Lead singer of dance group Faithless, Maxi Jazz, died yesterday aged 65. Faithless were best known for their hit track Insomnia which charted in 1995.
His bandmates paid tribute to him online after he died peacefully in his sleep.
In a tribute to the musician, whose real name was Maxwell Fraser, on social media, Faithless bandmates Sister Bliss and Rollo wrote: ‘We are heartbroken to say Maxi Jazz died peacefully at his home in South London last night.’
Fraser shared a video just four weeks ago on social media playing his guitar, revealing he was rehearsing new music.
‘New songs,’ he wrote. ‘Watch out world.’
Back in March, it was revealed that he was battling with ‘health issues that had been impairing my ability to perform’.
‘I thought I might be on top of things but sadly not… I’ll let you know when I’ve regained sufficient oomph,’ he wrote on Instagram, adding that he had to cancel gigs.
Faithless is best known for the 1995 hit Insomnia which topped the UK dance charts and peaked at number three in the UK chart when it was re-released a year later.
The group wrote a number of other hit tracks together including We Come 1.
‘He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music,’ the band’s tribute continued.
:He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible. It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him.
‘He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.
The club tweeted a tribute to him tonight, saying: ‘We are mourning the loss of legendary musician Maxi Jazz, who has passed away at the age of 65.
‘The team will walk out to Faithless on Boxing Day in tribute.’
Speaking to the Guardian in 2020 about the enduring popularity of the band’s greatest hit, Insomnia, Jazz explained that the lyrics came to him ‘from personal experience’.
