RIP Bernie Marsden

FelineGuitars · August 2023

I’m at a loss as to what to say .

I’d known he was in bad health and suspected that the sell-off of his guitars may have tied in with that , but still find myself shocked and saddened to see Bernie go.

He was a fun character and a great Blues player /rock player

We’ll miss you Bernie !

viz · August 2023

Really sad. Great guitarist. And great friend to sooo many people through his long and illustrious career.

StefB · August 2023

Gutted, RIP Bernie :-(

roberty · August 2023

Wasn't expecting that. I thought he was doing alright. Shocked and saddened

EricTheWeary · August 2023

Oh that's sad news. Wonderful musician, songwriter, funny and warm man. I saw him live a couple of times and they were memorable experiences, Bernie at the merch store afterwards chatting with anyone who wanted, he said hello to me when I passed him in a corridor! His autobiography is great, that warmth really comes across.
RIP.

kossofffan · August 2023

Oh no, this sad news hits hard RIP

timmypix · August 2023

Absolutely gutted. I was in a shop and opened Instagram in the queue and then couldn't quite cope with the friendly till person when this popped up!

Told my parents straight away and had a long chat with my Dad about him - the Marsdens were family friends when I was a child.

Bernie was endlessly friendly and chatty to anyone he met. I got to see him and Fran at the Guitar Show last year and we pinged a couple of emails back and forth in the time since.

I posted this in the thread about the Beast going up for sale a while back, but it feels more appropriate here, now:

He very much is down to earth and has a big heart - I grew up in the same village so have known him since I was small, and went to infant/primary school with his daughters.

Before he got back into the limelight (before everyone started obsessing over the Beast), he ran a second-hand record store (ie, asked everyone local if they had any records they wanted rid of!) as a hobby just round the corner from my house, so I used to pop in and chat on the way back from school, and he remembered that when I saw him at the Guitar Show last year, which was a nice surprise! He told me that apparently it was through me he first heard JoBo's music - this was early-mid 00s when Blues Deluxe had just come out, a friend had lent it to my Dad, and I told Bernie about it. Not sure if that entitles me to some sort of small commission...?

This will very much be with family in mind. I know he's spoken to my Dad before and said that the guitars in the lock-up don't have prices on them, but rather an equivalent value - ie, this one will buy you a car, this one will buy you a house, etc.

Somewhere I have a photo of me playing with Bernie at the tender age of 13 at my Dad's 50th, which Bernie kindly agreed to do for free in the village hall and let me play one of his Strats. The strap was way too long and I don't think it was actually plugged in properly, but I had fun! The Marsdens always used to throw big NYE parties too, and I can remember being very happily plonked in the corner at one with a guitar that he was happy for me to play when I'd first started learning - a Gibson Explorer with his name on! Though the coffee table book he did recently shows it's not actually a Gibbo.

I do hope Bernie's well, as I have some very fond memories of him being a figure in the village, and I'm sure having someone local who was a Real Guitarist influenced my passion for the instrument.

Obviously that last sentence didn't quite work out, but the sentiment stands. I'm rather upset this evening and I didn't even know him that well, but I will treasure the memories.

designerseye88 · August 2023

Very sad news, never met him but seemed like a lovely bloke. RIP Bernie

HerrMetal · August 2023

Oh sad news. Most famous of course for Whitesnake duties and I certainly had all the albums back then. Some very enjoyable content on Youtube too. Loved his interviews with Lee Anderton etc. Joins the ranks of departed UFO members as well as he was briefly in the band before Schenker. Great tunes, great playing, RIP Bernie.

relic245 · August 2023

What a great player.

The Marsden/Moody incarnation of white snake played a big part in my teens.

Saw him paying solo years later and he blew me away again.

RIP Bernie. Sad day for music.

Stevepage · August 2023

He came across as such a nice bloke full of interesting stories, always loved watching interviews with them

stonevibe · August 2023

Lovely man, great legacy. RIP Bernie

Woodandwires · August 2023

This is really sad news, he was part of the soundtrack to my youth, saw him and Micky Moody in Whitesnake when I was in Germany. Ain’t no love in the heart of the city is still an all time favourite of mine. Latterly, I did a guitar course in Cheltenham and he was a guest tutor. RIP

darthed1981 · August 2023

RIP Bernie

Schnozz · August 2023

My friend and I got to wish him happy birthday at the Birmingham Guitar Show in 2022 - Was great to see him in person and a fond memory. Very sad to lose him. RIP.

jaymenon · August 2023

He was a nice human being and a wonderful musician, in a business full of people with way more attitude than talent.

dindude · August 2023

He was truly a positive force for the guitar community, sad news.

scrumhalf · August 2023

Oh. He was one of those musicians who was still one of us underneath - a fan of music and guitars.

Basher · August 2023

Sad news. Only saw him play live once, with Whitesnake in 1980. Always loved that he wasn't a flashy guitarist and his tasteful playing always served, and enhanced, the song.

Blaendulais · August 2023

Rest in Peace Bernie. You were a great musician and a good man

rze99 · August 2023

Sad news. RIP. I only ever saw him interviewed and he seems really genuine and warm man as well as a tasteful player.

CountryDave · August 2023

Sad news indeed.
Was only listening to him talking with Guy Pratt & Gary Kemp on an early Rockonteurs podcast on the way home from a gig last weekend.
Came across as very down to earth and a proper fan on the instrument.
Was lucky enough to meet him briefly at a PRS event years ago.

Brize · August 2023

Lovely guy - RIP Bernie.

mudslide73 · August 2023

Shocked at this.. I was only talking about him on here a couple of days ago. I never met him but feel like I knew him due to his lovely manner in interviews. RIP Bernie.

jdgm · August 2023

Shame - great player and a genuinely nice, down-to-earth bloke by all accounts.

R.I.P.

freakboy1610 · August 2023

Saw him at Peach a couple of times and he seemed like a really nice guy. RIP Bernie.

DB1 · August 2023

I met him once outside Sound Affects in Ormskirk - he'd just done a guitar clinic there, I think. We spoke only briefly, but he seemed like a lovely, genuine, friendly chap. And, of course, his taste in guitars was absolutely wonderful, looking at his collection for sale at ATB.

RIP Bernie.

guitars4you · August 2023

Met him a few times mainly via PRS events. Very laid back and down to earth guy. No big time ego . So sad RIP big fellow

chromatuna · August 2023

Echoing someone else above, saw Moody Marsden Whitesnake a fair few times at the Temple of Rock AKA the Hammersmith Odeon and once early on at the Lyceum, Bernie was so good in that band, smiling all the while. Saw him maybe a decade ago guesting with Gov’t Mule in London. Seemed like a top bloke :-(

hollywoodrox · August 2023

RIP wasn’t expecting this at all

Jez6345789 · August 2023

Met him a few times over the years at clinics and gigs always the gent got time to talk guitar and tell a funny story or a good old yarn. He was a great British player and a great songwriter. 72 is young these days.

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RIP Bernie Marsden

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