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Kevan Staples
1951 - 2025
Kevan Staples
1951 - 2025
Obituary
Guest Book
BORN
1951
DIED
2025
Kevan Staples Obituary
Kevan Staples, co-founder of the avant-garde rock band Rough Trade, known for their song "High School Confidential," died March 23, 2025 at the age of 74.
Staples and Carole Pope formed early iterations of the band in the late 1960s, settling on the name they were best known for in 1973. As co-writers, the pair wrote subversive, sometimes sexually charged art rock anthems that provoked as much as they entertained. "High School Confidential" was their biggest hit, a song that made waves as one of the first ever openly lesbian anthems in music. Staples and the group brought home four Juno Awards in the 1980s and eventually earned themselves a place on Canada's Walk of Fame.
"Kev was a fine musician and a very funny guy," friend John Percy said on Facebook. "He was years ahead of his time in many ways, and never seemed to care what others thought of his antics … I always liked his attitude and humour. He had a skewed outlook on life that fit into my frames. I will miss him."
(Image: Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images)
14 Entries
Greg wise
June 13, 2025
Thanks for the music. Rest in peace.
Greg
Daniel Hudson
May 6, 2025
Thank you for the music, Kevan. RIP.
JK
April 24, 2025
May God give you strength and comfort during this difficult time. Sending condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered.
Deb Moncrieff
April 22, 2025
Thanks for the music, love Deb from Australia.
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Deb Moncrieff
April 22, 2025
Thanks for the music. Rest in peace
Kim Maticiw
April 4, 2025
Marilyn, I am so sorry for your loss of Kevan. May the fun times and memories sustain you and your family through this difficult time.
Jane Webb-Sankey
April 3, 2025
Dear Marilyn and Sacha
Sending my sincere condolences and huge hugs. Doctor Gross and I were most fond of your family. From Everett' s twirling on ice. Gorgeous Sacha and her adventures. Lovely Marilyn. Kevan was always such fun and a gentleman. A great loss
Jane Webb-Sankey
Benjamin Landrus
April 2, 2025
Such a fun man, with a great sense of humour! He introduced us to Monty Python, which I still love!
Elisa Sauve
April 1, 2025
Dear Marilyn,
I am so saddened to hear the news of Kevan's passing. He was such an awesome guy. He always had a smile on his face. Sending you our most sincere condolences to you and your family. Elisa and René Sauvé
Yorkie
March 29, 2025
Kevan and I worked together driving cast and crew in The Toronto Film Industry years ago.
The first time we met, he told me he was in a band named Rough Trade. The first words out of my mouth were Highschool Confidential? Carole Pope?
He was surprised I even knew that.
RIP Kevan.
Yorkie
Ryan Machman
March 29, 2025
My most sincere condolences to Kevan´s friends, family, and colleagues. Rough Trade was such an important, innovative band. I regret that I never got to meet him.
Joey Shulman
March 29, 2025
I am saddened by this news. I met Kevan in 1974 when I was living downtown at 36 Maitland. We both were cast in an overnight shoot at the airport, and he came back to my apartment at 6 a.m. for tea and great conversation. I cherish that memory of our brief time together. I was a big fan of his band and Carole Pope's voice. Condolences to the family.
Cindy Kneebone
March 28, 2025
In the beginning , upstairs above the Brass Rail or the Zanzibar on Yonge, myself and a few friends were all that were present to hear a band called Rough Trade long before Toronto became aware of the music. It was quite the night.
Decades later when our paths crossed again more personally and away from the music, Kevan, his partner and their much loved Weimeraners became good friends in my field of practice. Kevan was kind, caring, cheerful, intelligent, grounded and so much more gifted as a human being which has become lost in humans today. I am heartbroken to hear of our loss of such a wonderful man.
Scott Hughes
March 26, 2025
A very excellent musician and always nice to talk to
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