Bob Brunning's Passing

[michelej1]

The papers are reporting that Bob Brunning has passed away yesterday, at the age of 68. His first wife Sujatin Elspeth Johnson confirmed his death on October 18, 2011, in an email to me. Mr. Brunning had 2 children with Sujatin Johnson, Simon and Rachel.

He also had a son Daniel, with his second wife Halina. He had six grandchildren.

A blogger has prepared a nice tribute to Bob Brunning here: http://www.roybaintonwrites.com/2011/10/another-man-done-gone.html

[Silver Springs]

Rest in peace, Bob.

[michelej1]

We've never had to say that before about a member of Fleetwood Mac.

Michele

[Silver Springs]

We've never had to say that before about a member of Fleetwood Mac.

Michele

It's depressing that they're getting older. One day we'll have to say it again.

[chiliD]

It's depressing that they're getting older. One day we'll have to say it again.

15 more times all-in-all. Probably double that by including members of their solo bands.

RIP Bob.

Bee, couldn't help it, but that sig you have of Lindsey from the Live 1980 album...squint just right and he kinda looks like SpongeBobSquarePants.

[HomerMcvie]

It's depressing that they're getting older. One day we'll have to say it again.

Yep, we just lost the first link in the chain. Let's hope it's not a 3 pack.:(

Rest in peace, Bob.

[chriskisn]

RIP Bob. While his impact on Fleetwood Mac was minimal, his contribution to British blues over the years was enjoyable.

Thank you so much to Wetcamelfood for getting me into Bob Brunning's music and all those albums that I would never have had the opportunity to hear otherwise.

I have spent many a happy time listening to Brunning Sunflower Blues Band or The De Luxe Blues Band. While they never made it to stardom, they were an excellent band that produced some wonderful music.

The only video I could find that featured BB on bass (somewhere over in the corner)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaFKZmH4aU8&feature=colike

[wetcamelfood]

You're welcome Chris. :)

My computer crashed last night before this news broke so I just saw this now.

I couldn't help thinking over the last few years that we were lucky to never have needed to encounter this situation with one of our 16. It's amazing when you think of all the other bands out there and what their fans had to go through regarding members they were fans of that had been lost but as has been pointed out here it is inevitable and if nothing else it will help us prepare for those unavoidable future days we hear more news like this.

This will be a strange day not knowing the feelings that will overcome me.

John

[chriskisn]

This will be a strange day not knowing the feelings that will overcome me.

John

Yes as terrible as it sounds, and while his death has made me sad, it certainly hasn't affected me like the passing of some of the members will. That sounds callous, but I don't mean it to be so.

[sharksfan2000]

Sad to hear this news. RIP Bob.

A few YouTube clips that include Bob on bass guitar:

From Fleetwood Mac's debut gig at Windsor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e08kol0ZzrM

Studio recording of "Long Grey Mare":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSvU8OXqmzM

From Tramp, with Danny Kirwan and Mick Fleetwood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_v5r4rd5ZA

[TrueFaith77]

Very sad. He has taken part of the band's history with him. I really do wish Mick could do a super Mac album with all the members of the Mac on record: one song per songwriter. That's my dream. I wish it were his.

[chriskisn]

Very sad. He has taken part of the band's history with him. I really do wish Mick could do a super Mac album with all the members of the Mac on record: one song per songwriter. That's my dream. I wish it were his.

We might get something exciting in 2017... if we are lucky. Surely they have to release something different, rather than another rehashed greatest hits album?

[HomerMcvie]

We might get something exciting in 2017... if we are lucky. Surely they have to release something different, rather than another rehashed greatest hits album?

Won't happen. That will be the 40th anniversary of Tumours. God, please let them re-release it on 8-track! Because they will still have to beat that old, dead, road carcass.:lol:

LAME. They were artists, once upon a time. Now, well,....just they may as well stock up on some red light bulbs.....

[Silver Springs]

Won't happen. That will be the 40th anniversary of Tumours. God, please let them re-release it on 8-track! Because they will still have to beat that old, dead, road carcass.:lol:

LAME. They were artists, once upon a time. Now, well,....just they may as well stock up on some red light bulbs.....

