Luis Vasquez, creative force behind the Soft Moon, dead at 44

LOS ANGELES — Luis Vasquez, the musician who was the driving force behind the post-punk project the Soft Moon, died on Friday. He was 44.

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According to the Los Angeles County coroner, Vasquez died in Los Angeles, Deadline reported. No cause of death was given.

A post on the musician’s official social media accounts confirmed his death.

“It is with great sadness that we announce our dear friend, Luis Vasquez has passed away. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family, friends and extended music family,” the statement posted on Facebook read. We ask to respect their privacy during this difficult time. …This is a huge loss and our hearts are broken.”

Vasquez had been scheduled to perform shows and festivals in Denmark, Georgia, Turkey and Greece next month, according to his website.

He was born in Oakland, California, and was given a guitar by his grandfather when he was 12, USA Today reported. According to his biography on Spotify, Vasquez formed his first band by the time he was 15.

According to the Los Angeles County coroner, Vasquez’s death is related to two other deaths at a private residence, KPIX-TV reported. They were identified by the coroner as John “Juan” Mendez, 46, a Los Angeles disc jockey who has recorded under the name of Silent Servant; and Simone Lang, 43, according to the television station.

Vasquez released five albums after making his musical debut in 2010 with his self-titled album, “The Soft Moon,” USA Today reported. His last project, instrumentals from his 2022 album “Exister,” was released last month, according to the newspaper.

The Soft Moon toured with Depeche Mode, Interpol, and Mogwai, Deadline reported. The group played the Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California, last year, according to the entertainment news website.

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