Born plain Steven Harrington in Newbridges, Wales, Steve Strange was electrified after stumbling across the Sex Pistols.
Arranging punk gigs in his home town, the aspiring musician and scene maker took off for London in 1976. Immersing himself in the nascent punk movement, his outrageous style soon turned him into one of the scene's unofficial faces.
As the embers of punk began to cool, the newly re-christened Steve Strange launched a new project. Visage took their cue from the electronics of Kraftwerk, adding a slick pop edge which was slightly before its time.
A time Steve Strange would have to make himself. Together with a few friends, the stylish coterie launched the Blitz Club in 1978 and quickly earned a name for themselves as one of London's most forward thinking clubbing spots.
The Blitz Kids, as they were dubbed, were invited to appear in David Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes' video before becoming stars themselves. Visage scored a number of hit singles, part of what would then be branded the New Romantic movement.
A pioneer in synth pop and eccentric British style, Steve Strange was most recently working on a book covering the Blitz years.
Admitted to hospital in Wales before Christmas, the BBC has confirmed that the singer suffered a heart attack while visiting Egypt. Passing away in hospital at Sharm el-Sheikh, tributes are pouring in for a true original.
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