Music industry pays tribute to legendary reservation agent Steve Strange, who died at 53

Steve Strange, reservation agent for Queens Of The Stone Age, Coldplay, Eminem, Snow Patrol, Stiff Little Fingers, Jimmy Eat World and many more, has passed away. He was 53 years old.

News of Strange’s passing was shared in a social media post by X-Ray Touring, the live-action booking agency he co-founded in 2005.

The statement reads as follows:

“X-ray Touring is deeply saddened to announce that Steve Strange, one of the agency’s founding partners, has passed away from a brief illness.

“We have lost a legendary figure in our personal and professional lives who will be dearly missed by all of us.

“Steve was a unique person within our industry, his overwhelming love for music led him to a career spanning over 30 years guiding the tour of an eclectic mix of artists from all genres of music he adored.

“A universally known, extremely respected and loved character – if you hadn’t seen him at a concert or festival before, you would most certainly hear his infectious and infamous laughter.

“Steve had the best ears in the agency business, signing and developing the careers of countless world-class artists, from small clubs to huge international multi-stage tours.

“He will always be lovingly remembered by his friends and colleagues at X-ray and around the world.”

Artists including Strange’s close friend Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy / Black Star Riders), Garbage, Frank Turner, Mark Lanegan, Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and many more have paid homage to the legend of the larger than life industry.

Born in 1968 in Lisburn, Northern Ireland and raised in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Strange began his music career as a drummer, before moving to London in the mid-1980s after his band, the hard rockers No Hot Ashes, signed to GWR Records. .

When the group broke up in 1990, Strange opted to stay in London, working in artist management and live bookings, before being offered the option to return to Belfast to handle bookings at Limelight’s venue. the city. He then returned to London, taking a job with the Helter Skelter agency in 1997, and eventually moved in 2005 to co-found X-Ray Touring.

Its artists included some of the biggest names in music including Coldplay, Eminem, Snow Patrol, Queens Of The Stone Age, Stiff Little Fingers, Ash, Thunder, Saxon, Alkaline Trio, Jimmy Eat World, L7, Chance The Rapper and more. Again.

He also started Strange World Management, to manage the affairs of Last in Line, Wayward Sons, FM and more.

A rocker to the end, Strange also played drums in Fastway, alongside his close friend ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke, before the guitarist passed away in 2018.