
British guitarist Tony Clarkin, best known as the founder and songwriter behind hard rock band Magnum has passed away at the age of 77, according to a statement from his family.
Clarkin founded the group with vocalist Bob Catley in 1972, initially as the house band for the Rum Runner club in Birmingham, UK. He remained the sole songwriter across the entirety of the group’s 22 studio albums, including the band’s commercial zenith, which ran from 1982’s Chase The Dragon through to 1990’s Goodnight LA.