Bernie Lynch, guitarist and songwriter for Eurogliders and co-writer of Heaven (Must Be There), has died after a battle with cancer. He was 65. News of Lynch's passing was shared by longtime bandmate and collaborator Grace Knight, who posted a heartfelt tribute confirming he died last Thursday evening in palliative care.
Lynch had been diagnosed with throat cancer in early 2024 and initially responded well to treatment, allowing him to return to work. However, later in the year further cancers appeared throughout his body, affecting his bones and organs, and his condition deteriorated rapidly. Chemotherapy was considered as a way to extend his life, but his health declined to the point where treatment could no longer continue.
Eurogliders emerged from Perth's late 1970s new wave scene, a period when Australian music was absorbing international post-punk influences while still maintaining a distinctive local character. Lynch had previously fronted a band called The Stockings before forming Living Single with keyboardist Amanda Vincent in 1980. After recruiting guitarist Crispin Akerman, bassist Don Meharry and drummer Guy Slingerland, the group began to evolve into what would soon become Eurogliders. The arrival of Knight as lead vocalist in 1981 proved pivotal. By the end of that year the band adopted the name Eurogliders and began building a reputation on the national pub and club circuit.
Recognised as a founding member and the creative force behind Eurogliders, Lynch co-wrote and co-produced the band's Australian #2 single, Heaven (Must Be There), which also peaked at #21 in the US. Eurogliders are also known for other top ten singles, We Will Together and Can't Wait To See You, with their albums This Island and Absolutely reaching the top ten on the Australian Charts. After disbanding in 1989, Eurogliders pursued other musical projects before reuniting on multiple occasions in the following decades.
In her tribute, Knight painted a portrait of Lynch that went well beyond his musical contributions. "I am heartbroken and don't know how to proceed without him," Knight wrote. She noted that in 1977, upon arriving in Australia as a 21-year-old, she met Lynch, and the pair had been in each other's lives ever since. "I can't imagine what our lives would have looked like had we not crossed paths with each other. I don't know how many shows Eurogliders have done over the years, it must be thousands, and for every single one of them, I've had Bernie there, standing beside me." Knight described Lynch as an "incredibly kind and caring person" who was "generous to a fault." He'd look after his bandmates, cook for them, and make people laugh, as well as being the first to call someone up if he knew they were unwell.
Knight added that "Without Bernie's songs, there would be no Eurogliders," explaining that "Songs he wrote as a young man that are still being listened to, songs that 40 years later still get played on the radio, songs that people still sing along to at our shows."