Ken Tucker

In 1978, that was most people's introduction to David Thomas' voice, the central sound of Per Ubu, on the opening song of their debut album, The Modern Dance. Everything Thomas would do for the next 47 years was already in place. The high-pitched growl and prickly phrasing, his stop-start way of blurting out the lyrics, the surrealist approach to imagery.

The band's personnel would change regularly over the decades. The one pair ubu constant was David Thomas. His singing, his songwriting, and his immense physical presence on stage. Not for Nothing was one of his pre-ubu stage names, Crocus Behemoth.

The band's personnel would change regularly over the decades. The one pair ubu constant was David Thomas. His singing, his songwriting, and his immense physical presence on stage. Not for Nothing was one of his pre-ubu stage names, Crocus Behemoth.

The band's personnel would change regularly over the decades. The one pair ubu constant was David Thomas. His singing, his songwriting, and his immense physical presence on stage. Not for Nothing was one of his pre-ubu stage names, Crocus Behemoth.

Thomas's death at age 71 brings to a close one of the most significant avant-garde experiments ever conducted within the confines of pop music. Emerging from Cleveland, the band was as inspired by the clanking sounds of the city's industrial factories as it was by the blues that David Thomas loved. As he said more than once, we don't promote chaos, we preserve it.

Thomas's death at age 71 brings to a close one of the most significant avant-garde experiments ever conducted within the confines of pop music. Emerging from Cleveland, the band was as inspired by the clanking sounds of the city's industrial factories as it was by the blues that David Thomas loved. As he said more than once, we don't promote chaos, we preserve it.

Thomas's death at age 71 brings to a close one of the most significant avant-garde experiments ever conducted within the confines of pop music. Emerging from Cleveland, the band was as inspired by the clanking sounds of the city's industrial factories as it was by the blues that David Thomas loved. As he said more than once, we don't promote chaos, we preserve it.

Over the years, certain themes recurred in Thomas' songwriting. He wrote lyrics that revealed a deep knowledge of 20th century hard-boiled fiction.

Over the years, certain themes recurred in Thomas' songwriting. He wrote lyrics that revealed a deep knowledge of 20th century hard-boiled fiction.

Over the years, certain themes recurred in Thomas' songwriting. He wrote lyrics that revealed a deep knowledge of 20th century hard-boiled fiction.

Novelists like Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson, and James Crumley would have covered their ears at Pere Hubu's noise, but they'd recognize a kindred spirit in the man who wrote repeatedly about desperate getaways in the ink-black night, about cynical men and tough women trying to make emotional connections.

Novelists like Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson, and James Crumley would have covered their ears at Pere Hubu's noise, but they'd recognize a kindred spirit in the man who wrote repeatedly about desperate getaways in the ink-black night, about cynical men and tough women trying to make emotional connections.

Novelists like Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson, and James Crumley would have covered their ears at Pere Hubu's noise, but they'd recognize a kindred spirit in the man who wrote repeatedly about desperate getaways in the ink-black night, about cynical men and tough women trying to make emotional connections.

In the extraordinary song called Irene from 2014's Carnival of Souls album, Thomas steals a phrase from 50s rocker Screamin' Jay Hawkins to tell Irene he thinks their love is probably doomed. For a few moments, the harsh clatter of peru-bu music subsides. His croon only underlines his despair. I put a spell on you

In the extraordinary song called Irene from 2014's Carnival of Souls album, Thomas steals a phrase from 50s rocker Screamin' Jay Hawkins to tell Irene he thinks their love is probably doomed. For a few moments, the harsh clatter of peru-bu music subsides. His croon only underlines his despair. I put a spell on you

In the extraordinary song called Irene from 2014's Carnival of Souls album, Thomas steals a phrase from 50s rocker Screamin' Jay Hawkins to tell Irene he thinks their love is probably doomed. For a few moments, the harsh clatter of peru-bu music subsides. His croon only underlines his despair. I put a spell on you

Thomas's go-to facial expression was the scowl. He liked to come off crotchety and did not suffer fools gladly. In his later years, he'd sing while seated in a chair on stage, like a king surveying his subjects, like, in fact, the Mad King Ubu in Alfred Jari's 19th century absurdist play that inspired the band's name.

Thomas's go-to facial expression was the scowl. He liked to come off crotchety and did not suffer fools gladly. In his later years, he'd sing while seated in a chair on stage, like a king surveying his subjects, like, in fact, the Mad King Ubu in Alfred Jari's 19th century absurdist play that inspired the band's name.

Thomas's go-to facial expression was the scowl. He liked to come off crotchety and did not suffer fools gladly. In his later years, he'd sing while seated in a chair on stage, like a king surveying his subjects, like, in fact, the Mad King Ubu in Alfred Jari's 19th century absurdist play that inspired the band's name.

This pair ubu enunciated like a man caught mumbling in a dream to convey the sound of distraction, confusion, or pure bliss. In the song Mandy from the 2013 album Lady from Shanghai, Thomas sings the line, I could sleep for a thousand years.