Echo & The Bunnymen Keyboardist Killed In Crash

A former keyboard player with Echo and the Bunnymen has been killed in a motorbike crash on the Isle of Man.

According to the BBC, Jake Brockman died when his bike was in collision with a converted ambulance near Kirk Michael on Tuesday.

Known to fans as the "Fifth Bunnyman", he had been associated with the Liverpool band since the 80s and became a full-time member in 1989. Tragedy struck EatB in similar circumstances just over 20 years ago when the band's first drummer Pete De Freitas also died in a motorcycle accident.

In a statement, Brockman's wife Sally Mundy said: "Jake was always a classic bike enthusiast, he loved sailing though he was invariably seasick.

"Music was central to Jake's life."

The band have paid tribute to Mr Brockman on their official website.

He was was riding along the Kirk Michael to Ballaugh Road on Tuesday evening when the accident happened. Mr Brockman was taken to Noble's Hospital but died from his injuries a few hours later.

Fans are flocking to Bunnymen messageboards stating their admiration for Brockman. One noted the generosity of the man at the Bunnymen Underground board reciting an old story, typical of the man:

"That's very sad news. I remember, as a skint 15 year old soon after Ocean Rain was released, writing to the Bunnymen's PO Box in Liverpool to ask if I could buy a single copy of their Freakbeat fanzine and (probably a few weeks later) an envelope coming back with a copy of the fanzine and a handwritten letter from Jake explaining that you had to subscribe with words to the effect that "If you're that skint here's a free copy of the first issue". It meant a lot that he'd taken the time to do so, even more so when I found out a year or two later that he was regarded as the fifth Bunnyman."

Jake Brockman Photo from: sideburnmag.blogspot.com