Birth name Edward John Gagliardi Years active 1966–2014 Died May 11, 2014 Instruments Bass guitar, guitar Role Musical Artist | Occupation(s) Musician Name Ed Gagliardi | |
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Born February 13, 1952Brooklyn, NY, United States ( 1952-02-13 ) Albums Foreigner, Double Vision, Head Games | ||
SPYS She Can't Wait (Official Music Video)
Edward John 'Ed' Gagliardi (February 13, 1952 – May 11, 2014) was an American bass guitarist, best known as the original bass player for the 1970s rock band Foreigner. He was a member of Foreigner from the beginning in 1976. Gagliardi, most notably, played a red Rickenbacker bass guitar, left-handed even though he was naturally right-handed. It is widely known that he did so out of admiration, and devotion to Paul McCartney (most often self-doctored from right handed basses, reengineered and played upside down, by Gagliardi himself). Gagliardi was on the albums Foreigner and Double Vision, but was fired from the band in 1979.
In 1981, Gagliardi formed the band Spys with former Foreigner keyboardist Al Greenwood, a band that set the tone for much of the 80's synth-rock bands, and received acclaim within the musical community.
In the early 2000s, Gagliardi worked as a Service Department Writer at Rallye Lexus in Glen Cove, New York.
Gagliardi died of cancer on May 11, 2014, after battling cancer for eight years. Friends and family held a private ceremony.