The bassist Herbie Flowers, who has died aged 86, was one of the most prolific session musicians of the 1970s. He played on an estimated 500 hit songs over the course of his career, laying down the foundations to tunes by three former Beatles (John Lennon was the exception), plus David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Lou Reed, Elton John, Bryan Ferry, Cat Stevens and scores more.
His most recognisable bassline was the two-note motif he provided on Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side (1972). He achieved its sinuous effect by recording first on a double bass, then overdubbing the part 10 notes higher with an electric Fender Jazz bass. Flowers pointed out that the arrangement meant he could double his usual session fee. Typically, Reed was ambivalent about the success the record brought, telling Flowers that he took 20 years to “shake it out of his mind” because it had altered the nature of his audience.
