Pete Byrne, the lead singer of 1980s band Naked Eyes, died earlier this month aged 74. His cause of death has now been confirmed as an acute hemorrhagic stroke, according to a death certificate filed with the Los Angeles Department of Health, as reported by PEOPLE.
Death announced in September
Byrne's death was confirmed on September 23 through a statement published on the Naked Eyes website. The announcement said the songwriter "died peacefully in Los Angeles, California, on Monday, September 14, after a brief illness".
"For those wishing to pay their respects, please support his music and condolences can be posted below in the comment section of this blog post," the announcement added, confirming that "a private service will be held for the family."
Underlying condition and career
According to PEOPLE, Byrne also had an underlying condition of colitis. The magazine said it may have contributed to his death, but did not cause it.
Byrne grew up in North London and later moved to Bath, where he met Rob Fisher, with whom he formed Naked Eyes. The duo's 1983 album Burning Bridges reached the top 40 in the United States, producing their most successful single, "Always Something There to Remind Me", with the cover version climbing to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Later years and legacy
The follow-up record, Fuel for the Fire, arrived in 1984, reaching the top 100 in America but failing to replicate the commercial success of its predecessor. The pair then split, with Byrne eventually speaking out on their decision.
Talking to New Beats in 2002 about the band's split during the 1980s despite finding success, he said: "After living and writing together 24 hours a day for four or five years... We needed a break from each other. Record companies change, people who sign you move on, new people come in."
Fisher died in 1999, aged just 42, following complications from bowel cancer surgery. Byrne reformed Naked Eyes in 2005 with a backing band, with the group releasing its final album Diguise the Limit in 2021.
Byrne, who moved to the US in the mid 1980s, is survived by his siblings Eileen, Sandy, Carol, and Steve; his three children, Merlin, Dylan, and Chloe, and his former wife, Elena.
