In Memoriam|

Scott Hutchison in 2013 (Photo by Jester Jay Goldman)

A body has been found in the search for missing Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison. Police made the discovery at Port Edgar near South Queensferry in Edinburgh at 8.30pm on Thursday. Formal identification has yet to take place, but Hutchison’s family has been informed.

Hutchison, 36, was last seen at 1am on Wednesday, when he left the Dakota hotel in South Queensferry.

The band had posted a message on Twitter asking for anyone with information to contact police, adding: “We are worried about Scott, who has been missing for a little while now. He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now.”

Hutchison himself wrote downbeat tweets in the hours leading up to his disappearance. “Be so good to everyone you love. It’s not a given. I’m so annoyed that it’s not. I didn’t live by that standard and it kills me. Please, hug your loved ones,” he wrote. A final tweet reads: “I’m away now. Thanks.”

Fans sent messages of support, summed up by Hutchison’s brother and bandmate, Grant, who told Radio X earlier this week: “The support’s been immense … There’s nothing that is so insurmountable that we can’t figure it out together and help you to get better and we’re all here for you and we all love you very much.”

Hutchison had addressed mental health difficulties in his songwriting, including on a song called Floating in the Forth in which he imagined his suicide: “And fully clothed, I float away / Down the Forth, into the sea / I think I’ll save suicide for another day.” He once described songwriting as “a type of therapy … It’s nice to have these complex thoughts that I’m having trouble processing, and then put them into almost a mathematical formula.”

In an interview published on Noisey last week, he described his mood: “Middling. On a day-to-day basis, I’m a solid six out of ten. I don’t know how often I can hope for much more than that. I’m drawn to negatives in life, and I dwell on them, and they consume me.”

In a 2016 interview, he spoke of suffering from anxiety attacks, and of how affected he was by his emotions: “I’ve always seen that kind of emotional turmoil as an illness. It’s one that lasts for quite a long time and can’t be fixed. You know, you describe it as a ‘hurt’ – why would you describe it as that if it weren’t actually painful? It’s not just mental torment.”

Hutchison formed Frightened Rabbit initially as a solo project in 2003, before Grant joined him to record their debut album in 2006. The band expanded to a five-piece, and amassed a loyal following for their soul-baring, emotionally rich songwriting, including Aaron Dessner of US band the National who produced their most recent album, 2016’s Painting of a Panic Attack. Robert Smith of the Cure had invited them to appear at Meltdown festival, which he is curating in London in June, and the band were also set to support US singer-songwriter Father John Misty in concert in May.

Hutchison had recently completed a tour with the band to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough 2008 album, The Midnight Organ Fight, and another with his other band, Mastersystem. He had recently spoken of plans for a sixth Frightened Rabbit album, saying: “I would like for that to be finished by the end of the year.”

Among tributes to the singer, the radio DJ Edith Bowman tweeted: “You ok fella? Sending love and a shoulder if you need it” to Scott after his final messages – wrote on Twitter: “Can’t really believe I’m reading this. Saddest awakening ever. Love and best wishes to all the Hutchison and Frabbit family.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/body-found-in-search-for-frightened-rabbit-singer-scott-hutchison/ar-AAx6hDO

In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14.

Photo: Scott Hutchison in 2013 (Photo by Jester Jay Goldman – https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/8570066641/)

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Other Notable Musicians’ Deaths…

May, 2018

13: Glenn Branca, 69, American avant-garde composer (The Ascension) and guitarist (Theoretical Girls), throat cancer.

11: Mikhail Alperin, 61, Ukrainian-born Norwegian jazz pianist; Matt Marks, 38, American composer and musician (Alarm Will Sound); Ulla Sallert, 95, Swedish actress and singer.

10: Scott Hutchison, 36, Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist (Frightened Rabbit, Mastersystem, The Fruit Tree Foundation).

9: Ben Graves, 46, American drummer (Murderdolls), cancer; Carl Perkins, 59, New Zealand musician (House of Shem), bowel cancer.

http://www.wikipedia.com

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