Gary “Angry” Anderson, the frontman of Australian rock band Rose Tattoo, has died aged 79 after suffering a cardiac arrest while touring in Germany. Known for his ferocious stage presence and distinctive appearance, Anderson kept Rose Tattoo active for five decades and became an influential figure in Australian rock.

Rose Tattoo’s 1978 debut established classics including “Bad Boy for Love” and “Rock ’n’ Roll Outlaw”, while the band later achieved major success in Britain. Anderson subsequently reinvented himself as an actor, youth advocate and social-justice campaigner, and enjoyed solo success with the power ballad “Suddenly”, which reached No 2 after featuring in Neighbours.