Tributes paid following death of Half Japanese co-founder David Fair: “A pure artist and musician, all from the heart”

Tributes have been paid following news of the passing of Half Japanese co-founder David Fair.

He was 74.

The musician founded the art-punk rock band alongside brother and bandmate Jad Fair after they moved from Michigan to Maryland in the mid-’70s, and soon went on to gain momentum for their unconventional approach to music.

His passing was confirmed on Sunday (August 30) by Thick Syrup Records, with the label’s founder Travis McElroy sharing how the artist and his band “meant a lot to me”.

“This one really hurts,” the post began.

“My good friend David Fair of Half Japanese has passed away.

I was one of David’s biggest fans long before I was lucky enough to call him my friend.” View this post on Instagram “David was one of those people who showed you that music didn’t have to follow any rules.

You could just make something because you needed to make it,” he added.

“Somewhere along the way I went from being a huge fan to being lucky enough to release a lot of David’s music, and even luckier to become his friend.

That’s something I’ll always be incredibly proud of and grateful for.” The post went on to describe the late artist as a “genuinely good, one-of-a-kind human being”, and concluded: “Thank you for the music, David.

Thank you for trusting me with some of it.

And most of all, thank you for the friendship.” Other tributes have come from David’s bandmate and brother Jad, who shared a photo of the two of them together, and from producer Don Fleming, who described Fair as “the sweetest guy, with a great sense of humour” and “a pure artist and musician, all from the heart” (via Clash ).

Fleming’s post also revealed that, while no cause of death has been publicly shared yet, Fair had undergone treatment for cancer in recent years.

Find more tributes below.