1 March 1982 - 11 October 2015
Camera Obscura’s singer recalls the bravery, selflessness and humour of her bandmate and friend, who died of osteosarcoma this year at the age of 33
• Read the Observer’s obituaries of 2015 in full here
• Steve Strange remembered by Martin Kemp
I first met Carey in 2001. She’d moved to Glasgow for a year out before university, became friends with Gavin, our bass player, and ended up being in the video for our first single, Eighties Fan. I knew she was a fan of Belle and Sebastian – there was a fan messageboard on the internet, Sinister, through which she had made friends. We were looking to get a new keyboardist and she said she played piano. To be honest, I was dubious, but we gave her a go.
As well as lowering the average age of the band and raising the IQ, Carey ended up bringing everything to the band. She had proper musical training for starters, which none of us had. She also became one of my best friends. She brought me the reason to do it. She was my right-hand man, really, empowering me and encouraging me when I wasn’t feeling positive.
Continue reading...