Wow. More seasoned fans really do hate Rumours. O_o. I never understood the hate, but different strokes for different folks. I just find it a little unfair that the artists as a whole are being judged for only what they do with the Fleetwood Mac they've been drifting away from for years. Yes, the band has had better days. But so have alot of the old greats. But individually, some wonderful things are happening for the members. On a personal level, Lindsey Buckingham is as vital as ever. Whereas I didn't enjoy Stevie's album much at all, but she still brings in the fans. I can't help but feel that the band is judged because they're not constantly shoving material down our throats. I'd rather them take many years to make an album I love, instead of them pumping out album after album of mediocre dreck as many contemporary artists do.

[HomerMcvie]

Wow. More seasoned fans really do hate Rumours. O_o. I never understood the hate, but different strokes for different folks. I just find it a little unfair that the artists as a whole are being judged for only what they do with the Fleetwood Mac they've been drifting away from for years. Yes, the band has had better days. But so have alot of the old greats. But individually, some wonderful things are happening for the members. On a personal level, Lindsey Buckingham is as vital as ever. Whereas I didn't enjoy Stevie's album much at all, but she still brings in the fans. I can't help but feel that the band is judged because they're not constantly shoving material down our throats. I'd rather them take many years to make an album I love, instead of them pumping out album after album of mediocre dreck as many contemporary artists do.

An "artist" creates. Not REcreates, a 40yo work of art, without putting something new on the palette(I don't count them doing SYLM as new). They're sort of a cover band now, because all they do is oldies. So SYW didn't have anything worth still performing? Hmm...

Their solo careers are where they put their artistic effort now. Fleetwood Mac is just for the money.:o

[dino]

R.I.P, Bob.
His anecdote about him auditioning for Greeny always makes me laugh.
"Do you know you namesake, the famous Peter Green?"
"I AM Peter Green, you twat!"

Or something like that...

[jeremy spencer]

Wow. More seasoned fans really do hate Rumours. O_o. I never understood the hate, but different strokes for different folks. I just find it a little unfair that the artists as a whole are being judged for only what they do with the Fleetwood Mac they've been drifting away from for years. Yes, the band has had better days. But so have alot of the old greats. But individually, some wonderful things are happening for the members. On a personal level, Lindsey Buckingham is as vital as ever. Whereas I didn't enjoy Stevie's album much at all, but she still brings in the fans. I can't help but feel that the band is judged because they're not constantly shoving material down our throats. I'd rather them take many years to make an album I love, instead of them pumping out album after album of mediocre dreck as many contemporary artists do.

Never understood it either. Some folks don't let us move on. I've heard about :sorry:similar eye-rolling sentiments to mine from others regarding such attitudes.
Eric: "Come on Eric, quit messin' about. Give us that old Les Paul/Marshall stuff like before..."
or
Mark: "Let's hear the old stuff. When is DS having a reunion?"

'No man having tasted the old wine, straightway desires the new.' I suppose some of us have to live with that.:sorry:

[Street_Dreamer]

We've never had to say that before about a member of Fleetwood Mac.

Michele

Yup... that's exactly what came to my mind immediately... RIP Bob.

Matt

[chriskisn]

Actually I was thinking more along the lines that it was 50 years of Fleetwood Mac, I forgot about Rumours.

I was hoping that Brunning would release another album from his De Luxe Blues Band, but obviously that is not to be now. I noticed on one of the pages that have sprung up since his death a comment about how he had been playing with a band fairly recently. No idea of any more info about that though.

Given the past (and present?) drug abuse and/or alcohol abuse of people like Dave Walker, Danny Kirwan, Peter Green, Stevie Nicks, Bob Welch and of course Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, it seems cruel that Mr Brunning, probably one of the clean-living Mac members, who had a 30 year teaching career, should be the first to pass away.

[Muddy]

RIP Bob

He played bass in Long Grey Mare and I Believe My Time Ain't Long. Two favorites of mine.

[TerraRhiannon]

I just spit my cereal across the room. (Don't know why i'm eating at 4 am) but wow.
This is terribly sad I can't believe it! /

RIP Bob :(

The first time we've had to say this about a member, sadly won't be the last, but hopefully not for a while!

[chriskisn]

RIP Bob

He played bass in Long Grey Mare and I Believe My Time Ain't Long. Two favorites of mine.

He also made a claim somewhere that he played uncredited on other tracks when McVie was too drunk to play. I don't know if that is widely accepted or not though? :shrug:

[chriskisn]

Ok now here is a question of the Brunning fans. Both of you...

I knew I had read somewhere about the number of albums that Bob had released so I went looking back in the news section of this page (well the Penguin bit of this site) and found the following quote

"The grandfather gave up the life of a full-time bluesman to teach, but has been playing in various line-ups and has just recorded his 43rd album."

