Herbie Flowers

Flowers was born in Isleworth, Middlesex, England and began his musical training in 1956 when conscripted into the Royal Air Force: electing at first to serve for nine years as a bandsman playing tuba. He took up double bass as a second instrument to secure his "junior technician" stripe, and later moved to electric bass.[3] After completing his military service he passed through the line-ups of several Dixieland jazz bands in the early 1960s, then discovered modern jazz. In 1965 he was engaged as a bandsman on the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth. After hearing an electric bass in a New York nightclub, he acquired his own solid-body electric instrument,[2] a Lake Placid Blue 1960 Fender Jazz Bass that he purchased from Manny's Music in New York City for $79.

Later in the 1960s, Flowers began to acquire his reputation as a session player, working for record producers such as Shel Talmy, Mickie Most, Steve Rowland, Richard Perry, Gus Dudgeon, and Tony Visconti.

In 1969, Flowers was a founding member of the group Blue Mink and played on their song "Melting Pot", which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.[1] He was also a member of CCS and the final lineup of T. Rex.[1] In 1979, shortly after taking part in the annual A Song For Europe contest, performing "Mr Moonlight" with his group, "The Daisies", he became a co-founder of the band Sky, which had success in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Flowers is also known for having composed the novelty hit "Grandad" for Clive Dunn in 1970.[1] According to Flowers,[4] he came up with it after following an easy primer book on composing. All he needed was a hook, and he was struggling to come up with anything. He phoned a friend (Ken Pickett) who came round, ringing the doorbell, and the sound of the doorbell provided the hook he needed.

Perhaps Flowers' most famous bass line is the one he created for Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" from the album Transformer (1972),[1] the only song by Reed to reach the Top 20 in the US.

Flowers was also a member of the final line-up of T-Rex, working with Marc Bolan from late 1976 until Marc's death in September 1977.

Following Sky's demise in the early 1990s, Flowers has spent most of his time playing jazz. He has also worked as a bass guitar teacher at Ardingly College and leads many "Rockshops" at schools, helping young people to create and perform their own songs, as well as covering many others.

In 1998, session drummer Peter Boita again teamed up with Flowers to form a rhythm section in musical settings of the words of poet Sir John Betjeman on a second album they recorded together. The album was called Betjeman & Read. They had previously worked together on the Poetry in Motion album (released on Silhouette Records as MDKR 1), which also consisted of settings of Betjeman's It featuring Boita and Flowers playing with a line-up of artists that included David Essex, Justin Hayward, Steve Harley, Donovan, Alvin Stardust, Captain Sensible and Annie Haslam amongst others with Beatles’ producer George Martin overseeing proceedings. Boita and Flowers reprised their roles when Poetry in Motion was performed live for a charity show at the Richmond Theatre on 5 April 1992. Betjeman & Read was one of the last albums recorded at the RG Jones Recording studio in Wimbledon. The vocal artists performing on this album include Cliff Richard, Marc Almond, Paul Young, Jon Anderson, Colin Blunstone, Gene Pitney, Leo Sayer, Donovan, Mike Read, The Rodolfus Choir and David Essex.

In September 2009 Flowers founded a community choir, Shoreham Singers-by-Sea, which has in excess of 150 members, followed in September 2010 by the Ditchling Singers.

With Lou Reed

• Transformer (RCA Records, 1972)

With Harry Nilsson

• Nilsson Schmilsson (RCA Victor, 1971)

With Sam Brown

• 43 Minutes (All At Once Records, 1993)

With Bryan Ferry

• The Bride Stripped Bare (EG Records, 1978)

With Cat Stevens

• Foreigner (Island Records, 1973)

With Melanie

• Candles in the Rain (Buddah Records, 1970)

With Ringo Starr

• Stop and Smell the Roses (RCA Records, 1981)

With Petula Clark

• Destiny (CBS Records, 1978)

With Olivia Newton-John

• If Not for You (Festival Records, 1971)

With David Bowie

• David Bowie (Mercury Records, 1969)
• Diamond Dogs (RCA Records, 1974)

With Elton John

• Tumbleweed Connection (Uni, 1970)
• Madman Across the Water (Uni, 1971)
• A Single Man (Rocket, 1978)

With Jane Wiedlin

• Tangled (EMI, 1990)

With Steve Harley

• Hobo with a Grin (EMI, 1978)
• Poetic Justice (Transatlantic Records, 1996)

With George Harrison

• Somewhere in England (Dark Horse Records, 1981)
• Gone Troppo (Dark Horse Records, 1982)
• Brainwashed (Dark Horse Records, 2002)

With Sally Oldfield

• Water Bearer (Bronze Records, 1978)
• Easy (Bronze Records, 1979)
• Celebration (Bronze Records, 1980)
• Playing in the Flame (Bronze Records, 1981)

With Al Kooper

• New York City (You're a Woman) (Columbia Records, 1971)
• A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood's End (Columbia Records, 1972)

• Herbie Flowers discography at Discogs