Douglas McCarthy, frontman of the industrial group Nitzer Ebb, has died at the age of 58.
“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform that Douglas McCarthy passed away this morning of June 11th, 2025,” the band wrote in a statement posted to social media. “We ask everyone to please be respectful of Douglas, his wife, and family in this difficult time. We appreciate your understanding and will share more information soon.” A cause of death was not immediately shared; however McCarthy had been dealing with health issues in recent years due to the effects of cirrhosis.
McCarthy co-founded Nitzer Ebb in 1982 with school friends Vaughan “Bon” Harris and David Gooday. Fusing the post-punk sounds of bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Killing Joke, and Bauhaus with the emerging electronic and industrial genres, the band signed to Mute Records and released their debut album, That Total Age, in 1987. Unsurprisingly, a key feature of EBM (electronic body music) is how it affects one’s BPM. That same year, Nitzer Ebb supported Depeche Mode on their “Music For The Masses Tour.”
Gooday left Nitzer Ebb in 1987, with McCarthy and Harris continuing as a duo while also regularly collaborating with producer Flood and Alan Wilder of Depeche Mode. Their albums included 1989’s Belief, 1990’s Showtime, 1991’s Ebbhead, and 1995’s Big Hit.
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Nitzer Ebb disbanded in 1995, with McCarthy continuing to work with Wilder in his Recoil project. He also released a solo album in 2012, and collaborated with DJ and producer Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy.
In 2007, McCarthy and Harris reunited Nitzer Ebb for a series of shows and released a new album, Industrial Complex, in 2010. In 2019, the band welcomed Gooday back to the fold for a North American reunion tour.
In 2024, McCarthy announced he would be stepping back from touring with Nitzer Ebb due to health concerns.
Content shared from consequence.net.