Chris Bailey has passed away

News has come through this morning that Chris Bailey has lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully last night. I first met Chris in the early 1990’s when I had the pleasure of doing a couple of short tours with GANGgajang. Not only was he a brilliant musician but he was regarded as a damn nice bloke too.

He came to prominence as the bass player for The Angels in the 1970’s and was with them for their first six years, playing on some of their biggest hits. After leaving The Angels he hooked up with fellow ex-Angel Buzz Bidstrup to form GANGgajang and once again enjoyed a great deal of success over an extended period of time.

In recent years he had re-joined The Angels and was in the process of recording another album with them when news of his illness came to light. I spoke with him briefly last September at an Angels gig in Sydney and while he obviously wasn’t well he was keen to hit the stage and did a song with the band that night.

There is a benefit concert planned for him later this month in Adelaide and I know he was keen to be there. I’m sure it will be a fitting tribute to a guy who was such a highly regarded Aussie Legend. Rest in peace Chris.