Matthew Seligman death: David Bowie bassist dies from coronavirus, aged 64

Getty/Redferns
Getty/Redferns

Matthew Seligman, the bass guitarist who performed with David Bowie at Live Aid, has died of coronavirus.

Seligman, 64, passed away on Friday 17 April after spending two weeks on a ventilator at St George’s hospital in Tooting, South London.

The former bassist, who went on to work as a lawyer, is believed by friends to have picked up the virus while visiting his brother, who recently died from non-Covid-19 related causes after multiple stints in hospital.

The news was shared by his lifelong friend and fellow musician Thomas Dolby, who wrote in a Facebook post that Seligman had suffered a servere haemorrhagic stroke.

“Matthew’s gone,” Dolby wrote, going on to share a picture of the musician with lyrics to his song, “I Love You Goodbye".

“Some words are sad to sing. Some leave me tongue-tied. But the hardest words I know are I love you goodbye,” they read.

Seligman was best known for working with Bowie during his performance at 1985’s Live Aid benefit concert, as well as accompanying him on the soundtrack to the 1986 Jim Henson film Labyrinth.

He worked as a session musician for artists such as Sinead O’Connor and Morrissey, as well as performing in post-punk psychedelic band the Soft Boys.