Alamy Ltd.Herbie Flowers (2nd from right) with his band Blue Mink
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 20:02
British bass guitarist Herbie Flowers has died. The most famous song he played on was the hit Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed from 1972, with the characteristic bass line, composed by Flowers. He also worked with a whole list of world stars, from David Bowie and George Harrison to Elton John.
He was also one of the founders of the British pop group Blue Mink. In 1969, that band scored an immediate hit with Melting Potand later also with The Banner ManFrom 1977 he was one of the members of the last line-up of rock band T. Rex. In the 1970s he founded the instrumental progressive rock band Sky, with which he recorded seven albums and performed until 1995.
Flowers also appeared as a session musician on albums by David Bowie, George Harrison and Elton John, and he worked with artists such as Ringo Starr, Cat Stevens and Melanie.
Flowers’ family confirmed his death via Facebook. He was 86.
Musician in the Air Force
According to the BBC Flowers took his first steps as a musician in the British Air Force in the 1950s, serving for nine years and playing tuba in the Royal Air Force band.
But his greatest success remains coming up with the bass line for Walk on the Wild Sideone of Lou Reed’s best-known songs, on his album Transformer from 1972. That album was produced by David Bowie and his guitarist Mick Ronson.
The bass line is played with two instruments, a double bass and an electric guitar. Flowers said in 2005 against the BBC that he had come up with this scheme in order to get double pay: after all, he played two instruments. He certainly did not get rich from it; he received a fixed amount of 17 pounds for it.
“With the recording for Transformer I was only there for three days. I never saw Lou Reed again after that. It was a magical three days,” Flowers said.
He never complained about being paid only £17 for the worldwide hit: “It never occurred to me that I had the right to ask for a percentage or royalties.”
