Who Is Ricky Gardiner?

Ricky Gardiner, a self-taught musician born in Edinburgh in 1948, started his first band while still in high school.

For his first band, Gardiner was influenced by Yuri Gagarin and the Russian space mission of the same name, but it was for his own band Beggars Opera, which was created in 1969, that he found popularity.

Ricky Gardiner
Ricky Gardiner

David Bowie and Iggy Pop were two of his close friends, and he performed lead guitar on Bowie’s Low album in 1977.

That same year, he composed the score for the Pop film The Passenger, for which he collaborated with Pop. The song is widely regarded as one of the best in the genre’s history.

Bowie played keyboards on Pop’s record The Idiot tour with Gardiner.

What Happened To Ricky Gardiner?

Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life” guitarist Ricky Gardiner, who also performed on David Bowie’s “Low,” died at the age of 73. ​

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the demise of Ricky Gardiner Guitarist Songwriter/ Composer,” said an announcement on his website on May 17 that verified the musician’s death due to Parkinson’s disease.

On Friday, May 13th, Ricky died peacefully in his sleep. Parkinson’s PSP had afflicted him throughout the last decade of his life.