R.I.P. Jay Reatard

Rethinkpopmusic is very sad to hear about the death of Jay Reatard at the age of 29.

In a music world saturated with pristene auto-tune vocals and bubblegum melodies, Jay Reatard (born Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr.) really knew how to dirty the place up! In 2 minute, frenetic in your face punk anthems he always made me feel like there was this maniac punk rocker around the corner just waiting to bash my face in!

In fact at one show, he actually did just that to one lucky fan!

Jay Reatard Punch Video from Tim McCready on Vimeo.

FYI, that’s a good thing in punk rock.

To listen to Jay Reatard is the musical equivalent of getting beat up by a 6th grader. Think, The Ramones, if they were all pre-pubescent kids. His songs, although quick and simple, contained dark complex lyrics which only made it more interesting to hear them in such a context. One of my absolute favorite Jay Reatard songs is “Death is Forming” -the lyrics say it all “Alone in a room needless I sit. I close my eyes and try to forget. Death is forming. Get in line.” This was a guy who thought about death, violence and all the scary unknowns which we all question.

Sean Michaels of The Guardian UK reports:

Speaking to Billboard last summer, Lindsey said his new album was about “dealing with mortality issues, growing older, disenchantment with your youth”. The LP, which saw Lindsey shift from punk rock to noisy pop, was “the first record where I’m kind of exiting the dumb kid part of my life and going into the almost-30 point”.Tragically, he will forever remain on that cusp. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jan/14/jay-reatard-dies

This Billboard quote is so eye-opening because it shows that with all his songs about death, Jay Retard was definitely looking forward to living.

The music world is a bit more tame today. We will miss you Jay, thanks for all the music.