NDT's Malcolm Black loses battle with cancer

Former Dunedin musician Malcolm Black has lost his battle with cancer. He was 58.

The Australasian Performing Right Association announced the news this morning that the New Zealand representative on the APRA board had died peacefully in Auckland Hospital.

"It is a massive loss for the music community,'' APRA said.

• Facing death makes you think about life

The Netherworld Dancing Toys frontman, who propelled the Dunedin band to the heights of the New Zealand charts in 1985 with hit single For Today, had terminal bowel cancer.

In an interview with the Otago Daily Times in March, Black revealed he was in Dunedin to record a new album, Songs For My Family.

His career as a professional musician ended 33 years ago, when he embarked on a successful career as an entertainment lawyer - in which capacity he represented many of the early Flying Nun "Dunedin Sound'' bands - record company executive, fitness clubexecutive and manager of Crowded House and Neil Finn.

Black was in Dunedin for the 2017 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, when a severe stomachache took him to Dunedin Hospital.

A day later he had extensive surgery and was told he had nine months to live.

He leaves behind wife Julia and four children.