Guitarist Sturgis Nikides succumbed to an agressive form of cancer on April 9. He was 66. He started out in the NYC punk in the late Seventies, before becoming a member of John Cale's band in 1979 - he an be heard on the Mercenaries single and the Honi Soit album. Via a stay in Miami where he played with Diane Ward in hard-hitting rock band Voidville, he ended up in Memphis. Once he settled down, he founded the screaming blues band Low Society with his wife Mandy Lemons Nikides on vocals. The band became a showcase for his versatility on resonator and slide guitar. The band released three highly acclaimed albums: High Time You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down, and Sanctified.
John Cale posted this on his Facebook:
One of the most important things a bandleader can hope for is a powerhouse musician and the forging of friendship along the way. When I met Sturgis Nikides, he walloped me with a wicked sense of humor and abundance of kindness - the musicianship, he had in spades. All that he is, will remain with me for the rest of my life. xx jc