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4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

Garage-Rock Pioneer and One of Boston’s Great Rock Eccentrics Dies at 69

Lyres and DMZ frontman Jeff Conolly has died at the age of 69, following a battle with kidney cancer that he revealed in July 2026.

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

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Garage-rock pioneer and Lyres frontman Jeff Conolly has died. He was 69.

One of Boston’s great rock ‘n’ roll eccentrics, Conolly was well-known for his work with bands like Lyres and DMZ. According to Brooklyn Vegan, he’d reportedly been getting treatment for bladder cancer.

Conolly, who was known as “Monoman,” joined DMZ in 1976, as the band was just getting off the ground. Heavily influenced by 60s rock, the band released several albums, including one collection of songs produced by Craig Leon, who’d previously worked with the Ramones.

Jeff........

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