The bassist passed away on Saturday (12Sep15) in Llandough Hospital near Cardiff, Wales.

Merrick's former Shamones bandmate Andy Johnson broke the sad news to fans on his Facebook.com page, writing, "On behalf of his daughter, Ella, and sons, Richard and Christian, it is with so much sadness that I announce that my best friend, Bryn Merrick, passed away peacefully this morning after a long battle with cancer at Llandough Hospital near Cardiff.

Merrick joined the Damned in 1984 following the departure of Paul Gray and played on the group's biggest hit album Phantasmagoria and the hit cover of Barry Ryan's Eloise. He left the band in 1989.

Paying tribute to his former bandmate on Monday (14Sep15), Captain Sensible tells Classic Rock Magazine, "What a character he was. I didn’t see as much of him as my colleagues, but I’ve heard many funny stories about the lovable rogue over the years.

"I called on Thursday, letting him know he was much loved in Damned circles and thanking him for his important part in the band’s history. But hearing the news that he’d died just before we hit the stage at Chicago Riot Fest was still a real shocker. Our set was thus dedicated to the great man, just before we played his fave song, Ignite. Bryn liked the fast stuff - it was the way he lived his life."