Now I was wondering how accurate that figure was...

So to my count:

1 x Five's Company album
1 x Cub Scout album - Songs For Your Enjoyment
3 x Fleetwood Mac albums (Live at the Marquee, Pious Bird of Good Omen and PG's FM) I know this is one bootleg and three tracks, but..
1 x Savoy Brown album (and that is really stretching the truth a bit)
2 x Tramp Albums
4 x Brunning Sunflower albums
8 x De Luxe Blues Band albums
3 x BB Blues Club Albums (although did he appear on all of them?)

That gives us a total of 23 albums.

We could stretch that further by mentioning the Rarities album, and even the Tramp 1974 album by Jo-Ann Kelly (which I think he was on some tracks). Admittedly Long Grey Mare pops up on a few albums but that would really be grasping at straws.

I know he guested on a couple of albums by Bob Hall as well although I don't know which ones, etc. I'm guessing he may have turned up on albums by Dave Kelly, Danny Adler, etc, although once again I'm guessing at that.

Even then, would that be classified as "recording" 43 albums.

That article and the "43 albums" has annoyed and niggled at me for 10 years. I guess now is as good a time as any to ask the question...

[Muddy]

Maybe this 43 albums figure includes a lot of guest appearances on obscure british blues bands along the years. Don't have a clue though.

[wetcamelfood]

Ok now here is a question of the Brunning fans. Both of you...

I knew I had read somewhere about the number of albums that Bob had released so I went looking back in the news section of this page (well the Penguin bit of this site) and found the following quote

"The grandfather gave up the life of a full-time bluesman to teach, but has been playing in various line-ups and has just recorded his 43rd album."

Now I was wondering how accurate that figure was...

So to my count:

1 x Five's Company album
1 x Cub Scout album - Songs For Your Enjoyment
3 x Fleetwood Mac albums (Live at the Marquee, Pious Bird of Good Omen and PG's FM) I know this is one bootleg and three tracks, but..
1 x Savoy Brown album (and that is really stretching the truth a bit)
2 x Tramp Albums
4 x Brunning Sunflower albums
8 x De Luxe Blues Band albums
3 x BB Blues Club Albums (although did he appear on all of them?)

That gives us a total of 23 albums.

We could stretch that further by mentioning the Rarities album, and even the Tramp 1974 album by Jo-Ann Kelly (which I think he was on some tracks). Admittedly Long Grey Mare pops up on a few albums but that would really be grasping at straws.

I know he guested on a couple of albums by Bob Hall as well although I don't know which ones, etc. I'm guessing he may have turned up on albums by Dave Kelly, Danny Adler, etc, although once again I'm guessing at that.

Even then, would that be classified as "recording" 43 albums.

That article and the "43 albums" has annoyed and niggled at me for 10 years. I guess now is as good a time as any to ask the question...

Yeah I think this is including compilations. Actually I bet it would total a lot more than 43 if you included every redundant release related to any recording he ever played on but my guess is they probably took that number from his allmusic.com "credits" listings which I'd guess looks roughly around 43 (but I never counted them) though there are a couple on there that were recorded by another Bob Brunning (John Stewart's Bullets In The Hour Glass, Rip Masters' Big Red '57, etc.).

I have seen write ups like this on other artists where they say "(so and so) has appeared on nearly 900 albums (etc.)" and this could be true for the Waddy Wachtel's of the world but the artists I was reading about (can't remember who now but will post if I do remember) were not session players by any stretch so I think it was safe to say in those cases they HAD to be including comps.

However please do let those of us interested :) know if you come across anything he played on (where the recordings in question have not already appeared in some form) and I'll do the same if I come across anything as well. :)

John

[chriskisn]

Well if you count the Allmusic.com numbers it comes to 49 or so...which would make sense. Especially as it only lists 3 of the DBB albums!

Though here is a question John, do you have the compilation of Brunning Sunflower called Long Old Road? I didn't even know it existed, and the next question is, is there anything on there that isn't on the other albums. Oh and what the hell is Disc 3? Never heard of those songs. They are listed as being written by Hutto. I've heard of J.B. Hutto but is that him, and what does he have to do with Brunning Sunflower? Was Disc 3 a short tribute disc?

