Music writer Roy Carr has died.
Through his work as a critic and tape compiler Roy Carr helped shape the debate around British music for decades, first joining the New Musical Express in the late 60s.
Later editing the NME, Melody Maker, and Vox, he wrote a number of books including early – and essential – tomes on The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley.
Perhaps Roy Carr's most enduring legacy, though, is his work as a tape compiler, helping piece together covermount releases for NME, Melody Maker, and Vox.
Working with those titles for decades, Roy Carr worked on the seminal C81 and C86 tapes for NME – the latter of which became a genre tag in its own right.
Former colleagues and admirers of Carr's work mourned his passing on social media.
Very sorry to hear of the passing of #RoyCarr but what a legacy. In pre-internet days his @NME compilations opened so up many musical styles, genres and artists. Still on the shelf. pic.twitter.com/sg9TMPP8Y2
— John Porter (@Pieandapint) July 1, 2018
And without #RoyCarr, none of these. Incredible tiny encyclopaedias of rock, blues, jazz and reggae. pic.twitter.com/SzgT0JEkkz
— David Quantick (@quantick) July 1, 2018
RIP Roy Carr. An NME stalwart during the magazine’s 70s heyday, and author of many titles including this, a must-have Stones chronicle from 1976. When I was an avid teenage reader, his was one of the most familiar & trusted bylines. pic.twitter.com/eVnSLdoGCo
— Mark Paytress (@Paytress) July 1, 2018
RIP music journalist Roy Carr. A name synonymous with music fans of the 70s & 80s. 8 year old me was bought what was possibly my first Bowie book, co-written by Carr. pic.twitter.com/umicpacwb7
— Gareth Bird (@garethbirddj) July 1, 2018
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