Pete Byrne, Naked Eyes Singer Behind ‘Always Something There to Remind Me,’ Dies

Pete Byrne, the English vocalist and songwriter who co-founded the synth-pop group Naked Eyes, died in Los Angeles on Sept. 14, 2026, after a brief illness. The band announced his death on its official website on Sept. 24.

Byrne and keyboardist Rob Fisher formed Naked Eyes in 1982. The group became part of the Second British Invasion, when UK synth-based acts dominated American radio and television programming in the early-to-mid 1980s. Byrne fronted a run of Billboard Hot 100 hits during the height of the MTV music video era.

The duo’s biggest hit was an electronic remake of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Always Something There to Remind Me.” The song, first recorded as a soul track in the 1960s by Lou Johnson and Sandie Shaw, reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1983 and brought Naked Eyes international prominence.

The track led Naked Eyes’ self-titled debut album, released internationally as *Burning Bridges* in early 1983. Byrne and Fisher recorded it at London’s Abbey Road Studios after signing with EMI Records, working with producer Tony Mansfield, a pioneer in the use of early digital sampling and the Fairlight CMI synthesizer.

The duo’s next single, Byrne’s “Promises, Promises,” reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 later in 1983. “When the Lights Go Out,” another release from the debut, reached No. 37 on the U.S. singles chart before the year ended.

Naked Eyes had begun as a duo after Byrne and Fisher’s earlier band, Neon, dissolved. Byrne, born in Islington, North London, began performing professionally in the mid-1970s and teamed with Fisher in 1979 to form the new wave group. Its lineup also included bassist Curt Smith and guitarist Roland Orzabal, who left shortly afterward to form Tears for Fears. Neon recorded two singles, “Making Waves” and “Communication Breakdown,” before disbanding in 1982.

Byrne is survived by his children, Merlin, Dylan and Chloe; his former wife, Elena; and his siblings Eileen, Sandy, Carol and Steve.

Naked Eyes released its second studio album, *Fuel for the Fire*, in 1984. Recorded in London and produced by Arthur Baker and Mansfield, it included “(What) in the Name of Love,” which peaked at No. 39 on the Hot 100 in early 1984.

Creative differences and the demands of continuous touring led Byrne and Fisher to disband the group in 1985. Byrne moved to California and established himself in Los Angeles as a songwriter and session performer, collaborating on film soundtracks and studio projects with Stevie Wonder, Rick Springfield and Todd Rundgren.

Fisher stayed in the United Kingdom and, in 1986, formed the pop duo Climie Fisher with singer Simon Climie. The group had international hits with “Love Changes (Everything)” and “Rise to the Occasion.” Fisher died on May 25, 1999, at age 39, following complications from surgery.

After Fisher’s death, Byrne returned to recording under his own name, releasing the solo album *The Real Illusion* in 2001. In the mid-2000s, he revived Naked Eyes as a solo performing project, putting together a touring band for North American package tours with 1980s acts including A Flock of Seagulls, The Motels and Wang Chung.

Under the Naked Eyes name, Byrne released *Fumbling With the Covers* in 2007, an acoustic cover album featuring re-recorded arrangements of songs by The Cure, Psychedelic Furs and Bob Dylan. He continued writing and recording, releasing the original studio album *Disguise the Limit* in 2021.

In 2025, a remastered expanded edition of Naked Eyes’ 1983 self-titled debut was issued, returning the group’s early catalog to modern digital streaming platforms.