Sal Maida was a bassist who lent his talents to a wide array of cutting-edge bands, including Roxy Music, Cracker, Milk ’N’ Cookies, The Runaways, Sparks, and other acts.
- Died: February 1, 2025 (Who else died on February 1?)
- Details of death: Died in New York after a fall at the age of 76.
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Sal Maida’s legacy
Listeners who enjoyed underground rock of the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s have probably heard Maida’s bass. Raised in the Little Italy section of New York City, he went to London in the 1970s after graduating from Fordham University, determined to pursue his dreams of becoming a musician. There, Maida connected with drummer Paul Thompson of Roxy Music and was drafted to tour with the influential art rock band.
The gig put him on the musical map and helped Maida join the power pop group Milk ’N’ Cookies, who roared through the New York club scene just as The Ramones were helping kickstart the punk revolution. He then took his bass to the pop act Sparks, playing on their 1976 album, “Big Beat.”
Maida’s rock steady-playing led to him performing with artists like Ronnie Spector (1943–2022), The Runaways, Mary Weiss (1948–2024) of The Shangri-Las, Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate, and other musical acts. During the college rock and alternative explosion of the 1980s and ‘90s, he also played alongside indie artist David Lowery in the underground icons Camper van Beethoven, and Lowery’s follow-up band, Cracker. A 2014 memoir by Maida, “Four Strings, Phony Proof, and 300 45s,” details his experience in the cutting-edge music scene.
In December 2024, he suffered from a fall from which he never recovered.
Tributes to Sal Maida
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
