Anthony Reynolds, the former frontman of ‘90s Britpop band Jack, has become homeless and a fundraiser has been launched to help him.
Reynolds led the Cardiff band from 1992 to 2002, releasing three studio albums. Their music often drew comparisons to the chamber pop of artists such as Scott Walker and The Divine Comedy and the art rock of Roxy Music and Suede.
In a GoFundMe page that has been created for him by John Williams, it is explained that Reynolds has been homeless “since his landlord sold the flat he had lived in for over a decade”.
The campaign aims to raise £8,000 and at time of writing has so far reached a total of over £3,400. You can see the fundraiser page here.
It goes on to say that Reynolds has had to face the “stigma” of being a “50 something self-employed musician/writer”, which has made finding a new flat difficult.
“He’s spent the last year sofa surfing, staying in b&bs, caravans and a friend of a friend’s barn,” it continues. “He has been on the council waiting list for accommodation for years, but even homeless, the most they’ve been able to offer him is a possible bed in a notoriously violent and drug-ridden homeless hostel. His parents are elderly and have quite literally no space for him. He has absolutely run out of options and is in desperate need of a secure roof over his head.”
It adds that the money would go towards a deposit on a new flat and advance rental payments, as well as £3,000 that would pay off storage costs with Cardiff council.
Jack achieved a cult following in the UK during their tenure and found a loyal following around Europe. They also recorded an EP with Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde, ‘La Belle et la Discotheque’ in 2000.
During the band’s run, Reynolds also recorded two albums with his own side project Jacques: 1997’s ‘How To Make Love, Vol. 1’ and ‘To Stars’ in 2000.
He continued to record solo music after Jack came to an end, including the 2007 album ‘British Ballads’, which featured contributions from Raymonde, writer Colin Wilson and cult folk artist Vashti Bunyan.
Reynolds has also written a number of music biographies, with subjects including Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and The Walker Brothers.