Reports suggest that his room-mate found his body at around 3:30am on Tuesday. According to the police, Reatard had been complaining of flu-like symptoms, and there has been no suggestion of foul play.

Reatard, real name Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr, was a dynamic presence in the current wave of lo-fi punk-rock. He delivered abrasive, often provocative live performances, and was recently attacked by members of the audience at a show in Austin, Texas. In his last message to Twitter on Monday he offered a reward of $100 "per tyre" to anyone who vandalised the tour van used by the band Liquor Store.

Reatard initials breakthrough came when a demo recorded at the age of 15 lead to him being picked up Goner Records. He subsequently recorded with The Reatards, The Lost Sounds, Final Solutions and solo, releasing upwards of 90 recordings. He also set up Shattered Records, enabling other artists an entree into the punk rock world.