Kenny Morris, Drummer for Siouxsie and the Banshees, Passes Away at 68
Kenny Morris, the original drummer for Siouxsie and the Banshees, has passed away at the age of 68. His death was confirmed on Thursday, January 15, by journalist John Robb in the publication Louder Than War. The specific date and cause of death have not been disclosed at this time.
Robb, a longtime friend of Morris, shared a heartfelt tribute, recalling the joy of their encounters in Cork, Ireland, where Morris had been residing. “Kenny was a friend of ours, and it was always a pleasure to see and hang out with him,” Robb wrote. He described Morris as “sweet, articulate, artistic and fascinating company,” noting his “adorable” eccentricity.
Robb further emphasized Morris’s unique sense of style, saying, “He would turn up in a suit and a dress with open handcuffs on one hand and the next time in a totally different yet perfectly created bricolage of style.” He highlighted Morris’s significant role in the punk scene of the mid-1970s.
Reflecting on Morris’s life, Robb acknowledged the challenges he faced before relocating to Ireland in 1993. He concluded his tribute with a personal sentiment: “It was great to know you, Kenny, and we will miss your sweet eccentricity and long WhatsApp messages and your art and your gentle presence in a cruel world.”
Born in Essex, England, in 1957 to Irish parents, Morris pursued studies in fine art and filmmaking at North East London Polytechnic and Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. In 1976, he briefly joined the Flowers of Romance, a band led by his friend Sid Vicious.
Morris became the original drummer for Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1977 after first witnessing the band perform live the previous year. “When I turned up for the audition, there was some drum kit there, and I was fiddling around trying to figure out how to even set the thing up when Nils Stevenson, the Banshees manager, came up to me: ‘You’re supposed to be a f—king drummer, aren’t ya?’” Morris recounted in a 2023 interview with Tripe + Drisheen. His audition led to Morris playing on two albums—their debut The Scream (1978) and Join Hands (1979)—and on their hit single “Hong Kong Garden,” which reached No. 7 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
Morris abruptly left the band during their 1979 tour due to a dispute during a record signing. His departure coincided with that of guitarist John McKay; Morris was replaced by Peter “Budgie” Clarke, while Robert Smith took over McKay’s role.
Following his exit from Siouxsie and the Banshees, Morris remained active in music, directing several short films and pursuing visual arts. At the time of his death, he was performing with the post-punk goth band Shrine of the Vampyre and was reportedly nearing the release of a memoir later this year, according to the New York Post.
