Simon House, the violinist and keyboardist who performed with Hawkwind and David Bowie, has passed away.
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House’s death was confirmed on Sunday by his daughter, Holly. Brian Perera, founder of Cleopatra Records, which released many of House’s later works, also issued a statement.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our dear friend and brilliant collaborator,” he wrote on Cleopatra Records’ Instagram. “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.”
No cause of death was given. House was 76.
House was born in Nottingham on August 29, 1948, per Ultimate Classic Rock. He began his journey as a musician after moving to London in the 1960s. In the countercultural scenes of Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove, he joined his first band, High Tide.
Tony Hill, founder of High Tide and ex-Misunderstood guitarist, encouraged the bassist to switch to violin while also playing keyboards. He recorded two albums with High Tide before the band dissolved.
Simon House Joins Hawkwind and Expands Their Sound
House joined Hawkwind on 29 August 1969, which also happened to be his 21st birthday, after the band showed up at a High Tide gig at the All Saints Church Hall. He officially became a member in late 1973, replacing their synth player, Del Dettmar.
Simon House played a key role in expanding Hawkwind’s sound beyond their space-rock origins, adding a new orchestral flair to their acclaimed fourth album, 1974’s Hall Of The Mountain Grill.
He earned his first writing credit on the album’s title track and contributed the evocative string arrangement for “Wind of Change.” From that point on, House became a key figure in shaping Hawkwind’s albums, remaining with the band until 1978, when he transitioned to join David Bowie’s live ensemble.
David Bowie 🎩🪄 Heroes "Live 1978"
— Music Jim 🎩🪄 (@MusicJim2) May 22, 2025
Bass – George Murray
Drums – Dennis Davis
Guitar – Adrian Belew, Carlos Alomar
Keyboards – Roger Powell
Piano – Sean Mayes
Violin – Simon House#DavidBowie💃🕺 pic.twitter.com/NCw0gjqQFk
House later joined Bowie on his ‘Isolar II’ world tour in March 1978. He also contributed mandolin, violin, and backing vocals on Bowie’s 1979 album Lodger, including the hit single ‘Boys Keep Swinging.’
House continued working as a session musician throughout the 1980s and rejoined Hawkwind in 1989. He contributed to their Space Bandits and Palace Springs albums before leaving the band again in 1991. He later returned for two more stints, from 2000 to 2002 and again from 2005 to 2007.