Ricky Gardiner, the guitarist best known for his excellent performance of classic riffs for albums including David Bowie’s Low and Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life, has died aged 73.
Gardiner’s death was announced on social media by producer Tony Visconti.
Iggy Pop paid tribute to Gardiner, writing:
Though Gardiner’s cause of death was not revealed, prior to his death, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Gardiner was also diagnosed with electrosensitivity in 1998, which made him feel unwell when close to electronic devices.
As a result, Gardiner had to adapt his home studio to accommodate the illness.
Ricky Gardiner leaves behind his wife Virginia Gardiner and children (Ricky kept his wife and children away from media scrutiny).
Born in Edinburgh in 1948, Gardiner’s first major band was the prog rock group Beggars Opera, who formed in 1969.
Beginning with Act One the following year, Gardiner recorded six albums with the band, who became a cult favourite across Europe, particularly in Germany.