The Hollies bassist Eric Haydock has died aged 75, the band have announced.
The Manchester-based group confirmed reports of Haydock’s death on Facebook with a touching post written by drummer Bobby Elliot.
“Sadly, Eric passed away peacefully at his home yesterday [6 January, 2019],” the post read. “In the earlier 1960’s Eric was one of the finest bass players on the planet. Along with Tony, Eric and I were the rhythm section that created the springboard for Clarke Hicks and Nash to launch that famous three-ways Hollies harmony.
“On the early package tours, Dave Clark, the Kinks and artists 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.”
Haydock was a founder member of the Hollies and appeared on all of their early Sixties recordings. One of the first British musicians to play a six-string Fender Bass VI, he performed on recordings including “I’m Alive”, “Look Through Any Window” and “Just One Look”.
Haydock left the group in 1966 over a dispute with the band’s management, and was replaced by Calvert.
The Hollies went on to become one of the leading British groups of that decades, and achieved a total of 231 weeks on the UK singles chart. In 2010, Haydock, Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Bobby Elliot, Bernie Calvert and Terry Sylvester were all inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
