Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea leads tributes to Gang Of Four guitarist Andy Gill

Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea has been among those paying tribute to Andy Gill after the Gang Of Four guitarist died during the weekend.

Gill’s passing at the age of 64 was announced on February 1st after what was described as a ‘short respiratory illness’. “This is so hard for us to write, but our great friend and Supreme Leader has died today,” a statement from the band said.

“Andy’s final tour in November was the only way he was ever really going to bow out; with a Stratocaster around his neck, screaming with feedback and deafening the front row.”

“His uncompromising artistic vision and commitment to the cause meant that he was still listening to mixes for the upcoming record, whilst planning the next tour from his hospital bed.”

Messages were left by various entertainment figures, from Tom Morello and Mike Mills to director Edgar Wright and comedian Frankie Boyle. Flea, meanwhile, described Gill as ‘one of his favourite guitar players of all time’.

 

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Andy Gill, one of my favorite guitar players of all time has left us. Go listen to the Gang of Four album ENTERTAINMENT right now. Turn that shit up loud and rock the fuck out. Dance. Think. Thats a record that changed my life forever, and was massively influential on my development as a musician, and showed me what a rock band could be. There is nothing else like it. It cut a fucking hole right the thick LA smog that I wanted to jump through. After not being in touch for many years, Andy and I had spoken recently, and communicated a lot of over the last several months. I am shocked. Andy was one of my heroes, a man who inspired the shit out of Hillel, Anthony and I as youngsters; I was thrilled beyond belief when he agreed to produce our first album. May his beautiful soul be in bliss with the divine, I love you Andy.

A post shared by Flea (@flea333) on Feb 1, 2020 at 3:47pm PST

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