Paultrader Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I'm really sad about this. So many heroes from my youth are passing on. There's a direct link between Andy Fraser and the fact that I've enjoyed being an amateur bass player for forty five years. I'll get my DVD of Free at the Isle of Wight in 1970 out later today, and watch once again that extraordinary performance (with Paul leaning back against his Marshal stack playing those sublime Les Paul solos). Andy Fraser was an individual talent who demonstrated that the bass guitar was a relevant, expressive and creative part of a band - and super cool; Andy knew when to play and when not to; how many bass players could resist joining in with 'that' riff from the start? I've got my Grade 5 double bass exam later today, in my sixtieth year, and the roots of this passion go right back to the turn of the seventies, Jack, Andy and the like. Thanks guys, I tip my hat to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneyg42 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 [quote name='7tenths' timestamp='1426661089' post='2720340'] Another sad loss....what a week so far [/quote] It's been a crap 6 months for the bass world....Bruce/Porcaro and now Andy Fraser. My band will be doing a tribute to Andy at our next gig. I can never expect to emulate the great man but just giving it a go is the best tribute I can make. Sad times 😢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7tenths Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Another sad loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Mr Big was probably the first bass solo I was aware of as a young player. I loved Free and Andy's playing. I'll be playing Mr Big with my band at the weekend though I doubt that I'll manage the solo with the same ease as Andy always did. You're All Right Now Andy. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 [quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1426628760' post='2720183'] This meant that I had to sit down and really listen to what Fraser was doing. What an education. [/quote] By a sad coincidence, this I just what I've been doing this week. Hats off, rest well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 On Monday night at a gig,me and our guitarist were listening to The Stealer during our break (we put some tracks on thru the PA to keep punters) and discussing how Andy used that tone so effectively,especially during Kossof's solo.Amazing.And then on Tuesday...this.So sad.RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Oh no... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckinthepod Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 He was so damn good. Tasteful playing and effortlessly cool. Free- As band that generally played slow to medium tempo numbers would have sounded boring had it not been for that groove and bounce he brought to the songs- and what songs! My first bass was a Epiphone EB3- He was the reason I wanted one. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Absolutely loved him. Probably my all time favourite bass player, from way back before I ever dreamt of playing bass myself. Even then I could probably hum every bass line he played. Free were a big part of my youth, and my older life too. So many of their songs evoke very emotional memories for me. Tons of Sobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This has hit me hard. Iconic player, so inspiring - in both his music and as a human being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72deluxe Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 His bass lines were great in Free. Amazing that so few musicians could create such a sound. Heavy Load is an incredible song, particularly as the guitar solo is about 5 notes yet so moving. I saw him at Marshall's Fifty Years of Loud the other year but his playing there wasn't so well received - not sure if anyone knew who he was? They were busy trying to work out who Glenn Hughes was. Apparently whilst in Free, Andy made sure that they didn't owe the record company anything; he even got a receipt from the taxi driver when they turned up to Island in the first place (if I remember the story correctly). They resisted being renamed "The Heavy Metal Kids" and stuck with Free; glad they did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steantval Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is very sad news. This guy really inspired my playing style, so much in fact that I played bass in the Free tribute band Stealer. Unfortunately Stealer folded after a year or so but I still love playing his bass lines in my studio at home - so much space in his technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldman Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) R.I.P some of the most Iconic Bass Riff's ever! I joined a band in '71, they introduced me to Free, I also did the singing, inspiring stuff then and now, never managed Mr Big yet. Edited March 18, 2015 by Oldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) My friend Mark and myself were fortunate enough to catch a gig he played with Chris Spedding and Tobi Earnshaw in Bolton last year. He stood around and talked to us for ages afterwards. No big rock star ego or any of that stuff. A lovely humble gentleman. I miss him already. Edited March 18, 2015 by 12stringbassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Houghton Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) RIP great bass player and great song writer, sadly missed [url="http://classicrock.teamrock.com/features/2015-03-18/andy-fraser-july-3-1952-march-16-2015"]http://classicrock.t...2-march-16-2015[/url] Edited March 19, 2015 by Stephen Houghton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBadger Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Sad news. RIP Andy. What a player! "Alright Now" was the first song I ever played live. That mid section holds great memories for me. Kieran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 This is one loss I am genuinely sorry about because he was one of the first bass players I'd ever actually listened and marvelled at. The line behind the solo in all right now, still amazes me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 The man was a genius in my opinion. He managed to bring the bass guitar out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his gorgeous melodic lines and sexy, slinky style. What made this achievement even ore remarkable was the lack of influences to draw from at the time. He did It by himself from the age of 15. He wrote some damn fine songs too. A massive loss to the bass playing fraternity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 [quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1426758209' post='2721537'] The man was a genius in my opinion. He managed to bring the bass guitar out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his gorgeous melodic lines and sexy, slinky style. What made this achievement even ore remarkable was the lack of influences to draw from at the time. He did It by himself from the age of 15. He wrote some damn fine songs too. A massive loss to the bass playing fraternity. [/quote] Big loss for me too. First Jack, now Andy - back in the day, these guys were (and still are) my heroes and it's almost too much to bear! Like Japhet says, these and the likes of Jamerson were the originators of the bass lines that many of us have spent a lifetime trying to reproduce - often in vain! Not only did they do it perfectly, they did it first. The classical music training Jack and Andy had in common gave them very distinctive but very different playing styles, and their love of the Gibson bass is one that I have always shared. Last but not least, all this makes me realise that I must be getting old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 110 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Farewell Andy Fraser A big influence on my playing along with Jack Bruce , Geezer Butler and Trevor Bolder .. Heroes all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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