Naked Eyes Singer Peter Byrne Dies at 74

Peter Byrne, the singer and songwriter who co-founded the British new wave duo Naked Eyes, has died at 74. The band announced that Byrne died peacefully in Los Angeles on Monday, September 14, after a brief illness. A private service will be held for his family.

A defining voice of early-1980s synth-pop

Byrne formed Naked Eyes in 1982 with keyboardist Rob Fisher after the two musicians had worked together in Bath, England. Their debut album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with producer Tony Mansfield and introduced the polished electronic sound that made the duo a fixture of the early MTV era.

Their breakthrough was a synth-pop interpretation of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Always Something There to Remind Me.” The single reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Byrne and Fisher followed it with the original “Promises, Promises,” which peaked at No. 11, as well as “When the Lights Go Out” and “(What) In the Name of Love.” In total, Naked Eyes placed four singles in the U.S. Top 40 across its first two studio albums.

Byrne kept the music active for decades

Naked Eyes initially disbanded after its second album failed to match the commercial impact of the debut. Fisher died in 1999 following cancer surgery, but Byrne continued writing, recording and eventually touring under both his own name and the Naked Eyes banner.

His later releases included the 2001 solo album The Real Illusion, followed by Fumbling With the Covers in 2007 and Disguise the Limit in 2021. He also contributed backing vocals to Stevie Wonder’s 1985 hit “Part-Time Lover” and wrote music for film and television.

Byrne remained active on nostalgia tours that brought the group’s catalog to audiences across the United States and Canada. His death closes the story of the songwriting partnership at the center of Naked Eyes, but the duo’s signature recordings remain embedded in the sound of 1980s pop. He is survived by his siblings, three children and former wife.