:shrug:

Thanks :)

[Wouter Vuijk]

Stunning how these questions arise only AFTER his passing....:shocked:
R.I.P. Bob

[chriskisn]

Stunning how these questions arise only AFTER his passing....:shocked:
R.I.P. Bob

You couldn't get Mr Brunning to answer questions when he was alive, so we might have better luck now. Refer to the Q&A which he disappeared from part way through, or ask John about his dealings with him.

Nevertheless, his passing gives us a chance to reflect on his career...

[wetcamelfood]

Well if you count the Allmusic.com numbers it comes to 49 or so...which would make sense. Especially as it only lists 3 of the DBB albums!

Though here is a question John, do you have the compilation of Brunning Sunflower called Long Old Road? I didn't even know it existed, and the next question is, is there anything on there that isn't on the other albums. Oh and what the hell is Disc 3? Never heard of those songs. They are listed as being written by Hutto. I've heard of J.B. Hutto but is that him, and what does he have to do with Brunning Sunflower? Was Disc 3 a short tribute disc?

:shrug:

Thanks :)

Long Old Road was just a box set compilation of the Brunning Sunflower albums plus the JB Hutto album the Brunning Sunflower band played on as Hutto's backing band (Hipshakin' Live In London)

http://www.discog.fleetwoodmac.net/discog.php?pid=389

As far as I know that's the only way (as of now) to get that album on CD and I found the Trojan 2fers of the Sunflower albums to be of better use than the ones included in this box so I kept the Hutto disc (since they are mini LP replicas) and sold the rest (the minimalist that I am).

You couldn't get Mr Brunning to answer questions when he was alive, so we might have better luck now. Refer to the Q&A which he disappeared from part way through, or ask John about his dealings with him.

Nevertheless, his passing gives us a chance to reflect on his career...

Yes, I don't want to kick him on the way to the burial ground but the nicest way to say it is I just found it strange that in his books he seems to gleefully talk about his times to anyone that wants to hear about them but then when we did converse it was almost like he was annoyed. I mean, I understand he might feel embarrassed not remembering which songs he played on from some of the albums he's been on over the years but I never meant it that way, I didnt expect him to remember those details but just wanted to go through the process of asking him the question so I could then walk away knowing I asked and he doesn't remember you know so I wouldn't always think "maybe if I asked him he'd have recalled" and just found it odd he seemed to be really into talking about his musical travels not only in his books but the liner notes he'd do for CD reissues etc. yet it was as if you were asking him personal questions when just asking him about the recordings so I just found that to be a contradiction is all.

Still, like Chris says, we can look at his recorded works now with pride regarding the quality his body of work has (given he ended up being what might be referred to many as a "semi pro" music career next to his educational career). :)

John

[chriskisn]

Long Old Road was just a box set compilation of the Brunning Sunflower albums plus the JB Hutto album the Brunning Sunflower band played on as Hutto's backing band (Hipshakin' Live In London)

http://www.discog.fleetwoodmac.net/discog.php?pid=389

As far as I know that's the only way (as of now) to get that album on CD and I found the Trojan 2fers of the Sunflower albums to be of better use than the ones included in this box so I kept the Hutto disc (since they are mini LP replicas) and sold the rest (the minimalist that I am).

Yes, I don't want to kick him on the way to the burial ground but the nicest way to say it is I just found it strange that in his books he seems to gleefully talk about his times to anyone that wants to hear about them but then when we did converse it was almost like he was annoyed. I mean, I understand he might feel embarrassed not remembering which songs he played on from some of the albums he's been on over the years but I never meant it that way, I didnt expect him to remember those details but just wanted to go through the process of asking him the question so I could then walk away knowing I asked and he doesn't remember you know so I wouldn't always think "maybe if I asked him he'd have recalled" and just found it odd he seemed to be really into talking about his musical travels not only in his books but the liner notes he'd do for CD reissues etc. yet it was as if you were asking him personal questions when just asking him about the recordings so I just found that to be a contradiction is all.

Still, like Chris says, we can look at his recorded works now with pride regarding the quality his body of work has (given he ended up being what might be referred to many as a "semi pro" music career next to his educational career). :)

John

Thanks John, I knew that we would have discussed it before had there been anything different from the other BSBB albums. The Hutto one confused me slightly for a minute though.

I think I said to you before John, I have always thought of Brunning Sunflower and De Luxe Blues Band as being like going to your local bar and seeing a really good blues band play. They weren't in the league of Fleetwood Mac, but they were enjoyable nonetheless.

