DANI FILTH Pays Tribute To Former CRADLE OF FILTH Guitarist STUART ANSTIS - "An Amazingly Talented Guitarist Who Brought A Real Sense Of Magick To Everything He Wrote"
August 23, 2022, 2 years ago
Cradle Of Filth leader, Dani Filth, has paid tribute to the band's former guitarist, Stuart Anstis, who has passed away at 48 years of age. Dani took to social media to share the following:
"It is with a deeply saddened heart that I have heard of the passing of my former guitarist Stuart Anstis at 48.
Stuart - despite our eventual differences - was an amazingly talented guitarist who brought a real sense of magick to everything he wrote in Cradle Of Filth.
For a long time he and I were bestest of friends living in a small village here in Suffolk and despite that relationship eventually changing, it did nothing to diminish the fan’s appreciation of his creative flair and talent right up to the present day.
Vempire, Dusk… And Her Embrace’(though written mostly by former members, Stuart played all the guitars on this album), Cruelty And The Beast and From The Cradle To Enslave would have been completely different creatures if it were not for the depth of his astute and deliciously dark musicianship.
It truly is with a heavy sense of loss that we (and extreme music in general) bid farewell to Stuart.
May sombre flights of ravens wing you to your grave mate.
Rest In Phallustein. - Dani Filth, Midian, 2022 e.h."
Anstis was with Cradle Of Filth from 1995 - 1999, writing and recording for Dusk And Her Embrace (1996) and Cruelty And The Beast (1998), as well as the EPs V Empire (1996) and From The Cradle To Enslave (1999).
Guitarist Richard Shaw, who recently left COF's ranks, shared the news of Stuart's passing via Instagram. His post can be viewed below:
Former Cradle Of Filth guitarist James McIlroy - who was with the band from 2003 until 2005 - shared the following tribute to Anstis:
"Saddened to hear of the passing of Staurt Anstis. Although I never met him, I always deeply admired what he wrote during my time in Cradle. Loved playing the riffs he committed to tape. Most of the songs I really looked forward to playing in the many setlists over the years had his dna in them, and even before that, the albums and EPs I loved the most featured him.
Whilst I think a load of people will post stuff of Cruelty, Dusk, well, have this, a criminally underrated epic from V Empire, which guitar wise (I believe) was all Stuart. It's also one I'd have loved to have been able to play live."
(Top photo - Dani Filth Facebook)
