Jo
Officer! are extremely saddened to announce the passing of our
dear friend and longtime collaborator Joey Stack – Jo Benjafield.
Jo was a natural and constantly engaging presence in her appearances,
with her instantly recognisable voice and keyboard work, irrepressible
wit and enthusiasm.
In the 1980’s she played alongside Mick Hobbs, Alig Pearce, Carrie Brooks
and Annie Hunt in the Lo Yo Yo – touring Europe – producing cassette releases,
a single vinyl album – ’Extra Weapons’, recorded at Cold Storage – the Lo Yo Yo
were catchy, poppy, rough and soulful, giving Jo the opportunity to soar as the
group’s lead vocalist.
Jo made many memorable contributions to Officer! recordings including the
rediscovered classic ’Elephant Flowers’ from the long-lost ’Dead Unique’ LP.
When that album was released, some nineteen years after its production,
Jo was an essential part of the reformed group, alongside her daughter Tilly –
their live return at London’s I.C.A. is immortalised as ’Never Mind The Bucket’ .
Jo featured in each Officer! recording project and live appearance since.
Despite living with with cancer for years, that sometimes put those plans in peril,
she always managed to battle through, with incredible strength and courage.
Some of her last recordings will feature on the forthcoming Officer! album,
Paragraphs and Principles, which we will dedicate to her memory.
Her spirit, humour and warmth stays within us.
Goodbye Jo, you’ll be sorely missed by so many.
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