Kenny Morris, the influential British drummer and founding member of Siouxsie and the Banshees, has passed away at the age of 68.
The band became a defining force in the late 1970s with its dark, gothic post-punk sound, and Morris played a crucial role in shaping that early identity. He served as the group’s original drummer and appeared on their first two albums, The Scream (1978) and Join Hands (1979), both of which later came to be regarded as landmark records in post-punk history and reached the UK Top 20.
His death was confirmed by longtime friend and music writer John Robb, who described Morris as “sweet, articulate, artistic, and fascinating company,” adding that his “beautiful eccentricity was adorable.”
“Kenny, it was a joy to know you,” Robb wrote. “We’ll miss your gentle presence, your long WhatsApp messages, your artwork, and that sweet eccentricity in a harsh world.” He also recalled Morris’s distinctive fashion sense, noting how he would appear in carefully assembled outfits that echoed the confrontational creativity of the 1976 punk era he helped define.
Morris replaced Sid Vicious, who had briefly played a single show with the band before joining the Sex Pistols. He went on to drum on Siouxsie and the Banshees’ debut single Hong Kong Garden, a track that helped cement their status within London’s underground scene.
His drumming style was also influential, particularly his technique of recording cymbals separately before layering tom-toms, a method later adopted by numerous post-punk acts.
Following a dispute during a record-store signing in 1979, Morris and guitarist John McKay both left the band. As Siouxsie and the Banshees evolved toward a new wave sound, Morris shifted his focus, attending film school and experimenting with live performance projects. He later relocated to Cork and eventually settled in Dublin.
Beyond music, Morris was an accomplished visual artist. His paintings earned recognition in the Irish art world and were exhibited at major galleries and events in Dublin.
Tributes poured in after news of his passing broke. “RIP Kenny Morris: original punk, Banshee drummer extraordinaire,” one fan wrote on X, recalling recent conversations with him about an upcoming book they hoped would still be published.
Another user posted, “A huge part of my youth has gone,” while longtime fans of the band’s original lineup remembered Morris as a vital force in the early days of the Banshees.
Many who knew him personally described him not only as a brilliant drummer, but as a kind, lovely presence who left a lasting impression both on and off the stage.
