Electronic music pays tribute to David Lynch, visionary filmmaker and musician dead at 78

Figures from across the world of electronic music have paid tribute to David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker, writer and musician who has died at the age of 78.

Lynch’s death was confirmed in a social media post by his family, who wrote: “It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

Lynch – who was known for his often experimental and surreal TV and film works including Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet – revealed last August that he had been living with emphysema following a lifetime of smoking. In an interview with The Guardian in November, he spoke further about the breathing difficulties triggered by his health condition, saying: “I can hardly walk across a room. It’s like you’re walking around with a plastic bag around your head.”

Deadline has reported that sources said Lynch’s health took a turn for the worse after he was forced to evacuate from his home due to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.

Among the electronic musicians and DJs sharing tributes following news of his death were Glasgow’s Optimo (Espacio), who shared a picture on Instagram of member JD Twitch with Lynch alongside the caption: “One of [the] greats has moved on. David Lynch RIP. Let’s focus on what he gave us though, not what is gone.”

Paul Woolford, aka Special request, also took to Instagram to describe Lynch as a “colossal all-time inspiration”, adding that “there’s nobody else quite like him” and “there never will be”.

On X, Cosey Fanni Tutti described Lynch as her “favourite filmmaker of the most extraordinary and beautiful films”. She added that “no one comes close”.

Moby, who sampled the theme tune to one of Lynch’s most influential works, Twin Peaks, on his hit single ‘Go’, said he was “just heartbroken” by the filmmaker’s passing. “Rest in peace, dear friend,” he added.

Scroll through a selection of tributes to David Lynch below.

Born in Missoula, Montana in 1946, Lynch first studied painting at art college in the 1960s and made his first short film, Six Men Getting Sick, towards the end of that decade.

After moving to Los Angeles in 1971 to study filmmaking at the American Film Institute (AFI), Lynch started work on his first feature film, Eraserhead, which he finally finished in 1976. Released in 1977 and partly funded by the AFI, the black-and-white body horror was met with largely negative critical reviews, but gained a cult following on the midnight movie circuit.

Next, Lynch directed 1980 film The Elephant Man, a biopic of Joseph Merrick which starred John Hurt in the leading role. It was nominated for eight oscars and earned Lynch his first nomination for best director at the prestigious awards ceremony. His next film, an adaption of the sci-fi novel Dune, was a significant critical and commercial failure, however, with Lynch largely disowning the film upon its release due to a post-production recut that he didn’t approve of. 

Lynch’s next film, 1986’s Blue Velvet, saw him settle into the noir mystery thriller genre that dominated much of his work going forward. Starring Kyle McLachlan, Isabella Rossellini and Laura Dern – actors with whom Lynch worked on multiple projects – it earned him his second Oscar nomination for best director.

Next, Lynch turned his attention to writing and directing for TV, working on two seasons of Twin Peaks. The murder-mystery, which saw an FBI agent investigate the death of local teenager Laura Palmer, was a hit and also birthed a feature film prequel, Fire Walk With Me, in 1992, and a third season, which ran in 2017.

Further film work from Lynch through the ’90s and into the ’00s included the Nicolas Cage-starring Wild At Heart, 1997’s Lost Highway and one of Lynch’s most widely-acclaimed movies, 2001’s Mulholland Drive. Initially envisioned as a TV series, it was cancelled by TV network ABC after a pilot was shot, but was picked up by StudioCanal with a view to reworking the concept into a film. It earned Lynch his third nomination for best director at the Oscars.

Lynch’s final feature film was 2006’s three-hour surrealist thriller Inland Empire. Starring Laura Dern in the lead role, it was shot on video and featured a series of vignettes that included a trio of anthropomorphised rabbits.

Lynch was also a musician who established a key working relationship with legendary film soundtrack producer Angelo Badalamenti. They collaborated on 2018 album ‘Thought Gang’ and also worked together on music for Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive. Additionally, Lynch made music for Eraserhead and Inland Empire, and released two solo studio albums: 2011’s ‘Crazy Clown Time’ and 2013’s ‘The Big Dream’.

Throughout his career, Lynch supported, spotlighted and collaborated with artists in electronic and experimental music including Nine Inch Nails, Hudson Mohawke, Lawrence English, Flying Lotus, Grouper and Danger Mouse.  His most recent music-based release was last year’s ‘Cellophane Memories’, the third collaborative album he made with Chrystabell, after 2011’s ‘This Train’ and 2016’s ‘Somewhere In The Nowhere’.