Remembering Tim Bogert: Rock's Lead Bassist (1944β2021)
In the late 1960s, most rock bassists stayed in the background. Tim Bogert stepped right up front. With thundering tone, lightning-fast runs and bass lines that played like lead guitar, he helped rewrite what the instrument could do in a rock band. Bogert, a founding member of Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and the supergroup Beck, Bogert & Appice, died of cancer on January 13, 2021, in Simi Valley, California. He was 76.
From Saxophone to Bass
Born on August 27, 1944, in New York City, Bogert grew up in New Jersey and started out playing saxophone. After high school he formed a band called the Belltones, and before long the sound of surf music and early rock pulled him toward the electric bass. It turned out to be a perfect fit.
Vanilla Fudge
In the mid-1960s, Bogert teamed with keyboardist Mark Stein, guitarist Vince Martell and drummer Carmine Appice to form Vanilla Fudge. The band became famous for taking pop and soul songs and slowing them down into heavy, dramatic, psychedelic epics. Their signature hit was a slow-burning version of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," which became a Top 10 hit in the U.S. Vanilla Fudge released five albums between 1967 and 1969, and their heavy, organ-drenched sound influenced bands like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin.
Cactus and Beck, Bogert & Appice
When Vanilla Fudge split in 1970, Bogert and Appice stayed together. They formed Cactus, a hard-driving blues-rock band that's often cited as a forerunner of heavy metal, releasing four albums in the early 1970s. In 1972, the rhythm section joined forces with guitar legend Jeff Beck in the supergroup Beck, Bogert & Appice. Their self-titled 1973 album included a heavy version of "Superstition," the song Stevie Wonder developed with Beck, with Bogert singing lead.
Teacher and Legend
Bogert went on to play with Bob Weir's side project Bobby and the Midnites and the British band Boxer. In 1981 he joined the faculty of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, passing his techniques on to a new generation of players. He retired from touring in 2010 after a motorcycle accident. Bassists including Billy Sheehan have named him as a major influence, and Appice said Bogert brought a new level of virtuosity to rock bass.
The Rhythm That Shook Rock
Tim Bogert proved that the bass could be loud, melodic and front and center. Drop the needle on a Vanilla Fudge or Cactus record and you'll hear a bassist who refused to stay in the shadows.
What's your favorite Tim Bogert performance, from Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep Me Hangin' On" to Cactus or BB&A? Tell us in the comments below.