"A singularly brilliant and eccentric talent": Massive Attack guitarist Angelo Bruschini has died

Angelo Bruschini performs onstage with Massive Attack at London's Hyde Park on July 1, 2016
(Image credit: Brian Rasic/WireImage)

Angelo Bruschini, the longtime stage and studio guitarist for the British electronic group Massive Attack, has died. The band confirmed Bruschini's death on social media today (October 24), writing, “RIP Angelo. A singularly brilliant & eccentric talent. Impossible to quantify your contribution to the Massive Attack canon. How lucky we were to share such a life together.”

Bruschini had been suffering from lung cancer, a condition he publicly disclosed back in July. 

Having served as a member of Massive Attack's touring band for decades, Bruschini is also highly-regarded for his contributions to the band's discography, including his guitar work on the band's hugely successful 1998 album, Mezzanine.  

Of note on that album is Bruschini's playing on the song Angel, which sets the guitarist's alternately ethereal and industrial soundscapes over a dark, brooding beat. 

Prior to joining up with Massive Attack, Bruschini played with the influential British indie band The Blue Aeroplanes, who also paid tribute to him on social media in the wake of his death, writing, “We are devastated to announce the passing of our brother Angelo Bruschini. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. Rest in peace Ange.”

Bruschini also took a notable turn behind the boards, producing the 1997 self-titled album by Bristol, UK alt-rockers Strangelove. 

In a post announcing his death, Bruschini’s wife, Jessica Merritt, wrote that the guitarist had been a “gentleman to the end” and would be remembered for his “madcap” sense of humor as much as his guitar playing.  

Some of that humor was evident when Bruschini himself shared the news of his prognosis over the summer. 

“Twice now I have been told 'Good luck' by specialists at the hospital over lung cancer, I think I'm fucked!” he wrote

“Had a great life, seen the world many, many times, met lots of wonderful people, but the door is closing, think I will write a book.”

Jackson Maxwell

Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.