[sharksfan2000]

I think I said to you before John, I have always thought of Brunning Sunflower and De Luxe Blues Band as being like going to your local bar and seeing a really good blues band play. They weren't in the league of Fleetwood Mac, but they were enjoyable nonetheless.
And not too many local bar bands had guest players like Brunning Sunflower Blues Band did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-uQmWRgRaI

[Wouter Vuijk]

And not too many local bar bands had guest players like Brunning Sunflower Blues Band did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-uQmWRgRaI

Or even better, what a joy/honor it must have been to support on this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3u8fGA89nI&feature=related

[chriskisn]

And not too many local bar bands had guest players like Brunning Sunflower Blues Band did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-uQmWRgRaI

Actually BSBB and Tramp were very much tongue in cheek, they often produced quite witty songs. There are some great songs that make you laugh, they weren't taking themselves too seriously. C&W Blues, Big Belly Blues, I Met This Bird In Playboy, What You Gonna Do When The Road Comes Through, Paternity Orders (Keep On Rolling In), etc.

The De Luxe Blues Band went all serious on us though (most of the time). I guess DLBB were more the bar band than BSBB and Tramp were.

Though to be honest both Bob Hall and Jo Ann Kelly were world class. Oh and if anyone was taken from us too young, it was Jo Ann Kelly. Oh what a voice!

[wetcamelfood]

Thanks John, I knew that we would have discussed it before had there been anything different from the other BSBB albums. The Hutto one confused me slightly for a minute though.

I think I said to you before John, I have always thought of Brunning Sunflower and De Luxe Blues Band as being like going to your local bar and seeing a really good blues band play. They weren't in the league of Fleetwood Mac, but they were enjoyable nonetheless.

You're welcome Chris, and I agree, the BSBB & DLBB did bring out the best in that bar band type sound. I guess it's those recordings I always have in mind when I say they were semi-pro, perhaps not top notch craftsmanship (craftspersonship? gotta get the politically incorrect 70s phrases out of my vocabulary), but very pleasant and laid back. :)

John

[wetcamelfood]

Actually BSBB and Tramp were very much tongue in cheek, they often produced quite witty songs. There are some great songs that make you laugh, they weren't taking themselves too seriously. C&W Blues, Big Belly Blues, I Met This Bird In Playboy, What You Gonna Do When The Road Comes Through, Paternity Orders (Keep On Rolling In), etc.

The De Luxe Blues Band went all serious on us though (most of the time). I guess DLBB were more the bar band than BSBB and Tramp were.

Though to be honest both Bob Hall and Jo Ann Kelly were world class. Oh and if anyone was taken from us too young, it was Jo Ann Kelly. Oh what a voice!

Yes, Jo-Ann was taken too soon as well. Yeah at a push, I do find myself listening to Tramp & BSBB stuff more than DLBB but the Deluxe's had some great stuff too, I always wondered if Danny Adler and Rick Vito would ever consider getting together to do something, I know they know each other and I think that would make for an interesting blues pairing. :)

John

[vivfox]

Bob Brunning: Original bass player with Fleetwood Mac

Alan Clayson
Tuesday, 25 October 2011

The summit of his career as a professional musician was, ostensibly, as temporary bass guitarist with Fleetwood Mac. Nevertheless, even during subsequent decades as headmaster of a London comprehensive, Bob Brunning was mainstay of other respected outfits that made headway during the blues boom of the later 1960s. He was also author of several associated books, such as 1995's Blues in Britain, a near-definitive history. As a measure of his own standing in the movement, this was launched with a show at central London's 100 Club, featuring Brunning, Colosseum saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, guitarist Danny Adler from Roogalator, vocalist Chris Youlden of Savoy Brown and, on drums, former Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart sideman Mickey Waller.

Yet at grammar school in his native Bournemouth, Brunning had plucked bass in a mainstream pop outfit, Lee Peterson and the Defenders, prior to pledging himself in 1963 to The Sabres, fronted by future national radio disc-jockey Tony Blackburn. Within a year, however, he'd commenced teacher training in London, where he joined Five's Company, who recorded three singles and a concept album, The Ballad of Fred the Pixie.

Becoming more attracted to earthier sounds, he responded in July 1967 to a Melody Maker advertisement that read, "bass player wanted for Chicago-type blues band", placed by Peter Green, fresh from a stint as guitarist with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. While he passed the audition, Brunning understood immediately that he was in the group only until John McVie, Green's first choice, became available in December.

