Bernie Marsden, one of many founding guitarists of Whitesnake, co-writer of the band’s huge hit “Right here I Go Once more,” and famous guitar collector, died August 24. He was 72, and whereas no reason for loss of life was given within the weeks after, a press release from the household stated he died peacefully along with his spouse and daughters at his facet.

Many musicians who labored with or knew Marsden launched statements after his passing, praising him and his expertise.

Born in Buckingham, England, Marsden (featured along with his guitar assortment within the December ’16 concern of VG) performed in a number of bands as a teen earlier than becoming a member of UFO in 1972. He served solely briefly earlier than being changed by Michael Schenker, then joined former Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick’s group Wild Turkey. Drummer Cozy Powell recruited him for his new band, Cozy Powell’s Hammer, which proved to be a short-lived venture.

Marsden then joined British prog rockers Babe Ruth for 2 albums in 1975 and ’76. The next yr, he joined Paice Ashton Lord, which featured Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Jon Lord. After only one album, Malice in Wonderland, it disbanded.

Luckily, Marsden was on the verge of his massive break, when he and fellow guitarist Micky Moody met former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale as he was forming the blues-based rock band Whitesnake in ’78.

“Bernie was in his prime as a fiery blues rocker with an ear for melodic rock solos,” Moody stated. “He cherished Cream, Mountain, and Johnny Winter amongst many others. My very own fashion initiated from the blues rock of the ’60s – Beck, Clapton and Web page – however by the point I labored alongside Bernie, artists like Ry Cooder, Little Feat, and the Allman Brothers had modified my imaginative and prescient perpetually. So, we had been fairly totally different gamers after we merged as a twin-guitar characteristic – and merge we did, creating our personal factor with a pure, symbiotic ease and nice respect for one another. His fashion positively influenced my enjoying, and I prefer to suppose mine touched him, too.”

Marsden performed on the 1978 debut EP Snakebite, adopted over the following 4 years by Bother, Lovehunter, Prepared an’ Keen, Dwell… Within the Coronary heart of the Metropolis, Come an’ Get It, and Saints & Sinners.

Marsden and Coverdale wrote “Right here I Go Once more,” an earthy, soulful tune that first appeared on 1982’s Saints & Sinners earlier than a slicker model was recorded for 1987’s Whitesnake that includes guitarists John Sykes and Adrian Vandenberg (who performed the solo). Because of radio and MTV, it turned a success, and the even-sleeker Prime 40 remix reached #1 within the U.S. Repeating the sample, a glossier tackle “Idiot for Your Loving,” co-written by Coverdale, Marsden, and Moody for 1980’s Prepared an’ Keen, was re-recorded for ’89’s Slip of the Tongue, with Steve Vai on guitar. The unique reached #53 on Billboard whereas the up to date model cracked the Prime 40.

Coinciding along with his Whitesnake tenure, Marsden issued two solo albums, And About Time Too! (’79) and Take a look at Me Now (’81). After leaving the band, he was concerned in numerous musical tasks, together with writing music for movie and tv. He produced a blues documentary referred to as “A Day within the Delta,” filmed in Mississippi. Periodically, he launched solo albums till 2022, most notably, his “Inspirations” collection; 2021’s Kings featured songs by Albert King, B.B. King, and Freddie King, whereas Chess was songs by Chess Information artists together with Howlin’ Wolf and Chuck Berry. 2022’s Trios coated songs by three-piece bands just like the Jimi Hendrix Expertise and James Gang.

His autobiography, The place’s My Guitar? was self-published in 2017, and his guitar assortment was photographed for his 2018 guide Tales of Tone and Quantity, which mentioned how he acquired every guitar and the place/when it was performed.

In 2012, PRS launched a Marsden signature model of its 245, and in ’13, Gibson did a signature reissue of his ’59 Les Paul Customary referred to as “The Beast,” which he acquired in 1974, whereas a member of Wild Turkey, and used on periods with Ringo Starr, PAL, Cozy Powell, Whitesnake, and at Abbey Street with Jack Bruce. Martin Henderson, a musician good friend of Marsden’s, instructed him that he had as soon as purchased the guitar from Free bassist Andy Fraser, who purchased it from Paul Kossoff, who had purchased or traded with Eric Clapton for it.

“Bernie was extremely kind-hearted,” stated Joe Bonamassa, who loved an in depth relationship with Marsden after the previous performed Royal Albert Corridor in Might of 2009. “Afterward, he was the primary to return up and say, ‘Nice gig.’ It was a major event for me, and over the previous 14 years, as our friendship deepened, I found Bernie to be an unbelievable supporter, a trusted advisor, an distinctive author, and above all, an expensive good friend. He was really the most effective of the most effective – modest, beneficiant, and bigger than life. I’ll perpetually worth the moments spent with him. His passing shouldn’t be solely a profound private loss, however a major loss to the music group. He was a famous person in each conceivable means.”

This text initially appeared in VG’s November 2023 concern. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.