Punk, Glam, and New Wave Artist Ian North Has Passed Away

Ian North, the founder of the ’70s glam / power-pop band Milk N’ Cookies, has passed away following a heart attack last week. He was 68 years old. The news broke through an announcement from his longtime friend, musician, and photographer Paul Zone, who stated, “It’s with great sadness I share the news that Ian North (Milk ‘n Cookies) died this morning. I have been on the phone with Ian’s wife all week, he had a massive heart attack last Saturday.”

Milk N’ Cookies was formed in 1973, and included in its lineup Justin Strauss (who would later become a famous electronic artist and DJ), Michael Ruiz (also of Paul Collins’ American band The Beat), and Sal Maida (who also performed in Sparks, and Roxy Music). 

Following the release of their debut single “Little, Lost And Innocent” backed with the b-side “Good Friends”, Island Records found marketable the band difficult, later deciding to categorize them as Punk.

By the time the band finally released their self-titled 1975 debut album, Milk N’ Cookies had broken up, with Ian North had embraced punk, moved to England, and formed the band Ian North’s Radio with Sparks bassist Martin Gordon along with the Simon brothers, Paul and Robert. The group would transform into a new incarnation called Neo following Gordon’s departure for Radio Stars. 

After this stint in the UK, his visa would eventually expire, leaving North to return to New York. It was at this time his sound further evolved, utilizing synthesizers and affordable recording technology to create synth-pop and new wave through his debut full-length album as a solo artist, My Girlfriend’s Dead, and then on his Rape of the Orchids EP.

“He was the first person who believed in me,” Justin Strauss wrote on Instagram in a touching tribute. “We bonded over the music we loved and would spend endless hours dreaming and scheming up our plans to be pop stars. Like me Ian lived for it 24/7. It was all he wanted, to be respected as a great songwriter in the coolest band. He wrote all the songs in Milk n’ Cookies and they are timeless perfect pop masterpieces.” 

Milk N’ Cookies was formed in 1973, and included in its lineup Justin Strauss (who would later become a famous electronic artist and DJ), Michael Ruiz (also of Paul Collins’ American band The Beat), and bassist Sal Maida (who also performed in Sparks, and Roxy Music).

Following the release of their debut single “Little, Lost And Innocent” backed with the b-side “Good Friends”, Island Records found marketable the band difficult, later deciding to categorize them as Punk.

By the time the band finally released their self-titled 1975 debut album, Milk N’ Cookies had broken up, with Ian North embracing punk, moving to England, and forming band Ian North’s Radio with Sparks bassist Martin Gordon and the Simon brothers, Paul and Robert. The group would transform into a new incarnation called Neo following Gordon’s departure for Radio Stars.

After his visa expired, North returned to New York, and embraced synth-pop and the new wave through his debut full-length album as a solo artist, My Girlfriend’s Dead, (which contains a fantastic song based on the book Interview with the Vampire), and then on his Rape of the Orchids EP, which featured the single “Only Love Is Left Alive”.

“He was the first person who believed in me,” Justin Strauss wrote on Instagram in a lovely tribute. “We bonded over the music we loved and would spend endless hours dreaming and scheming up our plans to be pop stars. Like me Ian lived for it 24/7. It was all he wanted, to be respected as a great songwriter in the coolest band. He wrote all the songs in Milk n’ Cookies and they are timeless perfect pop masterpieces.” Sal Maida simply wrote, “I don’t even know what to say.”