Eric haydock dead: the hollies bassist dies aged 75

The musician was mourned by The Hollies stars in a touching Facebook post as they shared the sad news with fans. “In the early 1960s, Eric was one of the finest bass players on the planet,”

summer Bobby Elliot wrote. “Along with Tony, Eric and I were the rhythm section that created the springboard for Clarke Hicks and Nash to launch that famous three-way Hollies harmony. On the

early package tours, Dave Clark, The Kinks and artist of the period would watch from the wings as we effortlessly rocked the screaming theatre audiences into a frenzy. “Although Eric left

The Hollies in 1966, I occasionally listen enthralled by our BBC and Abbey Road recording sessions and dear Eric masterfully playing his six string bass. “Happy days,” he added poignantly.

Eric left the rock ’n’ roll group in 1966 but featured on several of their hits including I’m Alive and Just One Look. He is credited with being the first British bassist to play a

six-string Fender Bass VI. The star was one of the founding members of the group, which went on to be one of the most popular of the British rock ’n’ roll bands in the 1960s. They achieved a

total of 231 weeks in the UK singles chart that decade. In May 1966, The Hollies had their first major chart success with Bus Stop, which reached number five. The original line-up famously

played the iconic Cavern Club in Liverpool and rose to fame alongside the likes of The Kinks. In a radio interview with Howard Copitch in 2016, Eric said The Hollies’ early success was

overshadowed because their record company would release their singles on the same day as label-mates The Beatles’. “In their wisdom, they decided that The Hollies release their singles on

the same Friday as The Beatles,” he said. “Nobody did that because you couldn’t outsell The Beatles!” he exclaimed. “They were a phenomenon. “So, we used to go up against them and their

records were number one six weeks before they were ever released.” Eric laughed as he admitted he thought The Hollies were better than The Beatles at the time, conceding he would say that,

having been a member of the band. “If EMI had released their singles on another date we would have had probably eight number ones instead of four or something,” he added. “The Hollies had a

massive following in that period. Tributes have poured in for Eric on social media, with one fan tweeting: “Sad news about Eric Haydock. I once jammed Bus Stop with him, he was lovely to

chat with, a real gentleman, and very funny!” “RIP Eric Haydock The Hollies’ original bass player,” another said. “For me, still one of if not the best band of all time. My thoughts are with

Eric’s family and friends.” “Sorry to hear the news about Eric Haydock,” a third wrote. “One of the most under-rated of 1960s bass players.”