Pere Ubu’s David Thomas, dead at 71
Rest easy, David. You one of a kind.
David Thomas of groundbreaking Ohio art-punk bands Pere Ubu and Rocket from the Tombs has died at age 71 after a long illness. Here’s the band’s official statement:
David Lynn Thomas, lead singer of Pere Ubu, Rocket From The Tombs and multiple solo projex, has died after a long illness.
On Wednesday, April 23 2025, he died in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest step-daughter by his side. MC5 were playing on the radio. He will ultimately be returned to his home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be “thrown in the barn.”
David Thomas and his band have been recording a new album. He knew it was to be his last. We will endeavour to continue with mixing and finalising the new album so that his last music is available to all. Aside from that, he left instruction that the work should continue to catalog all the tapes from live shows via the official bandcamp page. His autobiography was nearly completed and we will finish that for him. Pere Ubu’s Patreon will continue as a community, run by communex.
We’ll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can –
“My name is David Fucking Thomas… and I’m the lead singer of the best fucking rock n roll band in the world.”
(Frigo Documentary)Long Live Pere Ubu.
Rest easy, David. You one of a kind.
