Cache removal, but difficult circumstances

Not the usual cache removal request

[jsdryer]

Our artist site used to contain 45 pages with biographical information on each page. The site has been completely revamped and all of these pages are removed. However, searching under an artist's name in Google brings up, of course, a no longer valid link, but Google's cache still works and upon clicking brings up the old biographical page. The multiple answers as to how to remove a cached page tend to lean towards caches in the future, robot.txt, etc.

How does one remove cached pages from former pages of the old site?

[deft_spyder]

If those pages rank well, why not leave them there, with a link to the new homepage? You are just loosing traffic in the meantime.

You can do a server redirect as well. Worse that could happen is that the cache shows the old pages, but when they go there, they see the new ones... no big deal. That will occur for a month, 2 at most.

[vincevincevince]

they'll go, all in good time, once google's hit the 404 good and proper.

a custom 404 wouldn't hurt to get the human traffic still into your site / seeing your wares.

[jsdryer]

This from me who was having the question. Thanks to those who helped. Intuitively speaking, suggestions I hadn't thought about and did actually follow. Thanks again. JD.