Death comes to synthpop, with the passing of young Billy Clayton. Born in Norwich, our Billy eschewed working in one of the city’s many mustard factories to pursue a career as an alt-pop starlet. Self-taught, he released two EPs, worked with the likes of Charlie XCX and had a well-received set at Latitude. All the more impressive when you factor in he’d spent most of the past four years in and out of hospital battling Ewing’s sarcoma, which has now crashed his copy of Logic for good. Sad news for art students with set-square bangs and Groucho Marx eyebrows, but great news for four DDP teams who cash in on Clayton’s passing. Banana’s Peel Slippers climb up to 3rd.
Billy Clayton
12 March, 1997 – 26 March, 2019
Died aged 22 (four hits)