British rock bassist Trevor Bolder has passed away at the age of 62 after a battle with cancer. Best known for his long stint with Uriah Heep, the rocker also played with David Bowie during his '70s prime.

Bolder first broke onto the British scene in the Rats, which also featured guitarist Mick Ronson. He joined Ronson in Bowie's backing band for the 'Hunky Dory' album in 1971, remaining for 1972's groundbreaking 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.' He also played on 1973's 'Aladdin Sane' and 'Pin Ups' before replacing John Wetton in Uriah Heep.

He departed the group in 1982 for a short-lived stint in Wishbone Ash, but returned in 1983 and had played on every Uriah Heep album since, including their most recent effort, 2011's 'Into the Wild.'

Bolder announced a sabbatical from the band in January to undergo surgery, and in February he confirmed that he had been treated for pancreatic cancer. He said at the time that he hoped to be back on stage with Uriah Heep within four months.

A statement from Uriah Heep lauds Bolder as "an all time great, one of the outstanding musicians of his generation, and one of the finest and most influential bass players that Britain ever produced."

Guitarist Mick Box adds, "Trevor was a ‘World Class’ bass player, singer & 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."

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