Steve Leckie, the founding member of Canadian punk rock band The Viletones, passed away earlier in June after struggling with numerous health issues. He was 67 years old.
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According to A Journal of Musical Things, Leckie had been struggling with multiple sclerosis (MS) and lung cancer at the time of his death. He had been fighting the cancer since 2023.
Steve’s ex-wife, Lorraine Leckie, also confirmed the news about his passing in a post on Facebook. “I love you forever, Steve,” she wrote with a throwback photo of her and the late punk rocker. “We were young and wild together and had the best of times. Rest in power, my beautiful friend.”
Born in 1957, the Canadian rocker founded The Viletones in 1976. The band released three studio albums throughout the years, with the first album, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, debuting in 1983.
The group’s final performance was in 2016. Despite his MS, Leckie continued making music.
Along with The Viletones, Steve Leckie ran an art gallery called Fleurs Du Mal. The Sex Pistols’ manager, Malcolm McLaren, was a notable patron at the establishment.
Canadian Punk Rock Music Scene Remembers Steve Leckie
Following the news of Steve Leckie’s passing, the Canadian punk rock music scene paid tribute to the late rocker.
Guitarist John Catto took to social media and wrote, ” REALLY dislike this piece of news, RIP Steven Leckie. Steve was there from the very beginning. In late ‘76, when we were rehearsing in the annex at OCA [Ontario College of Art], Steve and the ‘Tones started turning up at unrelated shows there wearing ‘the jackets’ and picking fights with Mike Ironside.”
Al Nolan, leader of punk group the Almighty Trigger Happy, also wrote, “I’m very grateful I became friends with Steven. Very helpful around my father’s passing. Very enthusiastic & encouraging when I started the label. I was happy to spend the time I had with you….I’ll miss you when I think of Toronto. Rest Easy, Godfather…Steven Leckie forever/Viletones forever/Queen Street.”
Former bandmate of The Viletones, Myke Adaptiv, stated, “No matter what anybody THINKS of Steven, he always remained true to his mission. A badass until the end.”