Key Points
Pioneering indie musician died after 40-year career with For Against
Critically acclaimed dream pop band from Lincoln, Nebraska
Released multiple influential albums across independent labels
Survived by husband Sean and extended family
He died on March 3 after a battle with Stage 4 cancer, Independent Project Records announced. He was 61, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Since their start in 1984 in Lincoln, For Against was known for a drifting, rhythmic dream pop sound that one critic noted had "one foot in the British post-punk of Joy Division and the other in the gliding atmospherics of Kitchens of Distinction." Their first single was "Autocrat/It's a Lie."
Their albums included 1987's Echelons and 1988's December, both on the Words on Music label; 1993's Aperture and 1995's Mason's California Lunch Room, off the Rainbow Quartz label; and 1997's Shelf Life, from the World Domination label.
The band returned to Words on Music for LPs in 2002, 2008 and 2009, and Runnings recorded a solo album, Primitives & Smalls, released in 2016 by Saint Marie Records.
Runnings is survived by husband, Sean; his brother, Steve (and his companion, Linda); his nephews, Rudy (Darcy) and Phil; his niece, Christina; and his uncle, Gerald. He was preceded by his sister, Karen.
Leave a Comment
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully.
Reader Comments
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.