Reports are coming in that Chuck Stern of Stern, Time of Orchids, and Sculptress has passed away. His longtime friend and Sculptress bandmate Charlie Looker shared the sad news and a tribute, which reads:
This post is in remembrance of Chuck Stern, who died on December 10. Chuck was my best friend for 30 years, a brilliant musician, visual artist, and writer, who I loved like a brother. We grew up together, and formed each other in profound and permanent ways. We ran around the city, made 4-track jams, filmed skits, chased girls, got robbed, got into metal, and drank 40s on rooftops together. After a brutal falling out this summer, we had just begun steps toward a reconciliation, and I hold onto faith that it would have happened.
With his music and lyrics, Chuck created an entire cosmos all his own, a lush, mysterious, scary, hilarious, gorgeous dream within a dream. “Uncompromising” would be an understatement. He was allergic to bullshit and pretentiousness in all forms, and wouldn’t let you slide for a second. You would be forced to see yourself, and revel in laughter. Chuck brought to the world an original and nuanced point of view, communicated through surreal imagery and disarming wordplay. His absurd voices, gesticulations, and characters animated, delighted, and legitimately influenced everyone around him.
Despite some real pain in his life, Chuck remained passionate to the end in how he spoke about music, film, his friends, and the entire realm of the imagination. Chuck was committed to beauty, truth, and fun, as ways of coping with, and playing with, the absurdities of existence. He was loved by many, and he loved his friends truly. He was a cherished member of our musical community, respected by people who he respected.
I will miss Chuck for the rest of my days, as will so many of you. We were blessed to have him for as long as we did.
Charlie has said it very well. We lost Chuck Stern last week. I loved him as a friend and as an artist. He was not only a wonderful and warm person, but also in no uncertain terms he was an artistic genius, way ahead of his time in music, writing, and humor. I’ll miss him so much, and all of our lives will now be much less interesting. A profound loss. Please spend some time with Chuck’s massive catalogue of music and videos, easily discoverable online.
Cause of death has not yet been publicized. Rest in peace, Chuck.