Billed as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, they made their debut at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival the following month. Then came a punishing run of round-Britain one-nighters – and studio sessions that yielded a maiden single, "I Believe My Time Ain't Long", and the taping of an in-concert album in autumn 1967 (unissued until 1992).

Brunning remained on amicable terms with Fleetwood Mac, even recording with the group on one occasion when McVie was indisposed. He also formed Tramp, a casual ensemble, with drummer Mick Fleetwood during a sojourn with The Savoy Brown Blues Band, with whom Brunning attempted to balance distant bookings with his day job in a primary school – until the evening he was obliged to interrupt his wedding celebrations to fulfil a contracted Savoy Brown gig in Essex. Nonetheless, on accepting a post at a secondary school in Pimlico, he stayed in touch with the band, mulling over but ultimately turning down a North American tour – and, with a former Savoy Brown colleague, pianist Bob "Big Sunflower" Hall, founding The Brunning-Sunflower Blues Band. Through Brunning's connections with the budget label Saga – responsible for the belated release in 1969 of The Ballad of Fred the Pixie – the band released three albums prior to a fourth offering for another company in 1971.

Perhaps the most unusual of Brunning's musical activities during the 1970s and beyond was his participation in the 22nd Streatham Cub Scouts LP Songs for Your Enjoyment, but more typical was accompanying artists engaged by a Birmingham conglomerate, Big Bear. Through its agency, American Blues Legends revues came to Europe, containing the aged likes of Lightnin' Slim, Homesick James, Big John Wrencher and Eddie Clearwater. As well as backing these veterans both on stage and on disc, Brunning's Deluxe Blues Band – with Hall, Adler, Waller and, later, Heckstall-Smith – became popular in its own right. Despite subsequent turnovers of personnel, the group was still active during their bass player's final years, appearing often at his long-running BB's Blues Club in south London.

Bob Brunning, musician: born Bournemouth 29 June 1943; married (three children); died London 18 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bob-brunning-original-bass-player-with-fleetwood-mac-2375404.html

[chriskisn]

Brunning understood immediately that he was in the group only until John McVie, Green's first choice, became available in December.


I wonder if this was researched or just copied directly out of Brunning/Fleetwood's books. We know that there is dispute about whether Brunning lasted until December (three months) or not.

Thanks for posting though Viv... :)

[michelej1]

The Guardian, Dave Laing , Thursday 27 October 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/28/bob-brunning?newsfeed=true

Bob Brunning obituary
Founder member of Fleetwood Mac and a stalwart of the British blues scene

Bob Brunning, a founder member of Fleetwood Mac and a stalwart of the British blues scene for five decades, has died after a heart attack aged 68. Brunning played with the group Savoy Brown and for many years led his own bands, often supporting visiting American musicians, while holding down a day job as a teacher.

He grew up in Bournemouth, where he took up the bass guitar. He played with various local groups, including one led by the future Radio 1 disc jockey Tony Blackburn. In 1963 he moved to London to train as a teacher at the College of St Mark and St John ("Marjon") in Chelsea. There, he joined a college group, Five's Company, whose keyboards player was Steve Jones, later a radio presenter. The group had a "thoroughly good time", Brunning later said, and made three singles for Pye Records. None was commercially successful.

When its members graduated, Five's Company split up. Brunning answered an advertisement for a bass player in Melody Maker. He later described going for an audition where "I was greeted by a guy who introduced himself as Peter Green. I said to him: 'You've certainly got the right name for a blues guitarist. Do you know about your namesake, who plays with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers?' 'You bloody idiot,' he said, 'I am Peter Green.'"

Despite this faux pas, Brunning got the job, joining Green's Fleetwood Mac. The band made its debut at the 1967 National Jazz and Blues festival at Windsor, after which the group took up a residency at the Marquee Club in Soho. But Brunning was asked to leave three months later when Green and the drummer Mick Fleetwood's former colleague John McVie was persuaded to leave Mayall's band to join Fleetwood Mac.

Undaunted, Brunning moved on to a rival group, the Savoy Brown Blues Band (later known as Savoy Brown), who ran a blues club at the Nag's Head pub in Battersea, south London. His sojourn with this band was equally brief. This time, the parting of ways was caused by arguments over money.

His split from Savoy Brown convinced Brunning that he needed a regular job as insurance against the vagaries of the music business. He found one at a primary school in Pimlico and was to stay in the profession for 30 years, retiring in 1999 as a headteacher.

