Patrick Campbell Lyons, the guitarist from the British 1960s psychedelic band Nirvana, has died at the age of 82. He was a founding member of the band, which formed in 1966 originally as a duo and performed until 1971, before reuniting in 1985.
Bandmate Keith Smart confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: "Just heard some very sad news. My dear friend Patrick Campbell Lyons has left us. Been playing guitar with him in Nirvana since 1980. He had been ill the last few years. Blessings to his family and friends, may he rock in peace."
Campbell Lyons helped create beloved tracks including singles 'Tiny Goddess' and 'Pentecost Hotel', along with several albums such as 'All Of Us' and 'Black Flower'. He previously told The Strange Brew that he was afforded "full creative freedom" and that abandoning the concept of having a group was "probably a big mistake" as they could have become a world famous band quickly.
In 1992, the band took legal action against the American grunge band Nirvana over the use of the name, settling out of court. Music writer Everett True claimed that Kurt Cobain's record label paid $100,000 to the original Nirvana to permit continued use of the name. After Cobain's death, the original Nirvana paid homage by covering 'Lithium' on their album 'Orange and Blue'.
