Trevor Bolder, Uriah Heep bassist and member of David Bowie's Spiders From Mars backing band, has died aged 62.

He passed away yesterday from pancreatic cancer, for which he had had surgery earlier this year.

After a stint in The Rats, where he played with Mick Ronson, he took Tony Visconti's place in the Spiders From Mars in 1971, recording four albums, Hunky Dory, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups and touring with Bowie.

After the Spiders From Mars disbanded in 1976, Bolder joined Uriah Heep, which, after a brief stint with Wishbone Ash in the early 80s, he stayed with, playing on all albums from 1985's Equator until Into The Wild in 2011. He also played in the Mick Ronson tribute band Cybernauts with fellow Spider From Mars Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey.

Paying tribute to Bolder, Bowie issued a statement saying: “Trevor was a wonderful musician and a major inspiration for whichever band he was working with. But he was foremostly a tremendous guy, a great man.”

A statement from Uriah Heep said: “Trevor was an all-time great – one of the outstanding musicians of his generation, and one of the finest and most influential bass players Britain ever produced.

“His long time membership of Uriah Heep brought the band’s music, and Trevor’s virtuosity and enthusiasm, to hundreds of thousands of fans across the world.”

Mick Box, founder member and guitarist of the band, added: “Trevor was a world class bass player, singer and songwriter – and more importantly a world class friend. He will be sadly missed by family, friends and rock fans all over the world. We are all numb to the core.”

The band have set up a memorial guestbook on their website, which you can sign here.