James Chance, popularly known for being a singer and saxophonist of the Contortions, has died at 71.
His brother, David Siegfried, confirmed the tragic news on the musician's official Facebook page. Although an official cause of death was not publicized, it was noted that his health had been "in decline for several years."
The last time he took the stage was in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in March 2019.
Born James Alan Siegfried on April 20, 1953, in Milwaukee, music has been a part of his life since he was a kid, when he started playing piano at his Catholic elementary school.
He learned to play the saxophone at age 18. Although he attended Michigan State University and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, he never earned a degree.
Throughout college, he formed two bands: the James Siegfried Quintet and Death, which was influenced by the Stooges.
After the latter group disbanded, he moved to New York City and pursued a career in music under the stage name of James Chance.
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He later became a member of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, which featured his collaborator, Lydia Lunch.
Years later, Chance formed the Contortions with his bandmates Pat Place and Jody Harris on guitars, George Scott III on bass, Don Christiansen on drums, and Adele Bertei on keyboards and vocals.
In 1979, two years after the original band was formed, an altered lineup without Bertei and the addition of David Hofstra on bass released their first debut album, Buy, via ZE Records.
"I was seeking a fusion of disco and punk, and James was too. Once he transformed the Contortions into the slower and slinkier James White and the Blacks, it paved the way for my other bands and a whole slew of contemporaries," ZE Records founder Michael Zilha said, adding that Chance was serious and devoted to his craft as a musician.
The group disbanded eventually due to issues surrounding credit and compensation, but there were no hard feelings between its members as they constantly reunited.
In 2003, he teamed up with some of his former bandmates to perform at several events, including the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Los Angeles.
James Chance is survived by his mother, brother, sisters, and wife, Donna Seaman.
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