The onetime bassist for FREHLEY’s COMET, John Regan, has died
At the present time no cause of death has been revealed.
Regan had been a member of the band FREHLEY’s COMET along with multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Tod Howarth, drummer Anton Fig (Late Show With David Letterman) and original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. He has also recorded with the likes of Peter Frampton, THE ROLLING STONES, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, David Lee Roth, Robin Trower, Billy Idol and countless others.
John discussed working with big-name artists in a 2016 talk with Songfacts, saying: “I have been fortunate to have worked with artists that did not dictate on any level. Keeping in mind, that I have always approached my contribution to a recording or live performance as one of ‘facilitator.’ By that I mean it is always in the forefront of my mind to try and play my bass parts to best serve the song, singer and my fellow musicians. Peter [Frampton] in particular is a pleasure to work with in that regard. For the better part of 31 years, from 1979 through 2010, it was an honor to compose and perform his music.”
Touching on his studio work, John said: “Spending time working in studio with the likes of Frampton, Billy Idol, Mick Jagger and David Bowie, THE ROLLING STONES, Michael Monroe and legendary producers such as Eddie Kramer and Nile Rodgers, just to name a few, has been nothing short of awe inspiring and profoundly enjoyable. Suffice to say, each project had moments that I was pinching myself, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
“One experience that became a high-water mark was getting the call from Nile Rodgers, through my dear friend Rob Sabino, to stop by and replace a bass part on the track that David Bowie and Mick Jagger had recorded for Live Aid: ‘Dancing In The Street‘. That song had long been favorite of mine, but when I arrived at the studio to find Mick Jagger greeting me, it was something I will never forget.
“My most vivid memory of that day was that it happened to be one of those rare occasions that the part that made the final recording was a first take for me, but as I was laying down the bass track I could see Mick dancing around the studio, just getting into the music as if he were onstage. Powerful moment in time for me, and it hit home how much Jagger was moved by the power of the song, and how sincere his love of music must be.”
More recently, John Regan had performed with the group FOUR BY FATE along with his FREHLEY’s COMET bandmate Tod Howarth.
