Rick Anderson — bassist and co-founding member of long-serving San Francisco rock incendiaries the Tubes — has died. He was 75.
No cause of death has been made public yet, but the band shared the news today via social media that Anderson had passed away last Friday (December 16).
"We lost our brother on 12/16/22," they wrote. "Rick brought a steady and kind presence to the band for 50 years. His love came through his bass. RIP."
Co-founded by Anderson, Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick (who would join the Grateful Dead in 1990 ahead of his death in 2006) and Bob McIntosh, the Tubes formed in 1972 and quickly became notorious for their theatrical and often titillating live shows — featuring elaborate sets, props and choreography from eventual High School Musical director Kenny Ortega. By 1973, they had opened for Led Zeppelin in the Bay Area and signed to A&M Records the following year.
Their commercial peak came nearly a full decade later with the hit pop single "She's a Beauty." Anderson's lengthy tenure with the group lasted throughout the band's career in the studio — all eight of their albums, released between 1975 and 1996 — and on the road, the bassist a fixture in its varied lineups.
Most recently, the Tubes played on the B-52s' North American farewell tour, which wrapped up last month.
See the post from the band below.
No cause of death has been made public yet, but the band shared the news today via social media that Anderson had passed away last Friday (December 16).
"We lost our brother on 12/16/22," they wrote. "Rick brought a steady and kind presence to the band for 50 years. His love came through his bass. RIP."
Co-founded by Anderson, Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick (who would join the Grateful Dead in 1990 ahead of his death in 2006) and Bob McIntosh, the Tubes formed in 1972 and quickly became notorious for their theatrical and often titillating live shows — featuring elaborate sets, props and choreography from eventual High School Musical director Kenny Ortega. By 1973, they had opened for Led Zeppelin in the Bay Area and signed to A&M Records the following year.
Their commercial peak came nearly a full decade later with the hit pop single "She's a Beauty." Anderson's lengthy tenure with the group lasted throughout the band's career in the studio — all eight of their albums, released between 1975 and 1996 — and on the road, the bassist a fixture in its varied lineups.
Most recently, the Tubes played on the B-52s' North American farewell tour, which wrapped up last month.
See the post from the band below.