Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch lead the stars attending funeral of Pulp’s bass guitarist Steve Mackey
Abbey Clancy wraps up in a black coat while Peter Crouch dons a suit as they lead the stars attending funeral of Pulp’s bass guitarist Steve Mackey
Abbey Clancy and her husband Peter Crouch led the stars giving the late Steve Mackey a moving send-off as they attended his funeral on Friday.
The model, 37, wrapped up in a black coat while the former footballer, 42, looked smart in a coordinating suit, as they both donned a pair of sunglasses.
Flocking to Highgate Cemetery in North London, guests included Jarvis Cocker, Noel Gallagher, Daisy Lowe, Peter Crouch, Abbey Clancy and Adowa Aboah.
Pixie Geldof, Jefferson Hack, Courtney Love, Patsy Kensit, Rafferty Law and Marc Jacobs also paid their respects.
Pulp’s bass guitarist – who passed away on March 2 aged 56 after spending 12 weeks in hospital ‘fighting with all his strength’ – was remembered during a two hour service, including a London Brass band.
Emerging: Abbey Clancy and her husband Peter Crouch led the stars giving the late Steve Mackey a moving send-off as they attended his funeral on Friday
Smart: The model, 37, wrapped up in a black coat while donning black sunglasses
The musician passed away earlier this month, the band announced as his heartbroken wife Katie Grand revealed he had secretly been battling with his health.
The news came as a shock to fans, which comes five months after Steve revealed he wouldn’t be taking part in Pulp’s reunion.
In an emotional tribute Katie said she is ‘shocked and devastated’ by Steve’s death, while the band paid homage to ‘their beloved friend’.
Stylist Katie wrote on Instagram: ‘After three months in hospital, fighting with all his strength and determination, we are shocked and devastated to have said goodbye to my brilliant, beautiful husband, Steve Mackey.
‘Steve died today, a loss which has left myself, his son Marley, parents Kath and Paul, sister Michelle and many friends all heartbroken.
‘Steve was the most talented man I have ever known, an exceptional musician, producer, photographer and filmmaker. As in life, he was adored by everyone whose paths he crossed in the multiple creative disciplines he conquered.
‘I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the NHS staff who worked tirelessly for Steve. He will be missed beyond words.
‘The family has asked for privacy at this time.’
Suave: The former footballer, 42, looked smart in a coordinating suit
Paying respects: They flocked to Highgate Cemetery in North London, along with Steve’s other friends
Tragic: Pulp’s bass guitarist was remembered during a two hour service, including a London Brass band
Awful: He passed away on March 2 aged 56 after spending 12 weeks in hospital ‘fighting with all his strength’
Gone: The musician passed away earlier this month, the band announced as his heartbroken wife Katie Grand revealed he had secretly been battling with his health
Surprise: The news came as a shock to fans, which comes five months after Steve revealed he wouldn’t be taking part in Pulp’s reunion
Heartfelt: In an emotional tribute Katie said she is ‘shocked and devastated’ by Steve’s death, while the band paid homage to ‘their beloved friend’
Tribute: Stylist Katie wrote on Instagram: ‘After three months in hospital, fighting with all his strength and determination, we are shocked and devastated to have said goodbye to my brilliant, beautiful husband, Steve Mackey’
Upset: She continued: ‘Steve was the most talented man I have ever known, an exceptional musician, producer, photographer and filmmaker’
Emotional: She added: ‘As in life, he was adored by everyone whose paths he crossed in the multiple creative disciplines he conquered’
Support: Abbey and Peter looked sombre as they paid their respects
Steve married his longtime girlfriend, Katie, in 2009 and welcomed son Marley in 1996.
Rock band Pulp, who formed in Sheffield in 1978, shared a photo of Steve on tour in South America in 2012 and wrote: ‘Our beloved friend & bass player Steve Mackey passed away this morning. Our thoughts are with his family & loved ones.
‘This photo of Steve dates from when Pulp were on tour in South America in 2012. We had a day off & Steve suggested we go climbing in the Andes. So we did.
