Bassist Rick Anderson Dead at 75: Did Tubes’ Co-founder Die of Health Issue?

Rick Anderson, The Tubes' co-founding member and bassist, has died at the age of 75, the band confirmed.

The Tubes released a statement as the members mourn Anderson's death. It revealed through an Instagram post that the musician died on Dec. 16.

"We lost our brother on 12/16/22," the caption read. "Rick brought a steady and kind presence to the band for 50 years. His love came through his bass. RIP."

It also released the same post on its official Facebook page. The band and his family have not confirmed Rick Anderson's cause of death. It remains unknown whether he suffered health issues that led to his demise.

Details of his funeral are yet to be disclosed.

Anderson died months after The Tubes' former member, Re Styles, passed away in April at the age of 72.

Fans joined The Tubes' members amid the mourning period, sharing posts dedicated to the late bassist in which they also paid tribute to the late musician.

Rick Anderson's Legacy

The Tubes, which was formed on March 22, 1972, was created by the members of two different bands - The Beans and Red White and Blues Band.

It marked its first-ever performance at Expo '70 in Japan, but it immediately lost David Killingsworth after he decided to exit the band. As it continued its journey, The Tubes eventually garnered popularity when it scored a supporting slot with Led Zeppelin in 1973.

It then signed a record deal that gave birth to its fan-favorite self-titled debut, which featured the hit "White Punks on Dope."

As for Anderson, he was part of The Tubes' albums from 1975 to 1996. He continued to tour with them until this year. Some of its renowned albums include "Young and Rich," "The Completion Backward Principle," "Remote Control," "Outside Inside," "Genius of America," "Love Bomb," "Wild in London," and "What Do You Want from Live."

Before his death, his former bandmate Bill Spooner sat down for an interview with MusoScribe and revealed what it felt like to perform with the band.

"I think that because we started with such a dramatic flair, as time went on, we realized that we were always going to be in the red," he said. "We'd book tours - 150 dates of sold-out shows - and still lose money because of all the people we'd drag around, and all the props and extra trucks full of shit."