Charles R. Cross, the music writer who explored some of the country’s most legendary rockers in a series of books, has died at 67, Variety reports.

Cross was the founder of the influential Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets, and for 14 years he edited the Seattle alternative newsweekly The Rocket.

In 1989, he published his first book, a biography of Springsteen also titled Backstreets. He followed that up two years later with Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell. His 2001 biography of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, Heavier Than Heaven, became a New York Times bestseller; four years later, he turned to another Seattle legend, Jimi Hendrix, for his biography Room Full of Mirrors. His most recent book, Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain, was published in 2014.

Cross’ admirers paid tribute to him on social media. On the platform X, podcaster and journalist Rob Harvilla wrote, “damn, charles r. cross was an alt-weekly legend and 'heavier than heaven' is such a graceful and tender and monumental book. much love and eternal respect.”

And author Timothy Egan posted, “This is just shockingly sad news. Charles Cross was brilliant, passionate, and understood the music of our times more than an Olympic swimmer knows water. Such a loss.”

Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.