David Thomas, the pioneering frontman of the avant-garde rock band Pere Ubu, which he led for over five decades, has passed away.
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The announcement was shared on the group’s Facebook page, stating that Thomas died on April 23. The cause of death was attributed to “a long illness.” He was 71 years old.
The band’s statement explained that Thomas “died in his hometown of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest stepdaughter 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’.”
Indie label Cherry Red Records also paid tribute to Thomas on X.
“We’re saddened to hear of the passing of David Thomas, the visionary frontman of Pere Ubu,” the record label wrote. “David was a true pioneer of the avant-garde and his music and art reshaped the boundaries of post-punk and inspired generations. We are proud to have worked with him.”
We’re saddened to hear of the passing of David Thomas, the visionary frontman of Pere Ubu. David was a true pioneer of the avant-garde and his music and art reshaped the boundaries of post-punk and inspired generations. We are proud to have worked with him.
— Cherry Red Records (@CherryRedGroup) April 24, 2025
📸Brian David Stevens pic.twitter.com/OGOCJCPui5
Per Rolling Stone, Thomas was also a founding member of Rocket From the Tombs, a Cleveland-based band from the mid-’70s that, despite its brief existence and lack of an album, left a lasting mark on the proto-punk scene.
David Thomas Forms “Avant-Garage” Pere Ubu
Following the group’s split, he went on to lead the more experimental Pere Ubu, a band whose deliberately unconventional sound was dubbed “avant-garage.”
Pere Ubu’s most impactful period was between 1975 and 1982. The band reunited in 1987, with frontman Thomas leading different lineups, working on solo projects, forming side bands, and also resurrecting Rocket From the Tombs.
Meanwhile, Pere Ubu revealed plans to carry on in its Facebook post.
“David Thomas and his band have been recording a new album,” the post reads. “He knew it was to be his last. We will endeavor to continue with mixing and finalizing the new album so that his last music is available to all. Aside from that, he left instructions 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 and roll band in the world.’ … Long Live Pere Ubu,” the post concluded.