Influential avant garde composer and guitarist Glenn Branca passed away in his sleep Sunday night after battling throat cancer.
A fixture of NYC’s late ‘70s/early ‘80s downtown music scene, Branca brought a punk rock attitude to experimental and modern classical music and was known for his loud, droning yet trance-like compositions performed by ensembles that over the years included members of Sonic Youth, Helmet and Swans. (Branca’s Neutral Records released early albums by both Sonic Youth and Swans.) And shortly before he passed, David Bowie listed Branca’s 1981 album The Ascension as one of his 25 all-time faves.
Glenn Branca was 69 years old.
