SECTION 25 frontman LARRY CASSIDY has died at the age of 56.
The singer passed away on Saturday (27Feb10) in his hometown of Blackpool, England. A cause of death had not been released as WENN went to press.
Cassidy formed the post-punk band with his drummer brother Vincent and they signed to the iconic Factory Records label in 1979.
The group was mentored by late Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, who produced the band's debut single Girls Don't Count.
After Curtis' suicide in 1980, Section 25 continued their links with Joy Division by working with Bernard Sumner after the band regrouped as New Order.
Sumner produced Section 25's 1984 album From the Hip, which spawned their best known single Looking From A Hilltop and featured vocals from Cassidy's wife Jenny Ross.
The band disintegrated in 1986 and Cassidy went on to retrain as a school teacher until the group reformed in 2001, but the reunion was marred by tragedy in 2004 when Ross died of cancer.
Cassidy continued to perform with the band, touring with Joy Division/New Order star Peter Hook in 2008 and releasing their last album, Nature + Degree, in 2009.
Hook has paid tribute to his late friend, telling NME.com, "I am so deeply shocked to hear about Larry, and very upset."
Cassidy is survived by his partner, Lesley, and two children, Bethany and Nathaniel.