Fans Mourn Death Of Stereolab's Mary Hansen

Fans around the globe are mourning the death of Stereolab's Mary Hansen. A truck backed into the well-loved singer/guitarist as she bicycled through central London on Dec. 9, according to band spokesperson Mick Houghton. Born January 11, 1966 in Maryborough, outside Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, Hansen will be buried in her hometown on Dec. 20. She was 36 years old.

"It is with great regret and deep sadness that we announce the death of Mary Hansen," the group's members said in an official statement. "The suddenness of her death has shocked the band. Mary was a special person. Our thoughts are with her family and friends who will miss her greatly."

Since the tragedy, cyclists coast to coast in the United States — from Boston, Providence, R.I., and New York City to Santa Cruz, Calif. — and from Sydney, Australia to London have been discussing the idea of organizing Critical Mass events in Hansen's honor. Critical Mass lobbies for bike lanes and looks out for the safety of cyclists. At its events, bicyclists protest while riding en masse to raise consciousness about the need for driver safety. At minimum, Hansen's death is raising solidarity among cyclists and awareness amongst the general public.

Stereolab formed in London in the early '90s and quickly became one of the most influential experimental indie bands. Drawing on influences ranging from Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach and Esquivel to the Silver Apples, Neu!, Can and the Velvet Underground, they combined lo-fi recording with Marxist politics and '60s pop, lounge and jazz sounds — and sometimes sang in French.

Hansen met lead vocalist and French native Laetitia Sadier and her partner, English multi-instrumentalist Tim Gane, backstage at a concert in Paris. The couple had formed Stereolab in 1991. Hansen joined the group in 1992, becoming a core member along with Sadier, Gane, drummer Andy Ramsay, and High Llamas' leader guitarist/keyboardist Sean O'Hagan. (Today, the band also includes Richard Harrison on bass and Morgane Lhote on farfisa.) She first appeared on Stereolab's 1992 "Lo Fi" single, and she participated on all future releases, including such critically applauded albums as 1994's Mars Audiac Quintet and 1996's Emperor Tomato Ketchup. She added vocals to albums by Moonshake, the High Llamas, Mouse on Mars, and Brokeback, the group led by Tortoise bassist Douglas McCombs. She sings on three tracks on Brokeback's upcoming 2003 album, Looks at the Bird. Hansen also engineered Brokeback's critically applauded 1999 album, Field Recordings From Cook County.

Stereolab have released eight LPs and 11 EPs in the past decade. Their most recent album, Sound-Dust (Elektra), debuted at No. 11 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart in September 2001. (Tortoise drummer John McEntire and Sonic Youth's Jim O'Rourke, both famous producers in their own right, played on the album.) In October 2002, the group also released a compilation of their BBC Radio sessions. They've been working on a new LP, expected out next fall.

Fans from around the world are posting condolences and tributes to Hansen on Stereolab's official Web site. A family friend will print the posts and share them with her family, who are in awe at how many loved her. "I am saddened by her passing," wrote one New York-based fan in a post to the'Forum' area of the group's site. "She contributed beautiful music to this world and it will not be forgotten. I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but what struck me was the sense of humor that she displayed during the shows."

Another fan, this one based in Tokyo, Japan, wrote: "Mary, I am listening to your voice now. I've lost my words and don't know what to say. But I am just keep listening to your voice. We have never met face to face, but I love all you did in this place. I love your voice. I love your melody. I love your courage and sensitivity. I might even love the way you ride on a bike if I saw... I am still listening to her voice."

Friends and fans are invited to an evening of cocktail toasts and Stereolab music hosted by the band's U.S. tour manager on Thursday, Dec. 26 (Boxing Day) at the Detroit Bar (843 W.19th St. Costa Mesa, Calif., 949-642-0600). Attendees will "spread the word and we will make some noise, make many toasts and spread some love so loud, that Mary will hear us and know we are missing her always!"

Check the Stereolab Web site for information on Critical Mass or other events being held in Hansen's honor. — Jillian Steinberger [Friday, Dec. 13, 2002]