FRANCIS ‘ROCCO' PRESTIA

The great Tower Of Power bassist, whose muted playing style made him one of the funkiest musicians of all time, leaves us.

Tower Of Power are one of the most compelling funk bands ever formed, a large part of which is due to their former bass player Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia, who died on September 29 at the age of 69. His bass style, the band’s secret weapon, had to be seen to be believed, based as it was on super-dexterous picking, heavy muting and fills that defied all explanation—all delivered with supreme accuracy. TOP’s best-known song, ‘What Is Hip?’, is a perfect showcase for his playing: check it out before reading on, if you don’t have it running through your head already, of course.