Cockney Insurgent singer Steve Harley, who had successful with Make Me Smile, dies at 73

Steve Harley, a British musician whose glam-rock band Cockney Insurgent had a permanent hit with the music Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), has died. He was 73.

Harley’s household mentioned on Sunday that he had “handed away peacefully at house, together with his household by his aspect”. Harley mentioned late final 12 months he was being handled for “a nasty most cancers”.

Born in London in 1951, Harley spent nearly 4 years of his childhood hospitalised after contracting polio, durations throughout which he started studying and writing poetry.

He labored as a trainee accountant and as journalist on native newspapers, and started his performing profession at London folks golf equipment.

He shaped Cockney Insurgent, who launched debut album The Human Menagerie in 1973, earlier than foundering over artistic variations.

With a brand new line-up and rebranded as Steve Harley and Cockney Insurgent, the band launched the 1975 album The Greatest Years of Our Lives, which contained Harley’s largest hit.

With its barbed lyrics – geared toward Harley’s former bandmates – and infectiously catchy refrain, the Alan Parsons-produced Make Me Smile topped the UK singles chart.

It went on to be lined scores of instances and was used on numerous soundtracks, together with within the 1997 movie The Full Monty and in advertisements for Carlsberg lager, division retailer Marks & Spencer and Viagra.

Harley additionally sang the title music of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera alongside Sarah Brightman when it was launched as a single in 1986. He was initially forged within the title position for the stage musical however was changed by Michael Crawford.

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Ultravox frontman Midge Ure, who produced Harley’s 1982 monitor I Can’t Even Contact You, referred to as him a real “working musician”.

“He toured till he may tour no extra, enjoying his songs for followers outdated and new,” Ure wrote on social media. “My ideas exit to Dorothy and his household at this very unhappy time. Our songs stay on longer than we ever can.”

Harley is survived by his spouse Dorothy, kids Kerr and Greta and 4 grandchildren. The household mentioned in a press release that they knew he can be “desperately missed by folks all around the world”.