On Friday April 7, 2023, John Regan passed away at the age of 71 in his home in Wappinger Falls, New York, though the cause of death has not been made public. Don Presutti, a friend of Regan’s wife Cathy Merring-Regan, shared the news on Facebook.
“It is with the greatest sorrow and sadness that I let you all know John passed away this afternoon. So many people have posted messages of love and condolences on his phone. I am trying to figure out how to post on any of his fb pages. I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers. One of his favorite quotes was “All that you can take with you is that which you’ve given away”. From reading your messages, I know he gave much away and so much love was sent to him. He passed suddenly, but that was his wish. I had heard him over the past few weeks having lengthy conversations with many of you and you brought such joy to him. Thank you all for your heartfelt messages.”
Regan was born in New York City on October 28, 1951 and started playing the guitar at a young age. He later switched to the bass when he was a teenager and became known as a songwriter, producer, and bassist. He was a part of ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley’s band, Frehley’s Comet, from 1984-1990 and performed with Peter Frampton from 1979-2011. He initially met Frehley in the mid-1980s at a friend’s recording studio in White Plains, NY and they played Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin tunes. Additionally, he recorded with The Rolling Stones, Stephen Stills, Dave Edmunds, Robin Trower, Scandal, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, John Waite, Scandal, and David Lee Roth.
John was interviewed by Songfacts in 2016 and discussed his experience working with major artists. He described his role as a “facilitator”, meaning he always tried to play bass parts that would serve the song, singer, and other musicians. He particularly enjoyed working with Peter Frampton for over thirty years. John also mentioned his studio collaborations with artists like Billy Idol, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Michael Monroe, and producers like Eddie Kramer and Nile Rodgers. He went on to talk about the moment he received a call from Nile Rodgers to replace a bass part on a track by Bowie and Jagger for Live Aid. John was already a fan of the song, but his excitement was taken to a whole new level when he saw Mick Jagger at the studio.
The one moment that stands out to me the most was when, unexpectedly, the first take I recorded for the bass track ended up being the one that was used for the final recording. While I was playing, I noticed Mick Jagger dancing around the studio, completely absorbed in the music, as if he were performing onstage. This really made me appreciate how passionate he must be about music, and how much he felt the power of the song. Regan later wrote several tracks for Frehley’s Comet, one of them being the hit single “Rock Soldiers.” He also produced albums for various artists, including Billy Idol, David Lee Roth, and The Cult. Throughout the 90s and 2000s, Regan kept playing and recording music, then in 2014 he released his first solo album, “Sands of Time.”
In 2016, Regan reunited with his former Frehley’s Comet co-frontman Tod Howarth to form the band Four By Fate, and they recorded an album, called “Relentless”. This connection between the two was formed nearly 40 years prior, when Howarth was on tour performing with Cheap Trick. They were further joined by guitarist Patrick James Gasperini and former Skid Row drummer Rob Affuso. In the early 90s, Peter Regan was a Parks Commissioner for the village of Wappingers Falls, New York. In 2006, he and Peter Frampton performed outdoors for the local residents. Additionally, from 2014, Regan co-hosted a Sunday morning radio show on 1450AM WKIP called Cafe Italia, which paid homage to timeless Italian music and culture.
The post April 7, 2023, John Regan passed away at the age of 71 in his home in Wappinger Falls, New York appeared first on NSF - Magazine.