In the 1970s, he remained active in the British blues scene, forming and leading bands as well as accompanying numerous American musicians, many of whom appeared on the American Blues Legends tours organised by the Birmingham promoter Jim Simpson. Sometimes he would return to London in the middle of the night after a show in the north of England and grab a few hours' sleep before the school day began.

Among Brunning's associates in the south London blues scene were the singer and guitarist Jo Ann Kelly, her guitarist brother Dave, and the pianist and patent agent Bob Hall. With Hall, Bob founded the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band, which made four albums between 1968 and 1970. He next organised a recording group, Tramp, with the Kellys and Hall plus guest appearances from the Fleetwood Mac members Danny Kirwan and Mick Fleetwood.

In 1981 Hall and Brunning returned to live performance as the De Luxe Blues Band, with Danny Adler on guitar and Mickey Waller on drums. The group was formed to back the American blues artists Eddie Clearwater and Carey Bell at a show in London, but the quartet stayed together for more than a decade, adding Dick Heckstall-Smith on saxophones. The band made five albums and toured Europe frequently during school holidays.

In the 1980s, Brunning branched out as an author. His first book, Blues: The British Connection (1986), was informed by his firsthand experience of the scene and remains the definitive guide to the genre. He also profiled Fleetwood Mac in two books, which were updated regularly. Brunning capitalised on his teaching experience by writing a series of books on popular music for children, published under the rubric Sound Trackers by Heinemann.

He continued to perform regularly, ran a Sunday nightclub, BB's, in south London, and issued CDs on his own record label. Always loyal to Fleetwood Mac, he even played occasionally with Fleetwood Bac, a well-regarded tribute band.

Brunning is survived by his wife, Halina, three children and six grandchildren.

• Bob Brunning, blues musician, born 29 June 1943; died 18 October 2011

[Phil Lee]

There's mention of Bob's passing on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15520303) today. It's the first I'd heard of it so RIP Bob.

[michelej1]

BBC News Magazine, October 31, 2011 By Nick Serpell Obituary Editor, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15520303

When Peter Green formed the original Fleetwood Mac in 1967 he was initially unable to persuade John McVie to sign up and instead recruited Bob Brunning as the band's first-ever bass player. Brunning was studying at a teacher's training college when he saw Green's advert in Melody Maker. In the event he played on just one track with the band, Long Grey Mare, before McVie changed his mind and Brunning quit. He spent a brief period with Savoy Brown but decided that teaching would provide a more certain income. His interest in music did not diminish and he recorded four albums with his own outfit although none sold that well. He was also a prolific author and published several histories of Fleetwood Mac as well as books about the British blues scene.

[chriskisn]

http://www.unrulysun.net/sonmaxwell/bob-brunning-1943-2011/

A key figure in the history of the blues passed away on October 18, 2011. Bob Brunning, founder bassist with Fleetwood Mac and stalwart of Savoy Brown and his own De Luxe Blues Band, died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 68.

About this time last year I spent a day with Bob chatting about the early days of the blues in Britain. He told me great tales of his beloved 1959 Fender Precision bass, purchased for just £80 from a music shop in Bournemouth. Apart from a brief experiment with a Gibson EB3 around the time Jack Bruce was making it famous, Bob never played another bass.

“My first real inspiration was The Shadows – Jet Harris,” Bob told me. “I started off playing bass in Tony Blackburn’s band – we were at college together – and then I discovered the blues. I heard Muddy Waters on the radio and knew that was the music I wanted to play too.”

Bob acquired his bass after working all summer in a burger bar and on a building site. He told his parents he was earning money to pay his way at university. Then, just before he was due to leave for London, he spent the lot on the bass he had coveted: a sunburst Fender Precision with a tortoiseshell scratch plate, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard.

“I decided I’d just have to get gigs to pay my way,” he said.

Sure enough, he quickly got work with a band called Five’s Company and played regularly while studying for a career in teaching. But he wanted to play the blues, so he scanned Melody Maker and found an ad: “Bass player wanted for Chicago-style blues band.”

It wasn’t just any Chicago-style blues band. This was Fleetwood Mac, created by Peter Green who was fresh from playing with John Mayall, one of the biggest names in British blues.

“They were straight with me,” said Bob. “They really wanted John McVie, but he was still busy with John Mayall. He wasn’t sure how successful Fleetwood Mac might be. So they hired me, but told me that if John changed his mind, I’d have to step down.

