Nikki Sudden died Sunday at the age of 49. No official cause of death has been made public.

Sudden rose to fame in Swell Map's, the brief but seminal 1970's rock combo. Nikki Sudden more recently collaborated with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry on the album 'The Jewel Thief' in 1990 which was later reissued as 'Liquor, Guns & Ammo.2

Sudden's most recent album, was the solo 'The Truth Doesn't Matter,' and a was set to perform at london date booked this wednesday (29th March) with his band the Jacobites. That is still going ahead as a tribute to the star.

Nikki's myspace page has become a letter of condolences to the influencial talent.
http://www.myspace.com/nikkisudden