Keith Flint, the flamboyant, hyperkinetic frontman for British electronic-music superstars the Prodigy, took his own life while at home today in Essex, England. He was 49.
Flint originally joined the Prodigy as a dancer, but he earned a promotion with the group’s third album, 1997’s The Fat of the Land. With a voice like a steroidal Johnny Rotten, hair like a bad imitation of Flock of Seagulls’ Mike Score, hella face piercings, and enough energy to light a soccer stadium, Flint became the garish face of the ’90s “electronica” phenomenon. He was the ideal character to help the Prodigy cross over in America, whose mainstream music fans typically have needed some sort of out-sized personality to accompany their dance music.
Flint harnessed an unbelievable amount of energy onstage, and while he may have seemed like a try-hard cheeseball to the chin-strokers, the man perfectly embodied the Prodigy’s sledge-hammering, sky-scraper-sized, breakbeat madness. He gave that whirlwind sound a human visage—albeit a weird-as-hell one—and the dance moves to start fires in the legs of thousands of festival-goers. Keith also had has his own band, a boisterous electro-rock unit called Flint, who released Device 1 in 2003.
The Prodigy have a US tour planned for May, but it’s uncertain now whether that will happen. RIP, Keith Flint.
It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother and best friend Keith Flint. A true pioneer, innovator and legend. He will be forever missed.
We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time. pic.twitter.com/nQ3Ictjj7t
— The Prodigy (@the_prodigy) March 4, 2019
Keith Flint kept a swearbox above the fire in the pub he used to own (The Leather Bottle in Pleshey, Essex). Whenever he put the logs and kindling in and someone piped up with the obvious joke, he’d point to it and charge them a quid. RIP. pic.twitter.com/lEYZPXfrFj
— Steve Anglesey (@sanglesey) March 4, 2019
