Bassist Herbie Flowers Passed Away At 86

Herbie Flowers, the talented bassist known for his work with music legends like David Bowie, Elton John, Harry Nilsson, Cat Stevens, and three members of The Beatles, has passed away at the age of 86. His death was announced by close family members on social media, though the cause of death has not been disclosed, as reported by the BBC.

Flowers is perhaps best remembered for creating the unforgettable twin bass lines on Lou Reed’s 1972 classic “Walk on the Wild Side.” He also played the iconic bass parts on David Essex’s 1973 hit “Rock On” and Nilsson’s “Jump in the Fire.” In a 2005 interview, Flowers revealed he was only paid about 30 pounds for his famous contribution to Reed’s top-charting single, which was double the typical session fee at that time.

“It’s never ever occurred to me that I have any right whatsoever to ask for a commission or a royalty or an involvement in the composition of the piece,” Flowers stated, reflecting on his work. He fondly remembered Reed’s reaction to Ronnie Ross’s baritone sax solo on “Walk on the Wild Side,” saying, “He just looked and said, ‘That was divine.’ And that said it all; he was divine.”

Born in Isleworth, Middlesex, England, in 1938, Flowers started his musical journey in 1956, playing the tuba for the Royal Air Force before switching to bass. His career spanned numerous collaborations, and he played with bands like Blue Mink, T. Rex, and Sky. He also co-wrote Clive Dunn’s 1970 novelty song “Grandad.”

Flowers’s bass talents featured on albums like Bowie’s Space Oddity and Diamond Dogs, Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson, along with albums by Paul McCartney in Give My Regards to Broad Street, Ringo Starr’s Stop and Smell the Roses, and George Harrison’s Somewhere in England, Gone Troppo, and Brainwashed.