Stooges sax star Steve Mackay dead at 66

The Stooges saxophonist Steve Mackay has died at the age of 66.

Mackay developed sepsis – an infection that can lead to organ failure – following surgery last month and he was in a critical condition at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California.

The Stooges frontman Iggy Pop says: “Steve was a classic 60s American guy, full of generosity and love for anyone he met. Every time he put his sax to his lips and honked, he lightened my road and brightened the whole world. He was a credit to his group and his generation. To know him was to love him.”

Mackay’s death leaves Pop as the only surviving members of The Stooges lineup that featured on 1970 album Fun House.

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.