SHAUN Ryder’s brother and Happy Mondays bassist Paul has passed away suddenly at the age of 57.
The musician was found dead today just hours before the band was due to play at Kubix Festival in Sunderland.
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The circumstances of Paul’s death are unknown.
Shaun59, and Paul were the original founders of The Happy Mondays – which have hits including Step on and loose fit.
Paul previously struggled with addiction and was open about his heroin use in the band’s early days.
He previously said, “We couldn’t have Calpol for the kids. I’d drink a lot.”
Paul hit rock bottom when his youngest son, Chico, was diagnosed with cancer at age ten.
Paul said of that time: “I found myself coaching him in inhaling cannabis vapor from a vaporizing machine.
“My drug problems are well documented. I almost lost my life. But it was cannabis that saved my son’s.”
Paul also spoke openly about his brotherly rivalry with Shaun – with whom he started The Happy Mondays in 1980.
He said, “Yeah, Shaun is a lyrical genius, but sometimes I look at him onstage and think, ‘What a button.
“The wild stories about what we came up with to record our fourth album in Barbados were all myths and spoofs.”
Speaking to the Mirror, Paul said the couple had a healthy sibling rivalry since childhood.
The guitarist, who is in . lived Francesaid of Shaun, “When I was three, he pushed me off my bike and I had to be treated in the hospital.
“I still have the scars on my hands and it still drives me crazy just looking at it.
“Things always went wrong between us.
“I was about nine years old when he took a psychosis on me with his new golf club and split my head.”
In addition to starring in The Happy Mondays, Paul had a brief foray into film, including Losing It.
He also appeared in a movie about the band. Named 24 Hour Party People, where he played a gangster.
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