of albums with Siouxsie and the Banshees -- “The Scream” (1978) and “Join Hands” (1979). He also played on the band’s debut single, “Hong Kong Garden,” which rose to No. 7 on the U.K. singles chart.

After Morris left the band in 1979, he continued to play the drums, directed several short films and dabbled in painting and drawing.

He moved to Ireland in 1993 to study art and ran a gallery in Kildare. He most recently lived in Cork, where he created and taught art.

He named a Dublin art exhibit of his work “A Banshee Left Wailing.” That is also reportedly the title of a memoir Morris had planned to release this year.

“He was sweet, articulate, artistic and fascinating company and his beautiful eccentricity was adorable,” Robb wrote.

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