Rowland S. Howard, guitarist for The Birthday Party and Boys Next Door, has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 50.
Only a few weeks ago on December 15, Howard cancelled his show at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne due to his illness. He also cancelled his appearance at Sydney’s Homebake festival earlier in the month.The guitarist announced he was suffering from liver cancer this year and was awaiting a liver transplant that did not get to him on time.
Howard rose to fame with Boys Next Door, the Aussie band he founded with Nick Cave in 1973.
In 1980, Boys Next Door changed their name to the Birthday Party and became true Australian rock legends.
Howard also collaborated with Cave occasionally in the Bad Seeds. He also worked Henry Rollins.
Lydia Lunch and Thurston Moore once did a cover of his song ‘Still Burnin”
He once played a cameo in the vampire flick ‘Queen of the Damned’ which was filmed in Melbourne.
This year in October, he released he second solo album ‘Pop Crimes’, almost 10 years after his solo debut.
