Q Lazzarus

Time in London

In 1988, Q Lazzarus moved to London with hopes of gaining recognition overseas, since her music career had struggled to take off in the United States. She formed an Aerosmith-style rock band and remained in London for five years. The band included Mark Barrett on guitar, Jon Bouillot on bass, and Shane Atlas on drums, with Bob Stamegna serving as their manager. All music was written by Bouillot and Barrett, with Q providing most lyrics and vocal melodies.

However, London record labels were also reluctant to sign the band, feeling that the group did not align with their image of a rock band. During this time, Q began a relationship with a promoter she met at the Hippodrome named Richard, who later became her manager. Richard's drug use eventually influenced Q to start using as well. Despite these challenges, Q and the band continued to perform at numerous venues throughout London. She and Richard moved to Philadelphia, where she tried once again to restart her music career in the U.S., collaborating with her friend Danny Z. Despite her efforts, record labels remained uninterested. Eventually, Richard left Q and returned to London. Q then fell into a deep depression and began heavily using crack cocaine. She moved into a friend's apartment in New York City but was later evicted. Now homeless and struggling with addiction, she turned to prostitution to support her drug habit. During this time, she met Robert Lange—who would later become her husband—and moved in with him. Shortly after, she discovered she was five and a half months pregnant. Following an arrest for selling drugs to use them, she was incarcerated at Rikers Island. Afterward, she entered a rehabilitation program and became sober, graduating from Daytop in 2001. She later began working as a driver operating coach buses. She had a stint working on a fishing boat in Alaska and taking an extended trip through South America.

In 2022, Luckey broke her leg and contracted sepsis. She died on July 19, 2022, at the age of 61. In March 2025, Aridjis's documentary, Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus, was released in select movie theaters in the United States, with its soundtrack released by Sacred Bones Records a month prior. In December 2025, it was reported that her son James Luckey-Lange, 28, was imprisoned while backpacking in Venezuela, amid growing U.S.-Venezuela tensions. The following month Luckey-Lange was among the first US prisoners to be released by the Venezuelan government following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

Band members Q Lazzarus Band: Q Lazzarus – vocals Mark Barrett – guitar (UK) Jon Bouillot – bass (UK) Shane Atlas – drums (UK) Rick Duce – drums (UK)

Other Collaborators Bill Garvey – songwriter (US) Gloriana Galicia – backing vocals (US) Janice Bernstein – backing vocals (US) Dan "Danny Z" Agren – backing vocals/dancer/collaborator (US)

Discography "Goodbye Horses" (single) (1988/1991) Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus (Music from the Motion Picture) (2025)

Filmography Philadelphia (1993) – party singer Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus (2025) self

Music video "Goodbye Horses" (1987)