Liam Gallagher, Clint Boon and former New Order bassist Peter Hook are among those who have paid tribute to Inspiral Carpets drummer Graig Gill, who has died aged 44.
Inspiral Carpets rose to fame alongside The Stone Roses, The Charlatans and Happy Mondays as part of the late-eighties "Madchester" scene and scored hits with She Comes in The Fall, This Is How It Feels, I Want You and Dragging Me Down.
Our brother, Craig Gill has passed away. He was the beating heart of the Inspirals in more ways than one xxx @inspiralsband pic.twitter.com/DWfSCyCeR5
— Clint Boon (@therealboon) November 22, 2016
The band's keyboardist Clint Boon said Gill, a founding member of the band, was the "beating heart of the Inspirals in more ways than one" and a statement on the band's Facebook page said they were "absolutely devastated "by the loss of "our brother".
They added, "To say we'll miss him is an understatement. We have been honoured to work alongside him for the last 30 years."
Stunned by the news of the death of Gilly my heart goes out to his family and band members LIVE FOREVER LG x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) November 22, 2016
Liam Gallagher, whose older brother Noel was a roadie for Inspiral Carpets before forming Oasis, said he was "stunned" by the news.
Gill also DJed at Manchester's legendary Hacienda nightclub, which became Madchester's E-fulled HQ. He was also a keen local music historian who ran tours around Greater Manchester, pointing out key locations in the city's rich musical lore.
Craig Gill was 1 of happiest smiliest people I'd ever met in this business. Saw him not long ago his usual happy self, can't believe it. RIP
— Peter Hook (@peterhook) November 22, 2016
Manchester became the focal point of the dance/rock crossover that dominated British pop in the late eighties and early nineties with its day-glo collision of psychedelia, music and fashion.
