The Kinks keyboardist Ian Gibbons has died, aged 67

5 August 2019, 17:22 | Updated: 6 October 2023, 15:20

Ian Gibbons of The Kinks has passed away at the age of 67, his bandmates have confirmed.

The keyboardist was praised for his “positive attitude", following his death on Thursday (August 1) at his home.

Gibbons was a member of The Kinks from 1979 to 1996.

The Kinks frontman, Ray Davies, led the tributes, writing: “To simply say Ian will be missed would be an understatement.

"My first thoughts are for his family and loved ones.”

Posting on Instagram, Dave Davies said: “Ray called me this morning to break the news – totally devastated by the sudden loss.”

The Kinks drummer Mick Avory added: “I’ve known and worked with Ian for 40 years and I shall always remember him as a good friend and great musician. I will miss him so much, especially as we were still working together. It’s so sad he had to go so quickly before anyone could say goodbye.”

Kinks - Destroyer 1981

Gibbons joined The Kinks 15 years after they first found international fame, in 1979. He then stayed with the group for 10 years, also working with Dr Feelgood and The Kursaal Flyers.

He later rejoined The Kinks in 1993, and remained in the band until their split in 1996.

In 2008, he joined The Kast Off Kinks, a group made out of former band members including Mick Avory, Jim Rodford, John Dalton, John Gosling and Dave Clarke.

Ray Davies also wrote about how the keyboardist first joined the band: “When he auditioned for the band, he only played a few chords before I knew he was the right guy to have on keyboard – he seemed to know the right voicing to musically slot in between the other members of the band.

“And with The Kinks that took some doing! He was also was a brilliant accordion player and, apparently, a bit of a childhood prodigy on that instrument. In the studio, he would willingly try out the most random musical idea I would throw at him.

“On the road, he could always be guaranteed to give a smile of encouragement from his side of the stage and buy a round in the bar after the show so we could have a party in Ian’s noisy room,” the frontman added. “Being in a band is like being in a family and today it is as though we have lost family member.”

Meanwhile, Ray and Dave Davies have spoken about plans for brand new Kinks material and a live tour.