“After all, he was the Mac in the band’s name!”

Bob went straight from the club and bar circuit to the main stage at one of the first major rock festivals – the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival of 1966. He also played on one of the band’s first recordings, “Long Grey Mare”, which appeared on the Mac’s classic first album.

But after Windsor, it was clear that Fleetwood Mac was going to be around for a long time. John McVie came aboard and Bob gave way gracefully, moving straight into another fast-rising British blues outfit, Savoy Brown.

It was here that Bob really made his mark on the burgeoning international blues scene, touring the UK and Europe with a top attraction at the peak of the first British blues boom. It was also with Savoy Brown that he very nearly lost his lifelong companion.

“I always, always took my gear out of the van at the end of the night,” he told me. “But one night, we were just so shattered we decided to leave it all on board. And of course that was the night that someone broke into it and stole everything.”

At first, Bob was distraught. Then his natural level-headedness kicked in. After all, it would have been really bad luck if the thief had actually been a bass player.

“I thought about what I would do if I had stolen an instrument,” he said, “and I knew straight away where I would take it. It was well known that they rarely asked questions when you wanted to fence a dodgy instrument.”

Now we have to be very careful here. The shop concerned was a reputable London music store and naming names would be highly inappropriate. Suffice to say that when I recounted this story to another veteran of the 60s scene in London, he knew exactly which shop it was before I told him.

Bob went straight to the store and sure enough, there was his bass propped against the counter ready to be priced.

“I didn’t confront them immediately,” he said. “I went and found a policeman and we went in together. Naturally, they were unhappy about giving it back, but when I quoted the serial number – 81112 – they had to admit I had a point.

“We didn’t press charges – I was just glad to get my bass back. Not only that, they’d set it up nicely with new strings and cleaned a crackly pot. I never let it out of my sight again.”

When Savoy Brown set off for America, Bob decided he would rather stay and pursue his teaching career. He never stopped playing though; he successfully combined his work as a primary school teacher in south London with gigs, regularly backing some of the biggest names in blues when they toured the UK.

He also wrote several books, including the definitive work on the British blues, “Blues: the British Connection.”

We can measure Bob Brunning’s legacy as a bluesman in many ways, but for me his most valuable gift to the blues is his insight into blues bass playing.

“Playing with the great black bluesmen who came over taught us all a great deal. Your ear became refined to the subtleties and above all you learned to keep things simple – four to the bar. Which is actually very difficult, because it means you have to bring real feel to your playing; you can’t rely on being flash and fast.

“Most of all, if you’re going to play the blues you have to listen. Listen to the great players, and listen to the people you are playing with. Blues is improvised music and it relies on dynamics – light and shade. You have to use your ears.”

It’s a priceless lesson from a great teacher. May Bob Brunning rest in peace – unless, of course, he’s even now locked into a jam with Muddy Waters and the other legendary bluesmen who inspired him.

Son Maxwell, October 2011

[chriskisn]

Plus the pic that went with the above article

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u19/thekimbers/Bob-Brunning-with-his-lifelong-companion-lo-res.jpg


Plus another one from http://barnowlblues.punt.nl/

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u19/thekimbers/BrunningBob01.jpg

[ironman_01701]

E=MC2

You cannot be gone or distroyed, you have just passed on to another form.

[WildHeart69]

Not sure if this was know, but I just read this...


"Former Fleetwood Mac and Savoy Brown bassist Bob Brunning has passed away. Brunning died of a heart attack on October 18. The musician was 68 when he passed away. According to Vintage Vinyl News, Brunning was recruited by original Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green but John McVie from the Bluesbreakers was reportedly first offered the job and ended up accepting it a few weeks later. Brunning record "Long Grey Mare" with the group. It ended up on the band's 1968 self-titled debut album. Brunning then briefly joined Savoy Brown before teaching. Brunning performed in several bands over the years. He also wrote over a dozen books, including: Fleetwood Mac: Behind the Masks. "

[wetcamelfood]

Yes

http://www.ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=48996

John

[chriskisn]

I'm not posting this so you can annoy the poor woman with emails, but this is a part of the brunningonline website I never knew existed until today

http://www.brunningonline.net/halina/index.html

[kowk]

R.I.P. Bob
Very sad news about Bob - I like his music and writing.
Krzysztof

P.S.
I didn't know Bob's wife comes from Poland.