Keith Flint, vocalist with the Prodigy, was found dead at his home in Essex yesterday (Monday) at the age of 49.
The band confirmed the news in a statement, which read: ‘It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother Keith Flint who sadly took his own life over the weekend. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.’
His bandmate Liam Howlett wrote on Instagram: ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend. I’m shell shocked, fuckin angry, confused and heart broken ..... r.i.p brother Liam.’
Flint had an unhappy childhood and was expelled from school at 15 but went on to become a roofer and eventually immersed himself in the acid house scene of the late 80s.
The Prodigy were founded by Liam Howlett in 1990 after he met Flint at a rave in Braintree.
Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill developed dance sequences to Howlett’s music and MC Maxim Reality completed the lineup.
The band found early success with their 1992 debut album Experience, which spawned a run of chart placing singles including their BBC Public Information Film-sampling debut single Charly.
The Prodigy expanded their sound on their follow-up record 1994’s Music for the Jilted Generation to include elements of big beat, breakbeat techno, drum and bass, electro-industrial, as well as rock, and was largely seen as a reaction to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which criminalised raves and rave culture.
Across their first two records, although an integral part of the group, Flint was a dancer and nothing more. Then he stepped up as frontman for two tracks on their next album, 1997’s Fat of the Land.
Having restyled himself in punk’s image with piercings and spiked hair, he appeared in the video for the record’s lead single Firestarter manically headbanging, snarling and glaring, which led the BBC to ban the clip.
That single, and the Flint-led follow-up Breathe, both became number one hits in the UK and propelled the band into the mainstream.
In 2010 PRS fro Music conducted a survey to find to most controversial songs as voted for by the British public, and Fat of the Land's opening track Smack My Bitch Up took the top spot.
Following the success of the record the Prodigy headlined Glastonbury Festival in 1997, making them the first dance act to do so in the event’s history.
Flint’s incendiary live energy was a key component of the band’s live reputation, which saw the group become a gateway for many music fans into rave culture and electronic music.
Figures from across the industry took to social media to play tribute to the unforgettable frontman, with Richard Russell, head of the the band’s first label XL Recordings, writing: ‘Devastated keith flint is gone. not just a great performer. he had total integrity & an incredible sense of humour. one of the sweetest people I’ve ever worked with. what a beautiful energy. what a gentleman. privileged to have known him. miss u keith.’
Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson wrote: ‘Very sorry to hear of the passing of Keith Flint. Good night mate. Take it easy.’
Tom Rolands and Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers recalled a gig that Keith joined them for, and on taking to the stage promptly killed the power with his enthusiastic performance: ‘He just stood there defiant with the crowd going crazy. The feeling was that it didn’t matter: he was Keith from the Prodigy and he could whatever the fuck he wanted.’
The band confirmed the news in a statement, which read: ‘It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother Keith Flint who sadly took his own life over the weekend. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.’
His bandmate Liam Howlett wrote on Instagram: ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend. I’m shell shocked, fuckin angry, confused and heart broken ..... r.i.p brother Liam.’
Flint had an unhappy childhood and was expelled from school at 15 but went on to become a roofer and eventually immersed himself in the acid house scene of the late 80s.
The Prodigy were founded by Liam Howlett in 1990 after he met Flint at a rave in Braintree.
Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill developed dance sequences to Howlett’s music and MC Maxim Reality completed the lineup.
The band found early success with their 1992 debut album Experience, which spawned a run of chart placing singles including their BBC Public Information Film-sampling debut single Charly.
The Prodigy expanded their sound on their follow-up record 1994’s Music for the Jilted Generation to include elements of big beat, breakbeat techno, drum and bass, electro-industrial, as well as rock, and was largely seen as a reaction to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which criminalised raves and rave culture.
Across their first two records, although an integral part of the group, Flint was a dancer and nothing more. Then he stepped up as frontman for two tracks on their next album, 1997’s Fat of the Land.
Having restyled himself in punk’s image with piercings and spiked hair, he appeared in the video for the record’s lead single Firestarter manically headbanging, snarling and glaring, which led the BBC to ban the clip.
That single, and the Flint-led follow-up Breathe, both became number one hits in the UK and propelled the band into the mainstream.
In 2010 PRS fro Music conducted a survey to find to most controversial songs as voted for by the British public, and Fat of the Land's opening track Smack My Bitch Up took the top spot.
Following the success of the record the Prodigy headlined Glastonbury Festival in 1997, making them the first dance act to do so in the event’s history.
Flint’s incendiary live energy was a key component of the band’s live reputation, which saw the group become a gateway for many music fans into rave culture and electronic music.
Figures from across the industry took to social media to play tribute to the unforgettable frontman, with Richard Russell, head of the the band’s first label XL Recordings, writing: ‘Devastated keith flint is gone. not just a great performer. he had total integrity & an incredible sense of humour. one of the sweetest people I’ve ever worked with. what a beautiful energy. what a gentleman. privileged to have known him. miss u keith.’
Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson wrote: ‘Very sorry to hear of the passing of Keith Flint. Good night mate. Take it easy.’
Tom Rolands and Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers recalled a gig that Keith joined them for, and on taking to the stage promptly killed the power with his enthusiastic performance: ‘He just stood there defiant with the crowd going crazy. The feeling was that it didn’t matter: he was Keith from the Prodigy and he could whatever the fuck he wanted.’
