The Tubes, a rock group from San Francisco, have posted a brief message on their social media pages announcing the demise of bass player Rick Anderson.
The brief social media message states, “We lost our brother on 12/16/22.” “For 50 years, Rick was a constant and benevolent presence in the band. His bass conveyed his devotion.”
Along with Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick, and Bob McIntosh, who had all played in the pre-Tubes band The Beans, Anderson was a founding member of the group.
The band was distinguished as one of the more outlandish acts of the ’70s by its ungainly, theatrical onstage displays.
Music critic Mark Blake stated in 2020 that the band “merged sex, humor, and sharp social critique with virtuosic art rock.” “Bare flesh, dancing females, roadies costumed as big cigarettes, and a prosthetic penis were all incorporated in their live performances.”
The Tubes eventually gained widespread success in the early 1980s, scoring a top 40 hit with Don’t Want To Wait Anymore, despite all the odds. They were also one of the few bands to successfully bridge the gap between early ’70s progressive rock’s theatrics and theatrical ambition and the subsequent dirty, utilitarian punk rock scene, with the latter plainly recognizing a similar anarchic spirit.
Anderson stayed with The Tubes for the entirety of their five-decade career and was praised for his strong and punchy rock bass playing.
The cause of death has not yet been disclosed, and Anderson’s family will soon make funeral arrangements public.
