Drummer and singer Max Werner, known for the band Kayak, has died at the age of 70. The band announced this on Wednesday on its website and Facebook account.

“We received the sad news of Max’s passing,” the formation wrote. Werner was the band’s lead singer until 1978 and “essential to the group’s sound”. He later also became the group’s drummer.

Werner was one of the founders of the band in 1972 with pianist Ton Scherbenzel, guitarist Johan Slager and drummer Pim Koopman. As a singer, Werner can be heard on the group’s first five albums. The band had their biggest success in the late 1970s with the album Starlight Dancer. After that, Werner stopped singing and became the band’s drummer.

Max Werner sings Starlight Dancer:

Kayak was inactive between 1982 and 1999, but after that the musicians reunited. Werner then also returned as a singer, until the collaboration finally ended after the comeback tour.

Werner would produce four solo albums. Internationally, he had a hit with the song in 1981 Rain in May From the album SeasonsWhich was successful not only in Europe, but also in the United States.