UPDATE: Lorna Doom's family and bandmates have issued a statement on her passing and revealed the cause of death. "Teresa Ryan a/k/a Lorna Doom was always a woman of mystery," the statement reads. "So much so, that even in her final days as she fought a tough, year-long battle with cancer, very few people even knew she was ill. She kept a very close-knit social circle, and those who knew her and loved her always respected her desire for privacy.

"When she finally lost her struggle with cancer at 12:50 pm yesterday, Wednesday January 16th, it came as a shock to many, as she had chosen to not burden others with what she was going through."

ORIGINAL STORY, 1/18/19: Lorna Doom, bassist for the seminal Los Angeles punk band the Germs, has died at 61. Her former bandmate, drummer Don Bolles, confirmed her passing in a Facebook comment left under a post that simply stated "Lorna," saying, "She left this mortal coil today around 1."

Born Teresa Ryan, Doom joined the Germs — whose classic lineup was rounded out by singer Darby Crash and guitarist Pat Smear, who later played with Nirvana and is currently in Foo Fighters — in April 1976. The band's drummer at the time was Belinda Carlisle (known as Dottie Danger in those days) before her move to the Go Gos. Carlisle didn't last, but Doom continued playing with the outrageous, experimental group through their single release, 1979's GI, until singer Darby Crash committed suicide by heroin overdose on December 7th, 1980.

Crash's death and the band's importance were initially quiet news, overshadowed by the murder of John Lennon the day following the punk singer's suicide, but eventually critics recognized the merit and impact of the Germs and their place in music history. The group, including Doom, re-formed in 2005 with actor Shane West as frontman — he had been cast as Crash in biopic What We Do in Secret and the rest of the band were impressed with his performance. They went on to tour and play festivals like Warped Tour until West's exit from the group in 2009.

No cause of death has been revealed for Doom at this time, but since news broke, numerous musicians have paid tribute to Doom, including Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. "I love Lorna Doom so much," he wrote on Instagram. "I can't count the times I lay on the floor listening to her play, imagining her rocking out, laying it down in her inimitable way. I always wanted to meet her and never got to, but I feel a bond with her anyways. I admire her always and she is part of who I am. R.I.P. Broken through to the other side Lorna Doom."