Music legend Jeffrey Runnings dies at 61 after a battle with stage four cancer

Music star Jeffrey Runnings has passed away at the age of 61. His death was confirmed by his indie band For Against record label, Independent Project Records. Bruce Licher, the labels founder and co-owner said in a statement that “Jeffrey Runnings was not only a good friend and an outstanding musician and songwriter, but someone whose life revolved around music.”

“Jeff was always enthusiastically sharing music that he thought his friends would enjoy, and for years he would send me handwritten letters, often accompanied by records he thought I should have or a mixtape he’d made that he thought I should hear. Even now, in the middle of the second decade of the 21st century, when he sent me his new album to hear for the first time, it was on a cassette tape that he mailed through the post. I couldn’t have asked for anything more special. His unique voice will be missed on so many levels.”

Mark Earnest paid tribute to him on Instagram and wrote: “I’ve had another formative musician for me pass away. Jeffrey Runnings was only age 61 when he lost his cancer fight today. He was the leader of a band called For Against, who were from Nebraska and formed in the 80s, and really were one of the first dreampop or Shoegaze bands ever.

“Brilliant songwriting, great lyrics, by all accounts a great man who also had a stunning artistic gift. Do yourself a favor if you’d like the swirly guitar thing and find some of their work and listen to it. Most of it’s available online and streaming. Rest in peace.”

Camilla Aisa also took to Instagram and wrote: “Jeffrey Runnings, the driving force behind For Against (one of the most beguiling acts of American post-punk), has left this plane of existence.

“Just last month Bruce (@independent_project_press) and I enjoyed a long chat over Zoom with him. In late October Jeffrey had been diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer and since then all of us at Independent Project Records had been busy in what could probably be described as a race against time: we wanted to get his stunning new solo album, Piqued, out there in the world before it’d be too late.

“We put the opening track (‘Batman Forever’) up on YouTube to circumvent the long times imposed by regular single releases. We were hoping that he could witness the reaction of listeners across the globe as they spent time with his final album, see how they’d respond to this thing of sublimely moody beauty he created. That won’t be the case, sadly.

“During that long video call, I probably asked far less questions than I would usually do. I was rather speechless, in fact. I highly dislike how overused the expression “I was in awe” has become, but that’s what I was. Jeffrey was eager to talk. Of music, of the sounds he’d been chasing his whole life, of the first records that had joined his collection (triumphs of sonic restraints from 1981, early 4AD singles…), and of how he had developed a habit of listening to the same song over and over.

“Of how thankful he was that someone would be interested in it all. Not to sound too new age-y (it’s still glorious post-punk we’re talking about!), but he radiated light. He was facing a most merciless illness, yet he possessed a serenity I could only dream of. I am forever grateful - and honoured - that I got to spend some time, even if only through phones and laptops, with someone who exuded extra-ordinary levels of passion, grace, kindness and love.”

The indie band For Against started in Nebraska in 1984 and their albums included Echelons, December, Aperture, Mason’s California Lunch Room and Shelf Life. Pitchfork reported that “In 2024, Runnings recorded a solo album titled Piqued, which is set for release later this year. The LP will also include a four-track EP of rare recordings from the late 1980s. Runnings shared ‘Batman Forever’ , his first single from the solo effort, earlier this year.”