Ian McLagan of the Small Faces and Faces dies after suffering ‘massive stroke’

The keyboard player passed away earlier today (December 3) aged 69 in Austin, Texas

Ian McLagan of the Faces and Small Faces has died at the age of 69 after suffering a stroke.

Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the legendary keyboard player suffered a “massive stroke” and passed away in hospital in Austin, Texas.

McLagan was born in 1945 in Middlesex. He joined the Small Faces in 1965 and continued to play with the band after they changed their name to the Faces in 1969, when Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood joined. The Faces split in 1975, and McLagan began work as a session musician, playing with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Bonnie Raitt and Frank Black over the years. In 1994 he moved to Austin.

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He also performed regularly with Billy Bragg, who paid tribute to the keyboard player on Twitter, writing: “I have lost a dear friend and British rock has lost one of its greatest players. RIP Ian McLagan”.

The Faces reunited in 2010 with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall on lead vocals in place of Rod Stewart and played a headline set at the Vintage at Goodwood Festival. The band toured in 2011.

In 2013 Stewart said that he and Ronnie Wood were planning a Faces reunion for 2015. He commented: “Ronnie’s office is talking to my people, and we’re ear-marking 2015.” However, McLagan then stated that Stewart had not yet contacted him and Kenney Jones.

Speaking to Uncut, McLagan said that he and drummer Jones would first be focusing on reuniting the Small Faces. McLagan commented: “Why would we fuck around with the Faces when we’ve got bigger fish to fry?” He added that Stewart would “have to wait until 2016 because 2015 is the Small Faces’ year”.

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