Who were in Sigue Sigue Sputnik? Band members explored as pop punk icon Ray Mayhew dies

Drummer Ray Mayhew, who was best known as a member of the 1980s British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, passed away on August 28, 2025. The details surrounding his death remain undisclosed. The news was shared by the group’s lead vocalist, Martin Degville, via Facebook.

Degville called Mayhew a “force of light that shone so brightly.” He further wrote in his tribute:

“It is with great sadness that I have been informed today that my best friend and drummer of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Ray Mayhew, has passed away. May God bless you – you will forever be in my thoughts, and also in the hearts of the fans who love you.”

Bassist Tony James founded Sigue Sigue Sputnik in 1982 as a punk pop group and was joined by guitarist Neal X, drummer Chris Kavanaugh, Degville, and Mayhew, among others.

Ray Mayhew exited the band in 1989 and started his own group called Mayhem Deranged, according to The Sun. Fans and acquaintances posted tributes on social media in the wake of the drummer’s demise.

More about Sigue Sigue Sputnik amid Ray Mayhew’s death

Sigue Sigue Sputnik was formed in the early 1980s by former Generation X member Tony James. Originally, the line-up comprised James, Martin Degville, Neal X (Whitmore), Chris Kavanaugh, Ray Mayhew, and Yana YaYa (Jane Farrimond). James’ friend and ex-member of The Clash, Mick Jones, was the group’s advisor.

Subsequently, Andrew Eldritch from The Sisters of Mercy and Annie Lennox auditioned for the band. Later, John Green and Christopher Novak joined in 1995 for a year, as a keyboardist and vocalist, respectively. Claudia Cujo played drums in 1998, while Jenny Z was a member from 2001 to 2004.

Keyboardist YaYa (Jane Farrimond) and drummer Ray Mayhew both left the band in 1989. The other original members remained on and off with Sigue Sigue Sputnik until their disbandment in 2004. Guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei and singer Christopher Novak were also guest members.

The band rose to fame in 1986 with the release of the hit singles, including Love Missile F1-11, which was used in the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the 2002 video game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. That same year, Sigue Sigue Sputnik released its debut album, Flaunt It, under the label EMI.

Other albums include Dress for Excess (1988) featuring the single Success, The First Generation (1990). The band members also teamed up with Kylie Minogue, Bananarama, and Dead or Alive as songwriters.

Notably, the band’s name was inspired by a Moscow-based street gang, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, meaning “Burn, burn, satellite” in Russian. Frontman Tony James once revealed to the media that band members were chosen based on their “image and appearance.”

Just like Ray Mayhew formed Mayhem Deranged, other members also moved on after Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s disbandment. Tony James joined The Sisters of Mercy in 1989, while Chris Kavanaugh joined Big Audio Dynamite II.

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In 2001, James, Degville, and Neal X reformed the band and released Sputnik: Next Generation, followed by Pirate Space. However, Degville soon left in 2004 to pursue a solo career, while Neal X joined Marc Almond. In 2005, Tony James collaborated with Mick Jones and founded the band Carbon/ Silicon.

In 2009, James and Neal co-produced Spanish pop duo Fangoria’s 2009 album, ‘Absolutamente.’

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