Level 42 Guitarist And Songwriter Boon Gould Dead At 64

DORSET, UK (CelebrityAccess) — British media are reporting that Rowland “Boon” Gould, guitarist and founding member of the British new wave band Level 42, died at his home.

Bandmate Mark King confirmed Gould’s passing on social media on Wednesday, tweeting:

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to tell you of the passing of our dear friend and brother Boon Gould. Dorset Police confirmed that he was found dead at his home on Tuesday morning. You are at peace now Boon, no more pain mate. Thank you for everything.”

Gould, along with his brother Phil, keyboardist Wally Badarou and King founded Level 42 in 1979 and were signed to the indie label Elite Records the following year. They scored a minor hit in 1980 with “Love Meeting Love” their second single on Elite and were picked up by Polydor, who released their debut LP Level 42, which was a moderate success on the UK charts.

In 1985, they cracked the US charts with their sixth studio album World Machine, which included “Something About You, the group’s only top ten hit in the U.S.

However, even as the group found international success, Gould’s time with the band was coming to an end. In 1987, he parted ways with the group after suffering from panic attacks while on stage during a North American tour.

While he quit touring with the group, he continued writing lyrics for Level 42 and was in the studio during recording for the band’s 1988 album “Staring at the Sun.”

Gould would go on to a solo career, and released two albums Tinman in 1995, and, recording as Zen Gangsters, he released the album “Love Kills Overtime” in 2000.

In 2004, Gould briefly reunited with his former bandmates in Level 42 and recorded and wrote music on the group’s final album Retroglide in 2006 and he performed with the group for a one-off reunion show in Briston in 2012, marking his first public appearance with the band in more than two decades.

Gould is survived by his brother and former bandmate Phil Gould, and a daughter.