Irish Guitar Hero Bernie Torme Has Died

The Irish guitarist Bernie Tormé has died. He was just one day shy of his 67th birthday.

Originally from the south side of Dublin, Tormé – known then as Bernard Tormey – started out as the lead guitarist and singer with a band called Wormwood, which also featured Kevin Jennings on bass. He was an exceptionally talented guitar-player, who had been hugely influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore – and later by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.

In the mid-1970s, he left Dublin for London, going on to form the Bernie Tormé Band, a punk metal outfit, who supported the Boomtown Rats on a UK tour. They were signed to Jet Records, who sadly failed miserably to develop the band.

In 1979, Bernie joined Gillan, the post-Deep Purple outfit fronted by Ian Gillan, contributing to three Top 10 albums, including Future Shock (1981), which went to No.2 in the UK charts. He also worked with Atomic Rooster, before going on to play with one of his earlier influences, when he replaced the late Randy Rhoads in the Ozzy Osbourne band.

"Bernie Torme passed away peacefully on the 17th March 2019, one day short of his 67th birthday, surrounded by his family," a statement issued by his family said. "He had been on life support for the past four weeks at a London hospital following post-flu complications."

Tributes were led by his old mucker, Ozzy Osbourne.
"What a sad day," Osbourne said in a tweet. "We've lost another great musician. Bernie was a gentle soul with a heart of gold. He will be dearly missed. I send my sincere condolences to his family, friends and fans. Rest in Peace Bernie."

Commiserations were also offered by Ozzy's wife, Sharon Osbourne.
"I cannot believe that Bernie Tormé has passed,” she said. "Bernie helped out Ozzy and I at a time of great need and we will never ever forget that. Love and condolences to his family."

Ginger Wildheart of The Wildhearts had this to say: “ RIP @Bernie_Torme. A true original. I’m proud that I got to call you a friend.”

“I knew Bernie in the early days,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “I remember the afternoon he came to our band rehearsals in Rathfarnham, and made me feel like a total beginner. He was an amazingly fluid, fast-thinking guitar player. At the time, Bernie had a serious stammer, and so he channelled his thoughts and feelings into his music. The amazing and beautiful thing was that when he clambered onstage, and stepped up to the microphone to sing, it all poured out without the slightest inhibition. It was one of those remarkable transformations that made me immensely aware of the extraordinary power of music.

“Bernie went on to have a brilliant career as a metal-inclined guitar-player, working with the likes of Gillan and Ozzy Osbourne, but also operating under his own flag. He was one of those figures too easily passed over whenever the roll-call of influential Irish musicians is being considered. But the simple truth is that he was very, very good indeed.”

Bernie owned his own studio and continued to release Bernie Tormé albums in recent years, including Wild Irish (1997), Flowers & Dirt (2014), Blackheart (2015), Dublin Cowboy (2017) and Shadowland (2018).

"Woke up to find out my friend @Bernie_Torme has died,” Dee Snider, best known for his work with Twisted Sister, said. "He was a guitar god who played with @OzzyOsbourne & Ian Gillan. We worked together for 3 years, writing over 100 songs for the ill-fated Desperado. I loved that man & today my heart is broken. RIP Bernie. Your guitar weeps.”

Hot Press extends its condolences to the family and friends of Bernie Tormé. Rest in peace.