Alphaville Keyboardist Martin Lister Dies

Sad news to come from the Alphaville camp today, with the pioneering German synthpop band announcing on its website the passing of former member and keyboardist Martin Lister.

The group, who gained prominence with their 1984 sleeper hit Forever Young, posted the news of Lister's Wednesday passing on their website this weekend with a short, heartfelt message for their departed friend. The London-based Lister joined Alphaville in 1995 as musical director and keyboardist, going on to tour and record with the band until his death.

“Dear friends, it is my sad duty to inform you that Alphaville member Martin Lister passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 21st,” the statement read.

“We have lost a marvelous [sic] keyboard player, a competent and gifted composer of music and a most precious friend. We are all speechless and shocked. Alphaville will never be the same again.

“Martin, we miss you, miss you, miss you… Rest in peace.”

The statement is signed by founding member Marian Gold and current members David Goodes, Jakob Kiersch and Maja Kim, and the band's crew and management.

Alphaville's debut LP Forever Young, on which their arguably best-known song can be found, did not tear up global charts as one today might think – or at least, not outside of Europe, with the title track only gaining non-European traction following a handful of well-known cover versions. However, it did well from the get-go in its home country of Germany (#3) and in Sweden and Norway, where it hit #1, and was in the top 20 in three other European countries.