One of the founding members of Madchester band Inspiral Carpets, has died at the age of 44.
Drummer Craig Gill joined the Oldham band Gill at the age of just 14 in 1986 and played with them throughout their 90s heyday and remained when the band reformed to tour and record their self-titled, final album in 2014.
He also built up his own business, Manchester Music Tours, in which hpieced together walking and bus tours, scheduled and private, band specific and bespoke tours to suite all musical tastes including; The Smiths, Joy Division, Oasis, The Stone Roses and Factory Records, other bands featured on the tours are The Hollies, The Bee Gees, New Order, James, Elbow and The Courteeners.
A statement on the band’s Facebook page said they were “absolutely devastated” by the loss of “our brother” and that the band had been “honoured to work alongside him for the last 30 years”.
Their twitter account added that “He was the beating heart of Inspirals in more ways that one. Our love and thoughts go out to all Craig’s family and friends, and especially his wife, Rose and their beautiful children Georgia, Orla and Levon.”
