Pete Byrne, vocalist for the British new wave band Naked Eyes, died in Los Angeles on Sept. 14 after a brief illness. Byrne founded Naked Eyes in 1982 with his college friend Rob Fisher. Their debut album “Burning Bridges” reached No. 32 on the 200, and the duo achieved four top 40 hits on the Hot 100 across their two studio albums in 1983 and 1984: the Burt Bacharach cover “Always Something There to Remind Me,” “Promises, Promises,” “When the Lights Go Out” and “(What) In the Name of Love.” Naked Eyes, which never toured, broke up after their second album.
In addition to his work with Naked Eyes, Byrne provided backing vocals on Stevie Wonder’s 1985 hit “Part-Time Lover,” as well as songwriting for film, television and for the Olsen twins. Byrne continued writing, recording and touring throughout the U.S. and internationally after Fisher’s death in 1999. He released “The Real Illusion” as a solo album in 2001 before reforming Naked Eyes in 2005.
The reimagined group released “Fumbling with the Covers” in 2007, “Disguise the Limit” in 2021 and a remaster of the original “Naked Eyes” self-titled album in 2025. Born in Islington, North London, Byrne was part of a duo with Jeff Starrs from 1976 to 1977 and the band Studio from 1977 to 1979 with Clive Wright, Stash Huchrack and Richard Fenton. From 1979 to 1982, Byrne was in the band Neon which included Fisher, as well as future Tears for Fears members Neil Taylor, Manny Elias, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal.
Peter is survived by his siblings Eileen, Sandy, Carol and Steve; his three children, Merlin, Dylan and Chloe; and his ex-wife, Elena.
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