Luscious Jackson's Vivian Trimble Passes Away, Aged 59

Vivian Trimble, the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the indie rock group Luscious Jackson, has passed away aged 59.

Her bandmates - Jill Cunniff (vocals/bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals/guitar) and Kate Schellenbach (Beastie Boys founding drummer) - confirmed the terrible news on social media. Luscious Jackson said in a post that Trimble was being treated for cancer before her passing.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved friend and band member Viv on Tuesday (4 April),” the band shared. “She had been in treatment for cancer for several years and developed a complication on Monday (3 April). We were not expecting this.”

The group continued, “She was a great friend and a gifted musician and choreographer, but it was being a partner to David and a mother to Nate and Rebecca that gave her the greatest joy. We are devastated beyond words to lose our graceful sister.”

Trimble was a member of Luscious Jackon from 1991 until 1998. She was part of the band’s most successful era - the release of their 1996 album, Fever in Fever Out, which landed at #62 in Australia and featured their biggest single, Naked Eye. 

Luscious Jackson were the first group to be signed to the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal record label and notably performed at the 1999 edition of the Lilith Fair festival before disbanding in 2000.

Also in 2000, Trimble released the album Dusty Trails with Breeders bandmate Josephine Wiggs after the duo formed a musical group of the same name. The album contained a feature from country music icon Emmylou Harris on Order Coffee.

Dusty Trails also provided three tracks to the Happy Accidents (2001) soundtrack: Dusty Happy End (with Massive Attack, Spiritualized drummer Jon Mattock), Cheap Plastic Inserts, and Beautiful Crazy Wall Of Sound (with Kate Schellenbach).