Glenn Branca Dead at 69
Avant-garde composer and guitarist Glenn Branca has died, his wife and frequent musical collaborator Reg Bloor announced on Facebook. He was 69 years old. According to Bloor, Branca “passed away in his sleep last night [May 13] from Throat Cancer.” Find Reg Bloor’s statement below. Pitchfork has contacted representatives for Glenn Branca.
Glenn Branca was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1948 and moved to New York City in 1976. In Manhattan, he formed the no wave band Theoretical Girls with Jeffrey Lohn. Branca released his first solo piece, Lesson No. 1, in 1980. The next year, he issued his debut album, The Ascension. The record features guitar from Lee Ranaldo, who met Thurston Moore through Branca. Glenn Branca later released Sonic Youth’s first two albums Sonic Youth and Confusion Is Sex on his Netural Records label.
Branca continued to write symphonies that were performed by the London Sinfonietta, the New York Chamber Sinfonia, and more. In 2009, Branca was awarded a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts as part of its Grants to Artists program. Glenn Branca also contributed several opinion pieces to The New York Times.
Read Pitchfork’s 2016 interview with Glenn Branca.
