Prolific studio bassist Herbie Flowers played on ” Walk on the Wild Side » by Lou Reed, as well as on « Space Oddity ” And ” Rebel Rebel » by Bowie.
Herbie Flowers, the bassist who played on songs like ” Walk on the Wild Side » by Lou Reed and « Space Oddity » by David Bowie, has died at the age of 86.
Flowers' death, which occurred on September 5, was confirmed on social media by members of the bassist's family (via the Guardian) ; no cause of death has been given. We knew and loved him as Uncle Herbie, but his musical contributions probably touched your lives too.wrote Flowers' niece's husband. He played bass on many songs from the golden age of rock. »
In addition to being a member of the rock bands T. Rex and Blue Mink, Flowers was a longtime session musician who played on hundreds of albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Flowers' bass can be heard on solo albums by three Beatles (Somewhere in England by George Harrison, Give My Regards to Broad Street by Paul McCartney and Stop and Smell the Roses by Ringo Starr), Madman Across the Water by Elton John, Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson (including the epic bassline of ” Jump Into the Fire “), as well as on albums by Bryan Ferry, Melanie, Cat Stevens and dozens of others.
However, Flowers is best known for his work on two hit singles: ” Space Oddity “by David Bowie and ” Walk on the Wild Side » by Lou Reed, the latter featuring an oft-sampled bass line, which later served as the basis for songs by A Tribe Called Quest (« Can I Kick It? » ), Haim ( « Summer Girl “) and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
Flowers also played bass on the album. Diamond Dogs Bowie, on which he worked on the hit ” Rebel Rebel “. ” His work with Bowie and his associates over the years is too extensive to list here.Bowie's official social media accounts wrote on Saturday. Besides his incredible talent as a musician over the decades, he was a beautiful soul and a very funny man. He will be greatly missed. “.
