Epic Soundtracks, a drummer and songwriter whose 20-year career encompassed early punk rock and classic, Beach Boy-style pop, was found dead in his London apartment on Saturday.

Initial reports estimated that Soundtracks, born Paul Godley, had been dead between one and two weeks, according to Tom Prendergast of Bar/None Records, the label that released Soundtracks' solo albums.  Friends had grown worried when Soundtracks didn't return calls, and contacted his parents and brother, musician Nikki Sudden. They in turn called Soundtrack's landlord, who discovered the body. At this point, Prendergast says, nobody is sure of the cause of death, although a suicide is suspected. An autopsy will be performed soon.

Raised in Leamington Spa, a small town just north of London, Soundtracks and Sudden formed the Swell Maps in the early '70s. Encouraged by the punk explosion, the Maps released their first single in 1978 and recorded two albums before breaking up in 1980. While neither album was released in the U.S., their anarchic combination of aggressive guitar, pop hooks and random noise influenced Sonic Youth, among others.

Soundtracks remained with his brother, playing drums on Sudden's solo albums and joining Sudden and Dave Kusworth in the Jacobites in 1984. In 1986, Soundtracks left to join Crime and City Solution, playing on "Suit of Lights," before leaving the band to form These Immortal Souls with Roland S. Howard.

None of these projects foreshadowed Soundtracks' more delicate solo work. Mixing the classic Brill  Building pop of Carole King and Neil Diamond with  the yearning emotionalism of Laura Nyro and his hero, Brian Wilson, Soundtracks won fans among  fellow musicians for the shaggy intimacy and lived-in vocals of 1993's "Rise Above" and 1994's "Sleeping Star." One particularly ardent admirer was Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando, with whom Soundtracks co-wrote the song "C'Mon Daddy" for the Lemonheads' "Car Button Cloth" album.

Soundtracks' solo records came closest to representing his personality -- soft-spoken and rumpled, with a dry humor. He could tell an interviewer with a straight face that Epic Soundtrax, the soundtrack division of Epic Records, had to change the spelling of its name because he owned the rights to those words. But he was also prone to bouts of romantic melancholy. "He was a gentle, fragile sweet guy," Prendergast said.

Rolling Stone Magazine

       Epic was born Kevin Paul Godfrey in Croydon, England, on March 23, 1959 to mother, Lois, and father, Trevor. He had one brother, Nicholas. The children's upbringing wasn't particulary musical although their father is a fine pianist. Music seemed to seek them out and attach itself to them. 

       The year of 1972 was the real catalyst. Epic introduced his brother, Nikki Sudden, to music and the pair formed what would be the first of many bands. These teenage outfits gradually evolved into Swell Maps. The band made their first single, Read About Seymour, during September 1977 - this, as all their other releases, featured Soundtracks on drums and piano. All of these records reached the number one position in the English underground charts. 

       Swell Maps broke up in March, 1980, after an Italian tour. Epic made his first solo single and also teamed up with fellow ex-Map, Jowe Head, to work on a joint album (the sessions resulted in one single). He also played intermittently with his brother, Nikki, in the latter's recently formed Jacobites. 

       Epic was asked to join Crime And The City Solution, a band mainly made up of ex-Birthday Party members.  This launched him on a series of collaborations with guitarist Rowland Howard which would last for the next ten years. After Crime, Rowland and epic put together These Immortal Souls. At firstEpic was happy enough contributing drums and occasional piano to these bands but soon he began to realise his own music. With this thought in his mind he began recording his first solo album, Rise Above.  

       Rise Above was a brilliant mixture of his favorite influences, everything from Harry Nilsson to Brian Wilson was reflected in the music. From Jimmy Webb to Alex Chilton. From Laura Nyro to Carole King and back again. He continued recording albums throughout the 1990's. These were produced in close collaboration with Henry Olsen, late of Primal Sream.  

       At the time of his death Epic Soundtracks had just completed a successful European tour along with guitarist, Kevin Junior. The pair had also recorded demos for what was to be Epic's fifth solo release. These will be released before too long, under the title Epic had chosen for the album, Happy Things. Also scheduled is a  'best-of' album which Epic had compiled. This will be called Wild Smile - the title was one he had originally intended for Rise Above. A further project which Epic had worked on, Debris Vol II, will also be released eventually.  

       Solo Albums