Simon House, Sideman for Hawkwind and David Bowie, Dead at 76

Simon House, the former keyboardist for Hawkwind and violinist for David Bowie, has died at the age of 76.

The musician’s passing was confirmed by his daughter. The social media account for Cleopatra Records – with whom House issued several releases – shared the following statement honoring the late rocker:

“It’s with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our dear friend and brilliant collaborator. Simon wasn’t just a musician — he was a sonic architect who helped shape the sound of a generation. He shared the stage with legends: David Bowie, Lemmy-era Hawkwind, and Nik Turner, always leaving his unmistakable mark.

“From the art-rock brilliance of Bowie’s ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ era to the boundary-pushing tours with Nik and Cleopatra in the ’90s, Simon’s electrifying violin and cosmic keyboard work lifted every track, every show, every moment. His vision brought depth, texture, and soul — he simply made everything better.We miss you deeply, Simon. Rest easy, my friend. Your sound lives on.”

Who Was Simon House?

Born in Nottingham, England, House began his musical career in 1960s London, initially with the group High Tide. Though he started as the group’s bassist, House switched to violin at the suggestion of his bandmates.

In 1973 House joined the lineup of Hawkwind, replacing the group’s previous synth player, Del Dettmar. House’s impact could be felt beginning with the band’s 1974 album Hall of the Mountain Grill, which expanded Hawkwind’s space rock sound.

READ MORE: Revisiting Hawkwind’s Hall of the Mountain Grill

House’s tenure with Hawkwind coincided with the final years of Lemmy Kilmister’s run with the band. The bassist was fired in 1975, the day before the release of their fifth studio album, Warrior on the Edge of Time. House remained until 1978, contributing to a total of five studio releases during this initial run.

The musician’s next stop was with Bowie’s live band, beginning with 1978’s Isolar II world tour. House’s contributions can be heard prominently on Bowie’s Stage live album, recorded during the trek. The multi-instrumentalist also contributed to Bowie’s 1979 LP Lodger, including its hit single “Boys Keep Swinging.”

House later became a popular session musician, playing on a wide variety of material throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Thomas Dolby, Mike Oldfield and former Hawkwind members Robert Calvert and Nik Turner were among the artists he collaborated with. House released a pair of albums under his own name, and even returned to Hawkwind for two additional runs from 1989 to 1991, and from 2001 to 2003.