OPETH chief Mikael Åkerfeldt has paid tribute to authentic WHITESNAKE guitarist Bernie Marsden following his demise on August 24. He was 72 years previous.

On August 30, Mikael took to OPETH‘s social media to jot down: “It is with nice disappointment we obtained the information of Bernie Marsden‘s passing. An outstanding and influential guitarist and a stunning bloke. We met just a few instances over time, and we had the pleasure of eating (at size) with him throughout the NAMM music truthful as soon as. Fredrik [Åkesson, OPETH guitarist] and I have been sat with him and another artists at a non-public PRS guitars hosted dinner. PRS himself have been sat reverse to me, and I had Fredrik to the left and Bernie to the suitable. Bernie was into some sort of fruit punch, which I discovered amusing for some purpose. He saved ordering them whereas the remainder of us sat sipping some over-expensive wine I had ordered on Paul Reed Smith‘s tab. He did not thoughts (I feel!). In fact, I bombarded Bernie with questions on his profession. Particularly his WHITESNAKE days. A band I’ve beloved since childhood. He did not put himself on a pedestal in any respect however was as a substitute very right down to earth. A fairly frequent factor for older rockers I have to add, and it is at all times extremely appreciated.”

He continued: “Musically, Bernie did a lot. Till not too long ago, I did not even know he was briefly in UFO! He is been a member of BABE RUTH and WILD TURKEY and he has performed along with our very personal Joakim Svalberg! Because it seems Bernie was additionally a avid file collector. A superb trait for any human being.

“As soon as Bernie and I had gotten the niceties out of the best way we dove straight into speaking about uncommon pressings of BEATLES information and obscure progressive rock. I bear in mind he was searching for a authentic UK copy of the primary FREE LP, which I really discovered and gave him. It was a great feeling giving one thing again to somebody like him, who’s been such an inspiring determine in our personal musical ventures.

“Thanks, Bernie Marsden, for every thing! In closing I might like to offer our most honest condolences to Bernie‘s family and friends. He will probably be sorely missed.”

Bernie‘s passing was confirmed by his household in a social media submit on August 25. They wrote: “On behalf of his household, it’s with deep disappointment we announce the demise of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday night together with his spouse, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his aspect.

“Bernie by no means misplaced his ardour for music, writing and recording new songs till the tip.”

WHITESNAKE singer David Coverdale shared a tribute to his former bandmate on social media.

“I’ve simply woken as much as the terrible information that my previous pal and former Snake Bernie Marsden has handed,” he wrote. “My honest ideas and prayers to his beloved household, pals and followers. A genuinely humorous, gifted man, whom I used to be honored to know and share a stage with.”

Marsden was one of many U.Ok.’s foremost rock and blues guitarists, well-known for his time in skilled bands since 1972 and a founding member of one of many greatest rock acts of all time, the mighty WHITESNAKE.

However there was much more to this man, from his first band UFO to treading the boards of the Nationwide Theatre in London, on stage with Ringo Starr in Monaco, taking part in the Beacon Theatre in New York with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, writing and taking part in with Joe Bonamassa and MOTÖRHEAD.

His long-term friendships with so many prime names within the guitar enterprise, Billy Gibbons, Steve Lukather, Warren Haynes, in addition to rejoining the brand new WHITESNAKE lineup of latest years and a solo profession saved him each on the highway and within the studio. He turned taken with guitars as a youngster watching THE BEATLES, his fascination continued to his remaining days. Bernie additionally developed one of the distinctive and expansive personal guitar collections on the earth.

At a tough guesstimate, Marsden‘s title seems on 100 albums — perhaps extra. Along with a long-running solo profession, the Buckinghamshire-born guitarist had been a recording musician for the reason that early Seventies through membership of such teams as WHITESNAKE, UFO, WILD TURKEY, BABE RUTH, PAICE ASHTON & LORD, COZY POWELL’S HAMMER, ALASKA, M3 and lots of extra. Although there is a tendency to pigeonhole him as a blues-rock guitarist, every of Marsden‘s acts had its personal particular person taste.

In a March 2018 interview with Tigman of the Albany, New York radio station Q103, Marsden acknowledged about his time with WHITESNAKE: “After I look again on it, it was very, very busy — very hectic. I imply, we have been touring just about on a regular basis, after which we might break particularly to make two information a yr, which appears loopy lately, however that is the best way it was. And should you look again, it did not harm anyone — the artistic juices have been nonetheless flowing, and we managed to jot down some fairly good materials. And all of it went very, very effectively for 3 or 4 years. After which we got here to an finish roundabout ’82. David [Coverdale, WHITESNAKE mainman] relocated to America — he lives up in Nevada — and put the band again collectively within the mid-’80s, however with form of an American lineup. And that is the band that re-recorded ‘Right here I Go Once more’, and the remainder of that’s form of historical past, and [that song] has form of develop into an American anthem.”

As for what he thought of Coverdale re-recording a few of the early WHITESNAKE materials with later lineups, Bernie stated: “It was 4 or 5 years between the 2 issues, and there was no bitterness or something, I used to be not pondering, ‘Oh, man. That ought to be me.’ I do not work like that. I might hearken to WHITESNAKE roundabout the ’87 interval and onwards, and to this present day, once I nonetheless play with them often. Once they come over to Europe, I fairly often rise up on stage and visitor with them. Nevertheless it was a unique band. I might hearken to WHITESNAKE then as if it was JOURNEY or FOREIGNER or TOTO, you recognize what I imply? I preferred what they have been doing. It wasn’t the form of factor we have been doing — it was barely extra adult-orientated rock slightly than what I used to be doing, [which was] form of blues rock. However a great music is an effective music, and so long as you’ve got good musicians, it is at all times gonna sound good.”