MO FOSTER
It is with great sadness that JAMES announces the passing of one of our dear friends and accreditation assessors Mo Foster. Our thoughts are with friends, colleagues, and family at this difficult time.
Many thanks to David Stark from Songlink who has written this obituary - www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/04/mo-foster-obituary
Many thanks to David Stark from Songlink who has written this obituary - www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/04/mo-foster-obituary
In the mid 1960s Mo studied physics and mathematics at the University of Sussex. During this period he played both drums and bass in a wide variety of different bands. Once he graduated, a short spell as a laboratory research assistant convinced him that a career in music was preferable and, along with other ex-university pals, he formed a progressive jazz/rock group called Affinity, which was managed by the late Ronnie Scott. From that time on his career blossomed into one of the most prestigious of any contemporary bass-guitar player. Mo is now established as a highly respected session musician, record producer, composer, author, solo artist, and now raconteur.
As a sideman Mo has toured the world — or played concerts with Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Joan Armatrading, Gil Evans, Mike d'Abo, Cliff Richard, Gary Moore, Van Morrison with Dr John, RMS, Eric Clapton, Sting, Maggie Bell, Dusty Springfield, The Manfreds …the list goes on!
As a studio session musician, working at studios variously in UK, USA, Canada, Caribbean, Sweden, France, Italy, and Japan, Mo has played on over 400 albums — and many singles — by artists as varied as Phil Collins, Jeff Beck, Gerry Rafferty, Brian May, Ringo Starr, Annifrid Lyngstad (Frida of ABBA), Gil Evans, Gary Moore, Cher, Scott Walker, Tanita Tikaram, Mort Schuman, Peter Green, Nanci Griffith, Rod Argent, Jose Carreras, Elkie Brooks, Andrew Lloyd-Webber & Tim Rice, Judy Tzuke, Michael Schenker, Cliff Richard, Affinity, Michael d’Abo, The London Symphony Orchestra …to name but a few!
Apart from his six solo albums (Bel Assis, Southern Reunion, Time To Think, Live at Blues West 14, Belsize Lane, and Bass Themes), Mo has produced — or co-produced — albums for Deborah Bonham (The Old Hyde – featuring Jason Bonham), Dr John (Such A Night), Maria Muldaur (Live In London), Adrian Legg (Fretmelt), Maggie Bell (Live At The Rainbow), Gil Evans (Take Me To The Sun), and a new project for Linda Hoyle (The Fetch). (See Huffington Post review: http://huff.to/1P6HNJi) …plus many more!
Mo has composed and produced hundreds of titles for the major Production Music Libraries, co-wrote with Ray Russell the instrumental ‘So Far Away’ for Gary Moore, co-wrote with Mike Walling the comedy hit single ‘Chalk Dust’ for The Brat (aka Roger Kitter), co-wrote with Kim Goody the song ‘Sentimental Again’ which reached the final in the Song for Europe Contest in 1990 (and which was also covered by Sandie Shaw), and co-wrote with Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and Kim Goody the main song ‘In My Car’ from Ringo's album Old Wave.
His many film sessions include For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Clockwise, Heaven's Prisoner, Lost And Found, Billy The Kid And The Green Baize Vampire, and Silver Dream Racer. Those for TV include Minder, Bergerac, Grafters, Stay Lucky, Dangerfield, The Last Salute, and Peak Practice.
With appearances on Routes of Rock, Top Of The Pops, Old Grey Whistle Test, Sky Star Search, Kenny Everett Show, Disco 2, Supersonic, Les Dawson Show, Blue Peter, Get It Together, Little And Large Show, Hippodrome Live, So It Goes, Pebble Mill At One, Hit The Note, Terry Wogan Show, Daytime Live, 45, Search, Marti Caine Show, Three of a Kind, Big Time. Mo later worked as both archivist and interviewer for the UK Channel 4 TV music series — Live From Abbey Road — where he secured an interview with George Harrison. The programme — now sold throughout the world — was the brainchild of co-producer Peter Van Hooke.
