Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers dies aged 86

Born Brian Keith Flowers, he got his first taste for music in the Royal Air Force in the 1950s, where he served for nine years as a bandsman playing the tuba.

In 1969, Flowers became one of the founding members of the pop group Blue Mink. The band found chart success with their debut single Melting Pot in 1969, and again with The Banner Man in 1971.

It was also in the 1960s that Flowers acquired his reputation as a session bass guitarist, working for record producers such as Shel Talmy, Steve Rowland and Tony Visconti.

He played bass guitar on David Bowie’s self-titled 1969 album and Diamond Dogs in 1974.

One of his greatest achievements was to be the creator behind the legendary bassline for Lou Reed’s 1972 hit Walk on the Wild Side.

Flowers later revealed in a 2005 interview with the BBC that he had come up with the idea for the bassline as he would be paid double as a session musician for playing two instruments.

In 1977, Flowers became a member of the final line up of T. Rex shortly before Marc Bolan’s death, featuring on the band’s final album, 1977’s Dandy In The Underworld, and Bolan’s Marc TV show.