Herbie Flowers, Bassist on Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’ Dead at 86

Herbie Flowers, the bassist who played on songs like Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” and David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” has died at the age of 86.

Flowers’ September 5 death was confirmed on social media by the bassist’s family members (via the Guardian); no cause of death was provided. “While we knew and loved him as Uncle Herbie, his musical contributions have likely touched your lives as well,” the husband of Flowers’ niece wrote. “He played bass on many of the songs from the golden age of rock.”

In addition to stints in rock acts T. Rex and Blue Mink, Flowers was longtime session musician who played on hundreds of albums throughout the Seventies and Eighties. Flowers’ bass can be heard on songs by three different solo Beatles (George Harrison’s Somewhere in England, Paul McCartney’s Give My Regards to Broad Street, and Ringo Starr’s Stop and Smell the Roses), Elton John’s Madman Across the Water, Harry Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson (including providing the epic detuned bass line to “Jump Into the Fire“), and albums by Bryan Ferry, Melanie, Cat Stevens and dozens more.

However, Flowers is best-known for his work on two smash singles: David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” with the latter featuring Flowers’ swooping, oft-sampled bass line that later provided the foundation 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 Bowie’s Diamond Dogs, which featured his work on the hit “Rebel Rebel.” “His work with Bowie and associates over the years is too long to list here,” Bowie’s official social media accounts wrote Saturday. “Aside from his incredible musicianship over many decades, he was a beautiful soul and a very funny man. He will be sorely missed.”