Written by: Alex Green

Ron Peno, who sang for the legendary Australian band Died Pretty has died.

The New South Wales born musician died of cancer at his Melbourne home.

He was 68.

Peno was in the Brisbane punk outfit The Hellcats in the mid-’70s and later was in the 31st and Screaming Tribesmen.

After leaving the Tribesmen he formed Died Pretty, who put out nearly ten critically-acclaimed albums, including Every Brilliant Eye (1990) and Trace (1993).

The band’s sound was a whirling blend of focused intensity that was crafted by using elements of psychedelia, garage rock and post-punk.

Over the course of their decorated career they opened for R.E.M., toured with Radio Birdman, were nominated for several ARIA awards, had top ten albums in Italy, were praised by everyone from Melody Maker to Mojo and had their 1991 album Doughboy Hollow declared to be one of the 100 best Australian albums of all time.