Mars Williams Dies: Psychedelic Furs, The Waitresses Saxophonist Was 68
deadline.comMarc Charles Williams, better known as Mars Williams, the front-and-center saxophonist of ’80s New Wave bands The Waitresses and The Psychedelic Furs, died Nov.
20 of the rare and aggressive ampullary cancer in a Chicago hospice facility. He was 68. His death was announced by his family on a GoFundMe page last month, but has more recently gained widespread attention.
His brother Paul R. Williams confirmed the cause of death to The New York Times for an obituary posted today. Following his initial stints in the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs – both bands were early MTV favorites with videos often spotlighting the playful Williams, and he would reunite with the Furs throughout his life – the saxophonist went on to lead his own jazz ensembles including the influential, Grammy-nominated acid jazz group Liquid Soul in the 1990s.
A statement posted by his family on the GoFundMe page reads, in part, “Until the end, Mars’ inexhaustible humor and energy, and his love for music, pushed him forward.
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