The world lost one of the most iconic electronic musicians of our time on March 4, 2019. Keith Flint, frontman for the British rock group, The Prodigy, died by suicide at the age of 49.
Flint had been a staple of the music industry since the early 1990s when his band first emerged onto the scene with the release of their 1991 hit, Charly. Over the course of the next three decades, Flint would lead the band to stardom, with chart-topping records like Music for the Jilted Generation and Fat of the Land becoming favorites among devoted fans.
He, along with the band’s co-founder Liam Howlett, toured the world, playing to sold-out crowds across Europe, the United States, and beyond. Up until his death, Flint and his band were still touring, with upcoming dates scheduled in New Orleans, Atlanta, Boston, New York, and others. Those shows, slated to take place in May, have since been canceled.
Prior to finding his voice with The Prodigy, Flint was a gifted child that struggled with the dynamics within his family, leading him to be expelled from school at the age of 15. After leaving school, he worked briefly as a roofer before meeting Liam Howlett at a club in Braintree, England.
The pair quickly became friends and Flint was soon part of an electronic dance group called The Prodigy. Once the two were joined by Leeroy Thornhill and Maxim Reality, the group’s popularity soared, leading Flint to change positions from a backup dancer to lead singer.
Although he briefly left the band to pursue solo projects, such as the rock bands Flint and Clever Brains Fryin’, Flint never found success the way he had with The Prodigy. He joined forces with his bandmates again in 2009 for the release of their album, “Invaders Must Die,” and he remained with them until his tragic death.
In his private life, Flint was an avid motorcyclist – even owning his own motorcycle team, Team Traction Control. He also ran a popular pub in Essex for three years. At the time of his death, he was separated from his wife of 13 years, Mayumi Kai.
Flint’s last performance was on February 5, 2019. The band honored Flint’s life by having their website go dark upon the announcement of his death.