David Fair has died at the age of 74. The death of the Half Japanese co-founder was announced by several family members and reported by Rolling Stone.
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"It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my father, David Fair, passed away on August 29th, 2026. He lived a beautiful life of love, kindness, and creativity," his daughter Harper wrote on his Facebook page. "Somewhere not on this Earth he has been reunited with the love of his life Pam. Thank you all for honoring him, I know he's smiling down at every picture and video he sees."
David Fair Co-Founded Half Japanese
David founded Half Japanese with his brother Jad in their bedroom. The group debuted with an EP in 1977. Three years later, its experimental full-length, 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts, was released.
Filled with noisy covers, including an ear-splitting rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "10th Avenue Freezeout," and inventive sound experiments, it garnered the band a considerable following in certain circles.
David's DIY attitude also shaped his popular essay, How to Play Guitar.
"Even if you took a few years and learned all the chords, you'd still have a limited number of options," he wrote. "If you ignore the chords, your options are infinite, and you can master guitar playing in one day."
Kurt Cobain Was a Fan
The cult around Half Japanese grew considerably in the 1980s, and some pretty famous fans joined in. Magician Penn Jillette helped David and Jad build their record label, named 50 Skidillion Watts.
Then Nirvana asked the group to open for them for several shows on its In Utero tour. It's been reported that Kurt Cobain was wearing a Half Japanese T-shirt when he died.
David would leave and rejoin the band throughout its run. He would also go on to have a career as a prolific visual artist. He produced the surreal web series The Big Baby Show, and also released several solo albums.
"David was one of those people who showed you that music didn't have to follow any rules," said Travis McElroy, the head of Fair's label, Thick Syrup Records. "You could just make something because you needed to make it. He was a genuinely good, one-of-a-kind human being. I'm thankful our paths crossed and that I got to know him beyond the music. I have a lot of memories that mean even more to me now."
He then added, "It's hard knowing someone you've known and cared about is suddenly just gone. I don't have anything profound to say. I'm just really f*****g sad, and I'm going to miss my friend."
