Herbie Flowers...gone at 86

[Father Gino]

I always loved the bass line in Space Oddity since I first heard it on my car’s AM radio. A guitar player friend of mine mentioned that he was playing that song in a a two guitar acoustic duo. I said: what a shame to not have the bass line in that song. He said: I’ve never noticed it. Funny how different people hear things.

RIP Herbie

 

[BigJohnAZ]

Such a tasty bass player. Great creativity, everyone that plays bass knows who he is. RIP Herbie.

 

[TrevorR]

Was so sad to hear this. Herbie was one of my earliest bass influences - not least for this track (well, this entire album)…


Was fortunate to see Herbie performing it live on two different tours.

Bumped into him the day after one of the shows and spent a good while chatting with him - he was a genuinely lovely man. A few years ago he came along to one of our Bass Bash gatherings and spoke about his life and career - including dragging up Jools Holland bass player, Dave Swift, Squeeze bassist John Bentley up on stage to do this version of Walk on the Wild Side.



One of a kind. Rest in peace, Herbie.

 

[ukulelelab]

RIP

 

[Wyrdlow]

What a sad bit of news to end the day. Very sorry to hear it. A fabulous player. RIP

 

[Wood and Wire]

Herbie was definitely among those ranks. And he did it with two basses. Walk on, Herbie.

Not to mention Jump Into The Fire.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Farewell, Herbie Flowers - DMME.net

The amazing Herbie Flowers passed away on September 5th at the age of 86, an immaculate musician and unique character. There wasn’t and there won’t be another artist like him. Not because nobody else started out playing tuba in a … Continue reading →

dmme.net

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I worked with him briefly, in the early 90's.

Lovely bloke, and an absolute legend.

It never seems an appropriate time / age when we loose someone like this.


R.I.P.

 

[Wood and Wire]

One of a kind. Rest in peace, Herbie.

Thematically, totally in keeping with the songs content - especially if Lou & David shaved their legs before vari-speeding the backing vocals...

 

[mikeswals]

RIP Mr Flowers.

 

[rtslinger]

RIP Herbie Flowers

 

[ricardol]

 

[Michedelic]

Not to mention Jump Into The Fire.

That’s at the bottom of my list. Considering all the stellar work he did with so many other artists, let alone the depth and greatness of the vast catalogue of Nilsson songs, I never understood the attraction of that throwaway piece of crap.

 

[Wood and Wire]

That’s at the bottom of my list. Considering all the stellar work he did with so many other artists, let alone the depth and greatness of the vast catalogue of Nilsson songs, I never understood the attraction of that throwaway piece of crap.

It's a kick-@ss blast of energy. Simple as that.

 

[SteveCS]

R.I.P. I know he was a session legend in the UK.

Legend enough in the minds of the general public here, let alone bass players, to be given several minutes on national prime-time BBC news on . I was fortunate enough to see him with Sky back in the '80s just before John Williams' departure.

 

[Wood and Wire]

given several minutes on national prime-time BBC news on.

I was hoping they'd do something, but must have missed it, because I didn't see any mention at all - and that used to be the sort of thing they'd end News Night with, before the recent change of format (come back Kirsty).


[I also haven't seen anything about James Earl Jones mentioned yet - which will be inexcusable, if the whole evening focuses on the U.S. political debate].

 

[SteveCS]

I was hoping they'd do something, but must have missed it,

This is the piece I saw:

And there is this static article: Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers dies aged 86

 

[Steve Cullen]

RIP Herbie. I forgive you for Grandad.

 

[Wood and Wire]

This is the piece I saw:

And there is this static article: Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers dies aged 86

Thanks!

 

[Michedelic]

It's a kick-@ss blast of energy. Simple as that.

It sounded like a pointless drunken jam, with Harry screeching through an echoplex, and Herbie wasn’t playing anything that anyone who’d only been playing for a couple of months couldn’t figure out. That tune actually just plodded along incessantly. If I want to hear a real kick-ass blast of energy, I’d listen to the Ramones.

 

[Wood and Wire]

If I want to hear a real kick-ass blast of energy, I’d listen to the Ramones.

Herbie didn't play on any of the Ramones records.





Sometimes I'm in the mood for

Other times I'm in the mood for

If Nilsson Schmilsson is

Jump Into The Fire is