‘It was a completely magical experience. Far more magical than staring at the hotel room wall all day (which is probably what we’d have done otherwise).’
They continued: ‘Steve made things happen. In his life & in the band. & We’d very much like to think that he’s back in those mountains now, on the next stage of his adventure.
‘Safe travels, Steve. We hope to catch up with you one day. All our love.’
No cause of death has been announced.
Fans and friends took to the comment section to share their condolences.
Sombre: Pregnant Daisy Lowe wore a plunging black midi dress
Classic: She layered the number beneath a matching coat, while sporting leather high-tops
Pals: The model was joined by a buddy as they paid their respects
Dapper: Daisy’s pal looked dapper in a black suit
Friends: She chatted to another pal, as they stood in a group
Model Martha Hunt typed: ‘Oh no. Sending love and strength to you and your family’, while Dior’s creative director Kim Jones added: ‘So so sad love to you’.
One fan wrote: ‘He will truly be missed,’ while another typed: ‘So so sorry to hear this news. Lots of love to everyone who knew him’.
Another said: ‘Very sorry to read this. RIP Steve. He was always a gent wherever our paths crossed and Pulp gave us a very crucial support slot in our early days that massively helped us.’
TV presenter Jake Humphrey added: ‘My youth. RIP’.
In October, the bassist said he would not be joining this year’s Pulp reunion tour – but did not share he was secretly battling with his health.
The band – Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Nick Banks and Mark Webber – had planned to reform for a second time to play a number of dates across the UK and Ireland.
The tour which kicks off on 26 May stars in Bridlington Spa and includes two festival appearances, at Glasgow’s TRNSMT (7 July) and Latitude (21 July).
In a post shared to Instagram, Steve explained he wouldn’t be joining them.
He told Now Then magazine: ‘We got to do a lot of the things we hoped we could do with the band. We spent a long time in the 80s and 90s just hoping that someone would listen to us.
‘Everything else that happened is out of our control after that. We got to make the records in a time when we could be quite ambitious.
In the 90s, you could still use an orchestra on a record. We’d grown up listening to John Barry, Scott Walker and Serge Gainsbourg. We wanted to be able to do those things and we were lucky enough to be able to.’
He said: ‘I’ve decided to continue the work I’m engaged in – music, filmmaking and photography projects, and will not be joining them for these UK shows just announced.
‘Wishing Candy, Nick, Mark and Jarvis the very best with forthcoming performances in the UK and also an enormous thanks to Pulp’s amazing fanbase, many of whom have sent me lovely messages today.’
Steve is best known as the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Pulp, which he joined in 1989.
As a record producer, he has produced songs and albums by M.I.A., Florence + the Machine, The Long Blondes and Arcade Fire.
Steve continued to write, record and tour with the band as they found success in the 1990s.
Subsequent albums recorded included Intro – The Gift Recordings, His ‘n’ Hers, Different Class, This Is Hardcore and We Love Life.
They had a series of hits including Common People and Sorted for E’s & Wizz.
After an eight-year hiatus, Steve returned to Pulp in 2010 and their subsequent world tours in 2011 and 2012. He also had a cameo in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as fictional band The Weird Sisters.
In more recent times, he shifted his focus to photography and shared his work on Instagram.
His last post uploaded in November was a photo of Italian fashion designer and Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele.
He wrote at the time: ‘Bravissimo Ale! A true dreamer and always fearless, inquisitive, inspiring and fun to work with
‘Baroque, Sacred sounds, musique concrete, industrial, a real pleasure to work with you and such strange and wonderful recordings, artists, ensembles and performers over the last seven years. Excited for your future experiments!’
In a 1996 interview for Rough Trade, Steve reflected on being in a rock band in the nineties.
He said: ‘I think if you are in a band that are popular then you might as well enjoy it. That’s what we always wanted to do and I don’t think there is anything wrong with being silly.
‘You’d be throwing away a bit of a golden opportunity – you might as well be a librarian all of your life.’
In 2014, Steve said his proudest song is This Is Hardcore and looked back at his time in the band.