Pete Byrne, the unmistakable voice behind one of the 1980s’ most enduring pop hits, has died.
The Naked Eyes singer and co-founder died peacefully in Los Angeles on Sept. 14 following a brief illness, according to an announcement from the band.
He was 74.
A specific cause of death has not been publicly released.
For millions of music fans, Byrne will forever be associated with the synth-heavy opening notes of “Always Something There to Remind Me,” the song that transformed Naked Eyes into one of the memorable acts of the early ’80s new wave explosion.
Byrne formed Naked Eyes with his longtime friend and musical partner Rob Fisher in 1982.
Success came quickly.
Their debut album, released as “Burning Bridges” in the United Kingdom and simply “Naked Eyes” in the United States, broke onto the Billboard 200 and produced several songs that received heavy radio and MTV exposure.
But nothing would define the group quite like “Always Something There to Remind Me.”
The Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition had been recorded by other singers years earlier, but Naked Eyes completely reinvented it with synthesizers, electronic drums and Byrne’s distinctive vocals.
Their version soared to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.
More than four decades later, the song remains a staple of ’80s playlists and classic-pop radio.
Naked Eyes followed it with another major hit, “Promises, Promises,” which reached the Top 20 in the United States.
Other songs included “When the Lights Go Out” and “(What) In the Name of Love.”
Despite suddenly finding themselves with major American hits, Byrne and Fisher’s original run together was surprisingly short.
Naked Eyes broke up in 1984.
Perhaps even more unusual, the duo never toured together during the height of its fame.
Byrne continued working in music after the split, while Fisher later became part of another successful British duo, Climie Fisher.
Fisher died in 1999 at just 42 years old after undergoing surgery for bowel cancer.
Years later, Byrne brought Naked Eyes back to life.
He relaunched the group in 2006 and eventually began touring, finally giving American audiences the chance to hear the songs live from the singer whose voice had made them famous.
Byrne continued performing the Naked Eyes catalog for years and remained closely connected to the music that first made him a star.
The band had also recently celebrated its early work with a newly remastered edition of its original album, complete with demos, B-sides and remixes.
Byrne’s death marks another loss from the generation of British artists who helped dominate American pop culture during the so-called Second British Invasion of the early 1980s.
Naked Eyes arrived during the same era that saw groups including Duran Duran, A Flock of Seagulls and other British new wave acts become fixtures on American radio and MTV.
Byrne had begun pursuing music well before Naked Eyes.
His career stretched back into the 1970s, when he performed in other groups before joining forces with Fisher and developing the electronic sound that would ultimately make them famous.
He is survived by his three children, Merlin, Dylan and Chloe, as well as his siblings Eileen, Sandy, Carol and Steve.
For fans who grew up hearing his voice on the radio, Byrne leaves behind a fittingly titled musical legacy.
More than 40 years after its release, there is still “Always Something There to Remind Me.”