Cream lyricist Pete Brown dies aged 82

Cream lyricist Pete Brown has died aged 82.

The singer, who was also a cult figure in British poetry, was responsible for writing the band’s most famous hits including ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’, ‘I Feel Free’ and ‘White Room’.

The family of his long-term late collaborator and late Cream member Jack Bruce wrote on social media: “We are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Jack’s long term friend and writing partner Pete Brown who passed away last night. We extend our sincere condolences to Pete’s wife Sheridan and Pete’s children as well as all his family and friends. Love from the Bruce family.”

He had been living with what he recently described as “various forms of cancer” for a number of years, according to The Guardian.

Following Cream’s breakup in 1968, Brown contributed to a number of Bruce’s solo albums including acclaimed debut ‘Songs For A Tailor’, a UK Top 10 hit in 1969, right up to ‘Silver Rails’ in 2014. Bruce passed away later that year aged 71.

We are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Jack’s long term friend and writing partner Pete Brown who passed away last night
We extend our sincere condolences to Pete’s wife Sheridan and Pete’s children as well as all his family and friends. Love from the Bruce family pic.twitter.com/WzdvF5XKOt

— Jack Bruce (@jackbrucemusic) May 20, 2023

He also fronted a number of his own projects, including The First Real Poetry Band, Pete Brown And His Battered Ornaments, and Piblokto. He also collaborated with blues musician Graham Bond and Procol Harum, and published a number of poetry books.

He also moved into script writing with his credits including the screenplay for children’s film Felix the Cat: The Movie in 1988.

In 2010 he wrote a memoir, White Rooms & Imaginary Westerns, and wrote lyrics for Procol Harum’s final album ‘Novum’ in 2017. Earlier this year he completed sessions for a planned solo album, entitled ‘Shadow Club’, featuring Eric Clapton and others.

Director Martin Scorsese was among his many admirers, deploying many of his Cream songs in films such as Goodfellas and Casino. “Pete was a great songwriter. Whenever the lyrics are repeated in my head … these images stay with me,” he said in the trailer for an as-yet-unreleased documentary about Brown.

The post Cream lyricist Pete Brown dies aged 82 appeared first on NME.