Peter Byrne, the singer-songwriter and frontman of Naked Eyes, has died at 74 following a brief illness. Byrne was best known for the band’s hits “Always Something There to Remind Me” and “Promises, Promises.” His official cause of death has not been disclosed.
Peter Byrne died peacefully in Los Angeles following a brief illness
According to a press release provided to Billboard, Byrne died peacefully in Los Angeles on Sept. 14 after a brief illness.
Born in Islington, North London, Byrne began pursuing music in Bath, England, during the 1970s. His early work included a duo with Jeff Starrs from 1976 to 1977 and the band Studio from 1977 to 1979. He later became part of Neon, a group that also featured Rob Fisher and future Tears for Fears members Neil Taylor, Manny Elias, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal.
In 1982, Byrne and Fisher formed Naked Eyes and signed with EMI Records. They recorded their debut album at Abbey Road Studios with producer Tony Mansfield and released it as Burning Bridges in the U.K. and Naked Eyes in the U.S. The album reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 in 1983.
The duo’s biggest breakthrough came with its synth-pop version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Always Something There to Remind Me.” The song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, becoming the group’s only top 10 hit on the chart. It also reached No. 20 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and No. 37 on the Dance Club Songs chart.
Naked Eyes followed that success with three more Hot 100 top 40 songs. “Promises, Promises,” written by Byrne and Fisher, peaked at No. 11 in 1983. Besides, “When the Lights Go Out” reached No. 37 later that year. Their final top 40 hit, “(What) In the Name of Love,” climbed to No. 39 in 1984.
Although Naked Eyes disbanded in 1984, Byrne continued carrying the group’s music forward after Fisher’s death in 1999. Byrne is survived by his siblings and his three children, Merlin, Dylan, and Chloe, and his ex-wife, Elena. Those wishing to honor his memory can share condolences through the Naked Eyes website.
