Tetsu Yamauchi, former bassist with Free and Faces, died on December 4. He was 79.

Born October 21, 1946, in Fukuoka, Japan, by the late ’60s, Yamauchi was taking part in with Mickey Curtis & The Samurai. A free-jazz band, within the ’50s it had helped popularize rock and roll in Japan, then later recorded its personal music and toured Europe.

Yamauchi labored as a session musician in Tokyo and London. His first solo album, Tetsu, was launched in 1972. He joined Free guitarist Paul Kossoff, drummer Simon Kirke, and keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick in ’72 for Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit, then changed Andy Fraser in Free; hampered by Kossoff’s drug dependancy, the band recorded one ultimate album, 1973’s Heartbreaker, which incorporates the highly effective rocker “Wishing Properly.” Written by vocalist Paul Rodgers, he gave songwriting credit score to your complete band as a gesture to enhance unity.

Additionally in ’73, Yamauchi changed Ronnie Lane in Faces. His first recording was a reside model of The Temptations’ “I Want it Would Rain,” the B-side of the one “Pool Corridor Richard.” The reside album Coast to Coast: Overture and Freshmen and single “You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Something” adopted in ’74. He remained with the band till they broke up in ’75.

In ’76, he launched the solo album Kikyou, adopted the subsequent yr by Tetsu & The Good Occasions Roll Band’s Stay. He issued extra solo albums, labored as a session musician, and toured earlier than retiring within the late ’90s. He returned to performing in 2023. – Bret Adams

This text initially appeared in VG’s February 2026 problem. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.