Former David Bowie bassist Trevor Bolder dies of cancer at 62

First we got the sad news yesterday that former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek had died from cancer at the age of 74.

Now comes word that bassist Trevor Bolder, former member of David Bowie's amazing backup band the Spiders from Mars, has succumbed to the Big C at only 62.

Bolder is best known for his work, alongside guitar legend Mick Ronson and drummer Woody Woodmansey, on the iconic '70s Bowie albums Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Aladdin Sane, and--with Aynsley Dunbar replacing Woodmansey--Pin Ups.

I for one will never forgot the rush I got from his rollicking bass runs on Ziggy Stardust's "Hang On to Yourself" back in '72.

After his time with Bowie, Bolder replaced John Wetton in Uriah Heep, and recorded numerous albums with them between 1977 and 2011. He was still a member earlier this year when the band announced that he would be undergoing surgery.

“I had pancreas cancer so I had to have that removed," he told Classic Rock magazine in February. "Not the entire pancreas; but still, it was bad news. They’ve cut out the bad bit. I’ve had a bit of chemo, got to have that, which I’m doing now, in case there’s anything hanging about. Once that’s done, I should be back to doing what I do for a living.”

In a statement posted on Uriah Heep's website today, his longtime bandmate, guitarist Mick Box, stated: “Trevor was a world class bass player, singer and songwriter--and more importantly a world class friend. He will be sadly missed by family, friends and rock fans all over the world. We are all numb to the core.”

“Trevor was a wonderful musician and a major inspiration for whichever band he was working with," said Bowie in his own brief statement. "But he was foremostly a tremendous guy, a great man.”