Rockobit: Pepsi Tate

Pepsi Tate, bassist with Welsh hair metallers Tigertailz, died from pancreatic cancer on Tuesday. The band issued a statement:

Goodnight and God bless our dear old 'Boy'.

We are absolutely devastated to bring you the news that our beloved friend and Tigertailz Bass player Pepsi Tate lost his battle with pancreatic cancer today. Pepsi passed away peacefully at 10:30 this morning, Tuesday 18 September 2007, in Holme Towers cancer hospice in Penarth Cardiff. Pepsi's wife Shan and close family were with him.

Words cannot describe how we feel right now. We're in bits and will miss him so much.

Goodnight Boy - we'll see you again soon fella. You mean the world to us.

Born Hugh Justin Smith, Tate was one of the founder members of TigerTailz, placing an advert in a Cardiff record shop in 1983 which would bring the band together. Over the subsequent quarter century, the band would manage to clock up some sixteen different members, a UK top 40 album and a suprisingly large fan base in Japan.

Tate will be buried in a private ceremony this coming Thursday; his family have requested only those who are invited should attend.