Cockney Rebel Singer Steve Harley Dies Aged 73: What to Know

LONDON — Steve Harley, a British musician whose glam-rock band Cockney Insurgent had a permanent hit with the track “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me),” has died. He was 73.

Harley’s household mentioned Sunday that he had “handed away peacefully at residence, along with his household by his facet.” Harley mentioned late final 12 months he was being handled for “a nasty most cancers.”

Born in London in 1951, Harley spent virtually 4 years of his childhood hospitalized after contracting polio, intervals throughout which he started studying and writing poetry. He labored as a trainee accountant and as journalist on native newspapers, and commenced his performing profession at London people golf equipment.

He shaped Cockney Insurgent, which launched a debut album, “The Human Menagerie,” in 1973 earlier than foundering over inventive variations. With a brand new lineup and rebranded as Steve Harley and Cockney Insurgent, the band launched the 1975 album “The Greatest Years of Our Lives,” which contained Harley’s greatest hit.

With its barbed lyrics – aimed toward Harley’s former bandmates — and infectiously catchy refrain, the Alan Parsons-produced “Make Me Smile” topped the U.Ok. singles chart. It went on to be lined scores of instances and was used on numerous soundtracks, together with within the 1997 movie “The Full Monty” and in adverts for Carlsberg beer, division retailer Marks and Spencer and Viagra.

Harley additionally sang the title track of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “The Phantom of the Opera” alongside Sarah Brightman when it was launched as a single in 1986. He was initially solid within the title position for the stage musical, however was changed by Michael Crawford.

Ultravox frontman Midge Ure, who produced Harley’s 1982 monitor “I Can’t Even Contact You,” known as him a “true ‘working musician.’”

“He toured till he might tour no extra, taking part in his songs for followers previous and new,” Ure wrote on social media. “My ideas exit to Dorothy and his household at this very unhappy time. Our songs dwell on longer than we ever can.”

Harley is survived by his spouse Dorothy, kids Kerr and Greta and 4 grandchildren. The household mentioned in an announcement that they knew he can be “desperately missed by individuals everywhere in the world.”