Douglas McCarthy, lead singer and co-founder of Nitzer Ebb, has died at age 58. His death was confirmed in a statement from his bandmates, posted to social media.
“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform that Douglas McCarthy passed away this morning of June 11th, 2025,” it read. “We ask everyone to please be respectful of Douglas, his wife, and family in this difficult time.” The cause of death was not shared; the statement concluded, “we appreciate your understanding and will share more information soon.”
McCarthy was born in East London in 1966, but grew up in Essex. There, he attended school with his future group members Vaughan “Bon” Harris and David Gooday. The trio founded Nitzer Ebb in 1982: “We played our first at the Chelmsford YMCA and quickly got a following from the punks,” McCarthy told AnOther in 2012. They were inspired by Essex’s synth band scene, developing their synth-punk style that would pioneer the electronic body music (EBM) genre.
The band released their first single, “Isn’t It Funny How Your Body Works,” in 1985, and their first album, That Total Age, in 1987. They promoted the record by joining labelmates Depeche Mode for their “Music for the Masses” European tour. McCarthy became known for his energetic, cathartic performance style, with a 1989 LA Times review describing a Nitzer Ebb performance as an “interesting show, thanks largely to McCarthy’s athletic, pumped-up performing style and the punk-influenced fervor of his yowling.”
Nitzer Ebb disbanded following their 1995 album Big Hit, before reforming in 2006. In the years in between, McCarthy teamed up with French producer Terence Tixmer to form the duo Fixmer/McCarthy, and he released his only solo album, Kill Your Friends, in 2013.
In 2024, McCarthy announced he would no longer be touring with Nitzer Ebb due to cirrhosis. He shared on social media that he was taking the break “for myself and the amazing people I have around me who continue to stand by my side in full support of getting me better.” He is survived by his wife and family.
