Bruce Loose

Bruce Loose
Loose on stage with Flipper in 1984
Loose on stage with Flipper in 1984
Background information
Also known asBruce Loose
Bruce Lose
Born
Bruce Richard Calderwood

June 6, 1959
California, US
DiedSeptember 8, 2025(2025-09-08) (aged 66)
Humboldt County, California, US
GenrePunk rock
InstrumentsVocals, bass
Years active1979–1994, 2005–2015
Formerly ofFlipper

Bruce Richard Calderwood (1956 — September 5, 2025) was an American punk singer. He was a co-lead singer and bassist for Flipper from 1979 to 2015.

Career

Loose joined Flipper in 1979 after they kicked out their original lead singer, Ricky Williams. He originally sang as "Bruce Lose" before switching to "Loose" as he "he wanted to be less negative". The band was unique for having two singer/bassist, Loose and Will Shatter. When Shatter died in 1987, the band went on hiatus during which Loose was left with a broken back after a car accident in 1994.

He returned to the stage in 2002, with support from a walking cane, for a one-off gig at Berkeley's 924 Gilman Street space billed as "Not Flipper". Loose reformed Flipper with Ted Falconi and Steve DePace in 2005. Loose was "voted out" of Flipper in 2015 due to health problems and was replaced by David Yow.

Personal life

He was born to Beatnik parents in California in 1956. Loose was married to poet and artist Meri St. Mary and had a child with her.

After many years of health problems, Bruce died on September 5, 2025 at his home in Humboldt County, California from a suspected heart attack aged 66. He had also suffered a stroke in June.

References

  1. ↑ Pilley, Max (2025-09-06). "Flipper singer-bassist Bruce Loose dies aged 66". NME. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  2. ↑ "Flipper Frontman Bruce Loose Dead At 66". Stereogum. 2025-09-06. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  3. 1 2 3 rocknews (2025-09-08). "Bruce Loose Flipper's Singer & Punk Icon, Dies at 66". Rock News. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Monroe, Jazz (2025-09-07). "Bruce Loose, Vocalist of Hardcore Titans Flipper, Dies at 66". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  5. ↑ Megan Sims, cleveland com (2025-09-07). "'80s punk icon who influenced Kurt Cobain dies at 66". cleveland. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  6. ↑ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; ClashMusic (2019-07-26). "Life Is The Only Thing Worth Living For: Flipper Interviewed". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2025-09-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Wolf, Seth. "Noise | San Francisco Bay Guardian". www.sfbg.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  8. ↑ Kaufman, Spencer (2025-09-05). "Bruce Loose, Singer-Bassist for Influential Punk Band Fliipper, Dead at 66". Consequence. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  9. ↑ "FLIPPER". www.fearandloathingfanzine.com. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  10. ↑ "FLIPPER vocalist Bruce "Loose" Calderwood dead at 66 from heart attack". lambgoat.com. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  11. ↑ Chick, Stevie (2025-09-08). "Bruce Loose brought his own unique blend of complexity and a menacing darkness to San Francisco punks Flipper". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  12. 1 2 San Francisco Chronicle
  13. ↑ "Perfect Sound Forever: Bomb, Jay Crawford". www.furious.com. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  14. ↑ Punknews.org (2025-09-05). "In Memoriam: Bruce Loose of Flipper has passed away". www.punknews.org. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  15. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "Flipper vocalist Bruce Loose dies at 66". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2025-09-08.