René Berg

René Berg (born Ian Bruce, 24 February 1956 – 28 July 2003) was an English musician, vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, who recorded and performed in a number of bands starting in the late 1970s until his death. His bands included Idle Flowers, Soho Vultures, René Berg Band, along with appearances in Hanoi Rocks, Herman Brood Band, and Jim Penfold's The Killers (1986) (previously known as The Hollywood Killers).

Biography

1956–1985

René was born Ian Alistair Bruce in 1956, the oldest child of a GP. He grew up in Wanstead, East London, and at the age of eight went to King’s College Choir School in Cambridge as a boarder. When he was 13 the family moved to Eastry, Kent, and Ian transferred to day school and took up fishing, about which, says his sister Fiona, he was "completely passionate". At about the same time he bought his first guitar with Green Shield stamps, and taught himself to play, and the basement of the Eastry house soon became a regular jam session venue. School was followed by three years at catering college.