David Thomas, leader of Pere Ubu, passed today.

David Lynn Thomas (June 14, 1953 – April 23, 2025) was an American singer, songwriter, musician and poet. He was one of the founding members of the post-punk group Pere Ubu from 1975 to 1982, then 1987 through to his death in 2025.

Thomas also lead the short-lived proto-punk band Rocket from the Tombs in which he played under the moniker "Crocus Behemoth," previously in 1974 to 1975. 

Pere Ubu Studio albums:

• The Modern Dance (1978)
• Dub Housing (1978)
• New Picnic Time (1979)
• The Art of Walking (1980)
• Song of the Bailing Man (1982)
• The Tenement Year (1988)
• Cloudland (1989)
• Worlds in Collision (1991)
• Story of My Life (1993)
• Ray Gun Suitcase (1995)
• Pennsylvania (1998)
• St. Arkansas (2002)
• Why I Hate Women (2006)
• Long Live Père Ubu! (2009, with Sarah Jane Morris)
• Lady from Shanghai (2013)
• Carnival of Souls (2014)
• 20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo (2017)[75]
• The Long Goodbye (2019)[76][77]
• Trouble On Big Beat Street (2023)

He also released several solo albums and collaborative projects. 

• David Thomas & the Pedestrians
• The Sound of the Sand & Other Songs of the Pedestrian (1981)
• Variations on a Theme (1983)
• More Places Forever (1985)

• David Thomas & His Legs
• Winter Comes Home (1982) (live -disavowed by Thomas in Monster liner notes)

• David Thomas & the Wooden Birds
• Monster Walks the Winter Lake (1986)
• Blame the Messenger (1987)

• David Thomas & Foreigners
• Bay City (2000)

• David Thomas & Two Pale Boys
• Erewhon (1996)
• Meadville (1997)
• Mirror Man (1999) (as part of The Pale Orchestra)
• Surf's Up!! (2001)
• 18 Monkeys on a Dead Man's Chest (2004)

• With Unknown Instructors
• The Master's Voice (2007)

• David Thomas and P.O. Jørgens
• Live Free or Diet (CD, LP 2017)

Though primarily a singer, he was an instrumentalist who also occasionally played melodeon, trombone, musette, guitar or other instruments.

Thomas had a distinctive, high pitched voice; Emerson Dameron comically described Thomas' singing as "James Stewart trapped in an oboe", and Greil Marcus writes, "Mr Thomas's voice is that of a man muttering in a crowd. You think he's talking to himself until you realize he's talking to you."

Visit with my Mom in Williamstown.  Excellent Visit once again.