The death of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has prompted the family of guitarist Lee Gaze to speak publicly about the impact of Watkins’ crimes on their lives.
Watkins, aged 48 at the time, was found with serious injuries at HM Prison Wakefield on Saturday (October 11) and two inmates have since been charged with his murder.
Watkins had been serving a 29‑year sentence for a string of child sex offences, including the attempted r*pe of a baby, offences that came to light in 2013.
Lee Gaze’s wife, Syirin Said (married in 2008), said the recent events have brought back “a lot of emotions and experiences” her family had tried to move on from. She and Gaze have two children together.
Breaking the Silence After a Decade
In a post to her TikTok page, Said wrote that this is the first time she has spoken out on the topic in over ten years.
She said: “I can’t believe I’m saying and posting this. It’s been over a decade and I haven’t said a word until now. But seeing Lostprophets posts by people with zero context, zero empathy, - not to the victims, the band members, their families, including mine, makes me speak up.
“I am not speaking on behalf of my husband or the band members. I am speaking on behalf of me, my family, my kids, and our truths.”
Ian Watkins of Lostprophets. Credit: Marc Grimwade / Getty
Said expressed that her husband poured his "heart and soul" into writing songs for the band, and that those songs touched the lives of many people.
She continued: “During that time, the pain when saying the name Lostprophets felt like a curse that we couldn’t even whisper. Do you know how much that hurt us? I taught my kids to know what’s good, what’s bad, and always to hold on to the good - like the music that their dad created that touched many hearts.
“One man’s wrong doesn’t bury decades of real hard work.”
Said expressed that her family were left to rebuild with "no support," following the revelation of Watkins' horrific crimes.
"These posts with no heart, no mention of the victims still healing or families like ours still hurting, trying to get by, it’s like we’re invisible again. This isn’t a trend. It’s our life,” she said.
Said went on: “I just want to thank to those whose message called, commented, and DM’d with care and compassion. You see us, you appreciate what we went through, and we appreciate you.
“But if you’re posting just for likes, views, engagement with zero thought for the lives broken, please step back. Be kind. And perhaps I don’t know, acknowledge that others hurt too. And if you were hurt by this in any capacity, I hope you’re finding ways to heal, like we are.”
Gaze Responds
Shortly after the announcement of Watkins’ death, Gaze responded to a fan message offering support to him and the former bandmates, by writing: “Thanks for the kind words.”
In July of the same year, Gaze broke his silence in a social‑media post after years of remaining quiet about the saga.
He reflected on the end of Lostprophets this way: “It’s been 13 years since my band ended in the most unimaginable circumstances and it’s still painful to think about. Things could’ve been so different.
"I don’t talk about it much, but I put everything into that band, and it should’ve lasted a lifetime. I never really wronged anyone my whole life so it seemed like the ultimate punishment.”
After the band disbanded, Gaze and fellow ex‑Lostprophets member Stu Richardson formed No Devotion with Geoff Rickly.