Mo’s new book — British Rock Guitar — is an amusing, anecdotal, illustrated, semi-autobiographical description of rock’s early days in Britain. It is published in hardback in 2011 by Northumbria University Press. (See Huffington Post review: http://huff.to/1glAhuM)
Mo has also contributed regular columns to the UK magazines Guitarist, Bassist, Making Music, Total Production, and Bass Guitar Magazine, plus the German magazine Bass Quarterly.
In 2014 Mo was a recipient of a BASCA Gold Badge Award for his services to the music industry.
www.mofoster.com
As a studio session musician, working at studios variously in UK, USA, Canada, Caribbean, Sweden, France, Italy, and Japan, Mo has played on over 400 albums — and many singles — by artists as varied as Phil Collins, Jeff Beck, Gerry Rafferty, Brian May, Ringo Starr, Annifrid Lyngstad (Frida of ABBA), Gil Evans, Gary Moore, Cher, Scott Walker, Tanita Tikaram, Mort Schuman, Peter Green, Nanci Griffith, Rod Argent, Jose Carreras, Elkie Brooks, Andrew Lloyd-Webber & Tim Rice, Judy Tzuke, Michael Schenker, Cliff Richard, Affinity, Michael d’Abo, The London Symphony Orchestra …to name but a few!
Apart from his six solo albums (Bel Assis, Southern Reunion, Time To Think, Live at Blues West 14, Belsize Lane, and Bass Themes), Mo has produced — or co-produced — albums for Deborah Bonham (The Old Hyde – featuring Jason Bonham), Dr John (Such A Night), Maria Muldaur (Live In London), Adrian Legg (Fretmelt), Maggie Bell (Live At The Rainbow), Gil Evans (Take Me To The Sun), and a new project for Linda Hoyle (The Fetch). (See Huffington Post review: http://huff.to/1P6HNJi) …plus many more!
Mo has composed and produced hundreds of titles for the major Production Music Libraries, co-wrote with Ray Russell the instrumental ‘So Far Away’ for Gary Moore, co-wrote with Mike Walling the comedy hit single ‘Chalk Dust’ for The Brat (aka Roger Kitter), co-wrote with Kim Goody the song ‘Sentimental Again’ which reached the final in the Song for Europe Contest in 1990 (and which was also covered by Sandie Shaw), and co-wrote with Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and Kim Goody the main song ‘In My Car’ from Ringo's album Old Wave.
His many film sessions include For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Clockwise, Heaven's Prisoner, Lost And Found, Billy The Kid And The Green Baize Vampire, and Silver Dream Racer. Those for TV include Minder, Bergerac, Grafters, Stay Lucky, Dangerfield, The Last Salute, and Peak Practice.
With appearances on Routes of Rock, Top Of The Pops, Old Grey Whistle Test, Sky Star Search, Kenny Everett Show, Disco 2, Supersonic, Les Dawson Show, Blue Peter, Get It Together, Little And Large Show, Hippodrome Live, So It Goes, Pebble Mill At One, Hit The Note, Terry Wogan Show, Daytime Live, 45, Search, Marti Caine Show, Three of a Kind, Big Time. Mo later worked as both archivist and interviewer for the UK Channel 4 TV music series — Live From Abbey Road — where he secured an interview with George Harrison. The programme — now sold throughout the world — was the brainchild of co-producer Peter Van Hooke.
Mo’s new book — British Rock Guitar — is an amusing, anecdotal, illustrated, semi-autobiographical description of rock’s early days in Britain. It is published in hardback in 2011 by Northumbria University Press. (See Huffington Post review: http://huff.to/1glAhuM)
Mo has also contributed regular columns to the UK magazines Guitarist, Bassist, Making Music, Total Production, and Bass Guitar Magazine, plus the German magazine Bass Quarterly.
In 2014 Mo was a recipient of a BASCA Gold Badge Award for his services to the music industry.
www.mofoster.com
