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17 September 1969 – 4 March 2019The record producer and XL label head on a true gentleman and the era’s most electric and original stage presence• Judith Kerr remembered by Lauren Child• Read the Observer’s obituaries of 2019 in fullThe passion Keith brought to everything was immense, and so was his kindness. He was the embodiment of countercultural values, but he was unlike many musicians who adopt a stance of rebellion, because it wasn’t a pose. He knew who he was. That allowed him to be relaxed and fun, and kind to people. What James Blunt tweeted about him after he died speaks volumes. Everyone felt included when Keith was around. He knew there was no need for rudeness; he was a gentleman.
I first met Keith around 1990. He’d left Essex in his late teens, and had been travelling across Europe and the Middle East. He had long hair back then as he was a bit of a hippy – a hippy crossed with a punk. He embodied ideals from both of those worlds. Continue reading...