Len Strydom, better known as “Lightning Len” to his friends, passed away on 9 August, 2011, in Harare, from severe pneumonia and laryngitis. Len was a high profile figure on the Zimbabwe music scene and, after playing with a number of highly successful bands in South Africa in the 70’s, returned to the Zimbabwe music scene where his impressive guitar “chops” were in constant high demand. In due course, Len belonged to a number of top bands Zimbabwe including BANNED, ECLIPSE (with Mark Robbins, John Law and Paul Shephard) and KWEKWE where he was in the company of some of the country’s finest musicians. At the time of his death he wasn’t playing in a band but was rehearsing for a Mark Robbins’ musical production for REPS theatre. His absence will be sorely felt on the Zimbabwe music scene.