Carmine Appice has told of the sad death of his bandmate for 50 years rock legend Tim Bogert. Tim was 76 years old but had been battling cancer in the last few years. Tim pioneered classic rock bass guitar with virtuoso playing in bands such as Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Beck, Bogert and Appice, Tim formerly retired from touring the last ten years of his life but continued to form bands and record albums, notably blues projects.
Carmine posted on Facebook
My true friend Tim Bogert died today.
He was like a brother to me. He was my friend for over 50 years.
Tim was a one of a kind bass player. He inspired many, many bass players worldwide. He was as masterful at shredding as he was holding down a groove, and Tim introduced a new level of virtuosity into rock bass playing. No one played like Tim. He created bass solos that drove audiences to a frenzy every time he played one. And he played a different solo every night. He was the last of the legendary 60’s bass players.
Tim was a very intelligent person. So intelligent that we would call him “Spock”. You could ask him anything and he would know something about it.
I loved Tim like a brother. He will be missed very much in my life. I will miss calling him, cracking jokes together, talking music and remembering the great times we had together, and how we created kick-ass music together.
Perhaps the only good thing about knowing someone close to you is suffering a serious illness, is you have an opportunity to tell them that you love them, and why you love them. I did that, a lot. I was touched to hear it said back to me. Nothing was left unsaid between us and I’m grateful for that. I highly recommend it.
Rest in peace, my partner. I love you. See you on the other side
Rod nearly joined Carmine and Tim in the original line up of Cactus after they had met Jeff Beck while recording the sound track with Vanilla Fudge for a Coke commercial. The band’s regular guitarist was ill and Beck filled in. They knew of Beck’s previous work with the English blues-rock band The Yardbirds and loved his playing. They invited him to come to New York and join the new rock band they were planning. Carmine had already chosen a name, Cactus.
At the time, Rod was singing in the Jeff Beck Group. and Beck suggested that he bring him along. “Sure,” said Carmine.
“It ended up Rod didn’t want to work with Jeff because I guess he felt he got screwed out of money,” Appice explained “We were going to get another singer. Then the day before Jeff was coming to America, he got into a car wreck which laid him up for 18 to 20 months.”
Rod did get to work with Tim Bogert in 1980 when he played on Rod’s album ‘Foolish Behaviour’ .
