A Minnesota band popular across the country in the late ’70s and through the ’80s is saying goodbye to a founding member. The Suburbs’ Blaine John “Beej” Chaney has passed away, according to the band.

The Suburbs band members posted to Facebook, saying, “By now, you’ve all heard the news. We lost another to Rock n’ Roll Heaven. Beej Chaney was a true rock star from the day I first met him when we were kids. He was a true original who lived his art, whether climbing the lighting rig or painting his beloved rock people. He was a beloved father, and a friend to many. Our hearts go out to his girls; Jesse, Kit, Cali, and Sarah, who cared for him always. Rock on, brother.”

Chaney is being remembered by fans across the country, especially those in the Twin Cities.

At HiFi Hair and Records, Jonny Clifford describes Chaney as groundbreaking, unpredictable on stage and engaging.

“Probably one of the best frontmen we’ve ever seen in our city as far as our local garage music goes,” said Clifford. “He left everything on the stage and a little bit out on the floor when he would crowd surf. Nobody was doing stuff like that back then.”

Chaney was one of the founding members of the band in 1977, according to the band’s website. The band surged onto the Twin Cities scene and is considered one of the biggest local acts of the 1980s.

“Beej in person, in real life, was just this wonderful kind, mellow human being, really, really funny,” said Clifford.

He said he caught up with him at First Avenue last June while Chaney was in town for work.

“He was just so happy and was going on and on about living the clean life and this new work,” said Clifford. “And his life in California and the beach. [He said] ‘I get to go swimming every day in the ocean, this is what I love, that’s why I’m there.’”

On Sunday evening, the Hermosa Beach Police in California started an investigation after the body of a 67-year-old man washed ashore and deemed it an apparent accidental drowning. The County Medical Examiner’s office has not officially confirmed the identity.

“Beej, you will be sorely missed,” said Clifford.

The studio that released their first album also released a statement following Chaney’s death.