ExDunedin musician Black dies
FORMER Dunedin musician Malcolm Black (58) yesterday lost his battle with bowel cancer.
He died peacefully in Auckland Hospital, the Australasian Performing Right Association announced.
The Netherworld Dancing Toys frontman’s songwriting talents propelled the Dunedin band to the top of the New Zealand charts in 1985 with the hit single For Today.
In an interview with the Otago Daily Times in March, Black revealed he was in Dunedin to record a new album, Songs For My Family.
At that time he also played one more show at the Captain Cook, with a group of Dunedin musicians — Jeff Dickie, Ron Murphy, John Hodge, Steve Larkin and Sue Chilton.
His career as a professional musician ended 33 years ago, when he embarked on a successful career as an entertainment lawyer — in which capacity he represented many of the early Flying Nun ‘‘Dunedin Sound’’ bands — record company executive, fitness club executive and manager of Crowded House and Neil Finn. Black was in Dunedin for the 2017 Apra Silver Scroll Awards, when a severe stomach ache took him to Dunedin Hospital.
A day later he had extensive surgery and was told he had nine months to live.
He leaves behind wife Julia and four children.