Gary “Angry” Anderson, front man for the Australian rock band Rose Tattoo, has died. He was 79.
News of Anderson’s death came via the band’s Instagram account, which said he died Monday in Sydney. The vocalist had suffered cardiac arrest weeks earlier during Rose Tattoo‘s farewell tour in Europe.
“Angry was a devoted father, and much-loved member of his friends, bandmates and the wider music and entertainment community. His loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew and loved him both here in Australia and overseas,” the band said.
Reports of Anderson’s health problems first came to light when the band canceled an appearance at the Alcatraz Metal Festival in Kortrijk, Belgium, on Aug. 9, stating on their Instagram account that the singer was in the hospital due to a “medical issue.”
By Aug. 10, Rose Tattoo had canceled all remaining shows on their European tour as Anderson stayed in the hospital. Three weeks later, the band said in an Instagram that he had cardiac arrest and was receiving treatment.
Anderson was the most veteran member of Rose Tattoo, a hard rock and blues band that formed in Sydney in 1976. The band is known for tracks including “Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw” and “Bad Boy for Love,” and some of the group’s discography was covered by Guns N’ Roses early in their career, including “Nice Boys” for the 1986 EP “Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide.” Rose Tattoo would later open for the L.A. hard rock band while on tour in Australia in 1993 for their Use Your Illusion Tour.
In the band’s bio, bandmates are described as as “four tall, gaunt men with unnaturally spikey red hair” — which at the time was Pete Wells on slide guitar, Ian Rilen on bass, Dillas “Digger” Royall on drums and Mick Cocks on guitar. Anderson was described as the “fifth out front stocky and furiously shaven” member, standing at 5 feet, 1 inch tall.
“[They] aren’t an average sight,” the biography states. “Even in the realm of Rock ’n’ Roll excesses.”
Apart from his role in the band, Anderson gained fame internationally as a solo artist when his debut 1987 single, “Suddenly,” earned critical acclaim and appeared on the charts in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The track was used as the wedding theme in an episode of the Australian soap opera “Neighbours,” in which characters Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell got married.
Anderson was also a youth advocate, reportedly serving as an ambassador for national child protection campaigns. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., he has been connected to numerous children’s hospitals, the Starlight Children’s Foundation, as well as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Canteen, a support organization for youths with cancer.
In 1993, he was made a member of the Order of Australia for his role as a youth advocate.
After longtime members of Rose Tattoo died from various forms of cancer, Anderson became an advocate for men’s health and conducted campaigns to raise awareness about prostate cancer in 2007. Wells, the guitarist, died of prostate cancer in 2006 at age 59.
Anderson stirred controversy with forays into politics. In 2007 he espoused controversial views about immigration and Muslim communities in Australia. In 2016, he was endorsed as Senate candidate by the Australian Liberty Alliance, a right-wing group that opposes Muslim immigration.
Anderson’s son Liam was killed in 2018. The singer is survived by children Galen, Roxanee and Blaine Anderson.
