PBS is saddened by the passing of Ron S. Peno. As a member of Died Pretty, Screaming Tribesmen, Darling Downs and many more - most recently fronting Ron S. Peno and the Superstitions - Ron's presence in and influence on our country's musical landscape cannot be overstated.
PBS has has a long relationship with Ron S. Peno. His most recent LP with The Superstitions, Do The Understanding, was PBS Feature Album in August 2021, and he's been a guest countless times, including performing a very special Studio 5 Live performance on Mixing Up The Medicine in 2015.
Many PBS announcers and listeners will be affected by the news of Ron’s passing, including Sunglass After Dark's host, Macdougall.
"PBS is saddened to hear of the passing of Ron S. Peno Friday August 11. Died Pretty where one of the great Australian bands of the 1980s and into the 2000s . For over two decades they put on amazing shows both here and around the world and still played live up until recently. Died Pretty where one of the first Australian garage bands to become really popular at the time in Europe and the U.K. They paved the way for other bands to play overseas in Europe especially, and it was then possible to get a following if you were from Australia.
"Not only was Ron S. Peno a great vocalist and front person of the band, but along with guitarist Brett Myers a great song writer as well. Both has been in Brisbane band The End in 1983 which by year's end had relocated to Sydney. By early 1984, Died Pretty signed to Citadel Records and a fantastic run of records appeared. Their first single 'Out of the Unknown' was released in April 1984, followed by singles 'Mirror Blues' and 'Stoneage Cinderella'.
"Their debut album - 1986's Free Dirt - was a classic Australian album and received lots of airplay on PBS at the time. Died Pretty had a dark side to their music in the same way that the Velvet Underground and Pere Ubu had . We liked them straight away, especially the Seaview Ballroom crowd in St. Kilda. I can still remember going to a punk party in Mitford Street in St. Kilda and the Free Dirt album had just come out , it was on repeat all day!
"Ron S. Peno was not a tall man but on stage he was an absolute giant of a man, so charismatic with an incredible presence. Everybody was just glued to the man. When Radio Birdman and Died Pretty co-headlined a tour around Australia in 2017, they both performed at the Croxton Hotel here in Melbourne over two nights and when Died Pretty were on stage, you could hear guys in the audience yelling out 'Ron we love you!'.
"However off stage he was a quiet man, even reserved in nature. He recorded three albums with Kim Salmon under the name Darling Downs, and over the last twelve years four albums as Ron S. Peno and the Superstitions, all of which are fantastic.
"His music will live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who knew him both in Australia and overseas. He was truly loved by everybody that meet him throughout his life."
- Phil Macdougall, Sunglasses After Dark
All at PBS send Ron’s family, friends and fans love at this difficult time.
