![\"Portraits](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_304349585-1112.jpg\")
\n\t\tJoe Murphy (left) rose to fame with Koopa bandmates, brothers Stuart and Ollie Cooper in the early 2000s
(Picture: Getty Images\/Hulton Archive\/Avalon)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tJoe Murphy (left) rose to fame with Koopa bandmates, brothers Stuart and Ollie Cooper in the early 2000s
(Picture: Getty Images\/Hulton Archive\/Avalon)<\/p>\n
Tributes are pouring in after rock star Joe Murphy, who rose to fame with the band Koopa, died at the age of 46. <\/p>\n
The noughties star played bass in the Essex pop-punk band Koopa with brothers Stuart and Oliver \u2018Ollie\u2019 Cooper. <\/p>\n
The trio made history by becoming the first act to hit the UK top 40 singles chart with digital downloads. <\/p>\n
They are also remembered as the first act ever to have scored a charting single without the backing of a record label. <\/p>\n
\t\t![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_304349584-0458-e1783412353748.jpg\")
\n\t\tKoopa, with Joe Murphy on the bass, made British music history with their single Blag, Steal & Borrow in 2007 (Picture: Edd Westmacott\/Avalon\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Koopa\u2019s record-breaking single, Blag, Steal & Borrow, was released in 2007.<\/p>\n
The band, hailing from the village of Sible Hedingham near Colchester, went on to bag two wins at the Glasswerk New Music Awards the same year. <\/p>\n
Mr Murphy\u2019s younger sister released a tribute on her social media<\/a>, confirming the musician\u2019s death: \u2018For those who knew him, it breaks my heart to say that my big brother, Joe Murphy\u00a0has passed away. Love you big bro.\u2019 <\/p>\n Tributes have also poured in from the rock community and fans. <\/p>\n \t\t Essex Rocks Creative CIC said: \u2018We\u2019ve left it for a few days so everyone can digest the sad information that our friend Joe Murphy has passed on.<\/p>\n \u2018Joe and his band Koopa were a massive part of our formative years as promoters in the mid 2000s and we feel privileged to have known him on a personal level and worked with him as a musician.<\/p>\n \u2018Keep playing those riffs Joe.\u2019 <\/p>\n One friend said: \u2018This is awful news to hear! Love to you all, at this sad time. A privilege to have known Joe & played music together.\u2019<\/p>\n Mr Murphy is said to have been in a serious crash in June 2021 after suffering a heart attack while driving. <\/p>\n He spent weeks in a critical condition in intensive care, The Sun reports. <\/p>\n Koopa was formed in the early 2000s when Ollie Cooper was a teenager at school.<\/p>\n The band toured around Essex and the UK between 2004 and 2007, and released their singles \u2018No Trend\u2019 and \u2018Stand Up 4 England.\u2019 <\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Koopa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_304349495-103e.jpg\")
\n\t\tJoe Murphy (front), Stuart Cooper (left) and Ollie Cooper formed Koopa in their Essex home village before local and national fame (Picture: Edd Westmacott\/Avalon\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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