In Memoriam: Kid Krupa of the Revillos (1962-2005)

Drummer Rocky Rhythm recently announced the death of Revillos guitarist Kid Krupa. Krupa joined the band after the 1979 departure of original Rezillos guitarist Hi-Fi Harris. Rhythm's statement read:

Krupa was one of my closest friends and my Revillo cohort. He joined the group in 1980 as a 17-year old. His fabulous guitar style defined the classic Revillo sound, as evidenced by the Rev Up and Attack albums, and his dedication and onstage persona helped elevate the Revillos to their peak.

I will always miss my friend: as a consummate musician he was a joy to work with; as a human being he had great intelligence and an incredible, super-fast sense of humour.

He quit the Revillos in 1983 and worked with his own bands and as a session player for such varied names as Tim Finn, Roger Daltry, Del Amitri, Bonnie Tyler and even Shakin' Stevens. Later, as illness impacted on his health, his commitment to music never waned: he channeled his phenomenal skills into being a producer.

Krupa retained an interest in his Revillo roots: he last played with the band on our tour of Japan in 1994 and in 1996 he helped me produce the seminal Revillos live album, Totally Alive. Krupa and I were working on a collection of material recently when he became seriously ill. He died of complications brought on by diabetes.

I will always cherish my memories of Krupa. And for all those who appreciated his music, he will live on through a collection of work that stands as testament to his unique talent.

Our deepest condolences go out to Krupa's friends and family.