Mo Foster R.I.P

[Rich]

The outpouring of sorrow and respect on here and on social media in general has been quite remarkable. A very common theme from all who met him seems to be 'loveliest man you could hope to meet'. I just hope he knew how loved and respected he was.

[lowdown]

On 03/07/2023 at 13:58, Old Horse Murphy said:

I hope he has taken his DFA pedal with him to that great big gig in the sky 

 

 

 

[Merton]

Lovely guy. Met him once many years ago at an Overwater Bass day in London; he spent time to ask me how I approached fretless bass playing - lines/unlined, technique etc. I was 22, this was Mo Foster! But he was genuinely interested in my take on playing fretless, listened attentively and didn’t quash my naive responses at all.

 

Always enjoyed his old Bassist columns and will go back through some of his amazing stories - weirdly I was remembering his story about discovering roundwounds just a couple of days ago. (If you don’t know it, it involves Jack Bruce and a question from Mo about how he managed to bend his strings. “Strength!” was Jack’s answer, Mo later discovered he used these new-fangled rounds which were easier than the flats of the 60s)

 

RIP Mo x

[WingedWords]

Sad news. I was first aware him from a track on the only giveaway CD that the much missed Bassist magazine issued in the mid 90s. The title track from his 1988 album "Bel Assis". Beautiful fretless playing that has stayed with me ever since. Thank you Mo.

[Rodders]

Very sad news, recently discovered his solo albums and enjoyed them. Lovely fretless sound.

We need to protect Herbie Flowers at all costs!

[Mickeyboro]

His guitar pal Ray Russell posted this on Facebook: 

 

"There wasn’t a gap of two days between either Mo or I calling each other. Once he was with Frieda of ABBA in Sweden, I was in Italy with Greg Walsh we spent evenings on the phone from music to surreal humour. Fifty years has gone by from playing with Jimmy Helms in Spennymoor to now waiting by a bedside of a man brave in death. 

"I held his hand, kissed him, said my goodbyes and he fell into a deep sleep. Six hours later he had slipped away hopefully to join the famous others who have left us. From now on Thunder will be laughter and rain will be tears of joy. I know I will see him, the back of his head walking somewhere but I won’t shout out, it won’t be real.
"I feel confronted by a sea of exclusion, where to jump. The person that made trousers flap and out the groove right in the middle and facilitated strong melody lines as his own songs and what we wrote together prove. There will be posts of what musical heights Mo achieved and he was a master but also a master at making the most awful things funny.
"Most of all, he was the closet two only children have been brothers. I feel that a part of me has disappeared like a land slide, a voice I will remember I hope until it’s my turn. My Brother in arms, Fuzzy Bear, Mo-Jo. Two thirds of my life I have loved you and that will never change. On Earth you have educated people to the nature of musicians. And never suffered fools gladly. Your values and integrity were emblazoned on anything you wrote and played and composed. You said a death was like a library burning. Although this was symbolic, I can feel the heat from here. An empty chair, a lead waiting to be attached to the Bass and amp that will remain silent. But you will remain long past the song has ended." 

[Russ]

Never had the change to meet him, but back in the 1990s, back when I was still starting out, we corresponded a bit online. Lovely, encouraging guy, and one of the all-time fretless masters.

 

RIP Mo. One of the unsung greats. 

[Rich]

5 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

His guitar pal Ray Russell posted this on Facebook: 

 

"There wasn’t a gap of two days between either Mo or I calling each other. Once he was with Frieda of ABBA in Sweden, I was in Italy with Greg Walsh we spent evenings on the phone from music to surreal humour. Fifty years has gone by from playing with Jimmy Helms in Spennymoor to now waiting by a bedside of a man brave in death. 

"I held his hand, kissed him, said my goodbyes and he fell into a deep sleep. Six hours later he had slipped away hopefully to join the famous others who have left us. From now on Thunder will be laughter and rain will be tears of joy. I know I will see him, the back of his head walking somewhere but I won’t shout out, it won’t be real.
"I feel confronted by a sea of exclusion, where to jump. The person that made trousers flap and out the groove right in the middle and facilitated strong melody lines as his own songs and what we wrote together prove. There will be posts of what musical heights Mo achieved and he was a master but also a master at making the most awful things funny.
"Most of all, he was the closet two only children have been brothers. I feel that a part of me has disappeared like a land slide, a voice I will remember I hope until it’s my turn. My Brother in arms, Fuzzy Bear, Mo-Jo. Two thirds of my life I have loved you and that will never change. On Earth you have educated people to the nature of musicians. And never suffered fools gladly. Your values and integrity were emblazoned on anything you wrote and played and composed. You said a death was like a library burning. Although this was symbolic, I can feel the heat from here. An empty chair, a lead waiting to be attached to the Bass and amp that will remain silent. But you will remain long past the song has ended." 

Yes, I saw that on FB. What a lovely eulogy. It put a proper lump in my throat. 

[EMG456]

Haven't been on here for a couple of weeks and hadn't heard this.

 

Genuinely sad - he was an inspirational and influential player to me.

[lowdown]

I came across this interview with Mo Foster on a Facebook thread. It's from 'Totally Wired Radio'.

It's from August last year: