Musician and award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Nix is being remembered as a multi-talented artistic force and ‘beautiful man’ following his death aged 57.
Nix recorded through the 1990s with The Gadflys whose brand of ‘mongrel jazz’ and acoustic rock was heavily influenced by Violent Femmes and The Pogues.
He went on to have a successful career writing and directing animated short films, including Hello and The Missing Key, for which he also composed the music.
After being diagnosed with a brain tumour in June last year Nix pulled back from commercial filmmaking to focus on his own art and music.
He died on December 19, leaving behind wife Kathryn and sons Cohen and Arlo.
Musician and award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Nix is being remembered as a multi-talented artistic force and ‘beautiful man’ following his death aged 57. Nix is pictured in the mid 1990s
The Gadflys paid tribute to Nix on the group’s Facebook page in a heartfelt post.
‘Sorry to say our old friend and bass player Jonathan Nix has died,’ the band wrote. ‘Our deepest sympathies to Kathryn and the boys.’
Friends, fans and fellow musicians were shocked to learn of Nix’s death so close to Christmas.
‘Incomprehensible that such a gifted and utterly incredible artistic spirit and beautiful human is no longer with us,’ one woman wrote.
Another said: ‘This is a shock. Yes. Amazingly talented. Could see the world in an utterly unique way.’
Steve Kilbey, lead singer and bass guitarist for The Church, simply said: ‘Bye Jon. RIP’.
Nix (above) recorded through the 1990s with The Gadflys whose brand of ‘mongrel jazz’ and acoustic rock was heavily influenced by Violent Femmes and The Pogues
Nix had credits on The Gadflys recordings for playing double bass, banjo, piano, guitar and accordion as well as contributing vocals.
He appeared on the EPs Don’t Get Me Wrong (1993) and Guru (1994) and albums Dimitri’s Bungalow (1996) and Out of the Bag (1998).
The Gadflys were formed in Canberra in 1982 by brothers Phil and Mick Moriarty. After several breaks, variations in style and line-up changes they are still performing more than 40 years later.
A death notice in Nine newspapers stated Nix would be cremated after a private service to be attended only by family.
A public event commemorating Nix would be held early in the new year to ‘celebrate his life and world-acclaimed art, music animation’.
Nix’s family thanked the staff at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse hospital and said donations in his memory could be made to that cancer treatment centre.
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