R.I.P. Jay Reatard

Sad news for garage rock fans: Memphis-bred and -based musician Jay Reatard was found dead in his home this morning. The scrappy punk was only 29 years old, and the cause of death has not been determined. More information should appear on the Goner Records site as it becomes available. For the time being, they've released this statement:

"It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our good friend Jay Reatard. Jay died in his sleep last night. We will pass along information about funeral arrangements when they are made public."

Though he was still shy of his 30th birthday, Reatard (born Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr.) already had more than a decade in his hometown's garage punk scene under his belt. Inspired by the raucous sounds of local punk rock power trio the Oblivians, Lindsey started recording in his teens and went on to release a somewhat staggering array of 7-inch singles, EPs and LPs, both as a pseudonymous solo artist and with his other projects, like the Reatards, the Final Solutions, Angry Angles and Lost Sounds -- the latter a great synth-rock group that disbanded in 2005.

Lindsey -- or rather, Reatard -- remained a much-loved cult icon under the mainstream radar until 2006, when he released his breakthrough album Blood Visions -- technically his debut studio album as a solo artist -- a viciously hooky collection of distorted, dynamic rock tunes that was named one of the top 200 albums of the Oughts by Pitchfork. In 2008, Reatard signed to celebrated label Matador Records, who helped the kid reach a much wider audience. His most recent album, Watch Me Fall, came out last year; the clip at the top of this post is for that album's single It Ain't Gonna Save Me.

The performer was also known for his piss 'n' vinegar antics. During a Toronto show in 2008, Lindsey became enraged when an excited fan collided with him onstage. Fisticuffs ensued, and the furious frontman eventually unplugged his instrument and stormed off the stage. Here's footage of the incident, in all its punk rock glory.

As outlandish as it may seem, that clip is a strangely appropriate way to remember a Memphis kid who immersed himself in dirty garage rock as soon as he knew what it was.

Here's an excerpt from the short documentary Waiting For Something, which explored Reatard's personal story.

Waiting For Something - a short documentary about Jay Reatard

Jay Reatard | MySpace Music Videos

Our condolences to his friends and family.

--Sarah Liss