The Frogs Founder, Smashing Pumpkins Member Presumed Dead

Dennis Flemion, founder of the heavily influential 1980s rock band The Frogs, is missing and presumed dead after disappearing on a boating trip at the weekend.

Accoridng to Wisconsin's Journal Times,  The 57-year-old musician was out boating with family and friends on Wind Lake in the town of Norway, Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon local time when he decided to take a swim but never returned. A police search began on Saturday night and has continued through to today, though the body has not yet been found. A mixture of incredibly poor visibility and very deep water (25 to 40 feet) have meant the search has been a complicated one.

Flemion founded The Frogs with his brother Jimmy in Milwaukee back in 1980, though the band's first album wasn't released until 1988. In the early-1990s the band's unique and often bizarre sense of humour landed them a dedicated cult following – supporters included Kurt Cobain, Billy Corgan and Beck (who sampled the band on his hit Where It's At) – and the band were soon opening for the likes of Pearl Jam and Mudhoney.

In more recent times The Frogs were asked by The Breeders to perform at the 2009 All Tomorrows Parties event in the UK and asked by Animal Collective to perform their 1989 It's Only Right & Natural record in full at ATP last year. The band just released two new albums, Count Yer Blessingsz and Squirrel Bunny Jupiter Deluxe, last week.

Initial reports were confirmed in a blog post by Matador Records, one time label of The Frogs.

As well as playing with The Frogs also played keys with The Smashing Pumpkins in 1996 and 1997 following the death of Jonathan Melvoin. That band's frontman Billy Corgan tweeted about the death this afternoon.

I'm devastated by the loss of my friend Dennis Flemion. Words can't explain the sorrow. A tragic loss. Please pray for his family.

— Billy Corgan (@Billy) July 10, 2012