RIP Mark Adams

Mark AdamsMark Adams, the bassist from the popular ’70’s Ohio funk band Slave, has passed away. Adams, who co-wrote the band’s first hit “Slide,” was an influence to many budding bassists.

Anthony Wellington shared his thoughts:

“My very first bass hero/idol Mark Adams (Mr. Mark) died last night,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I remember being inspired by the song ‘Slide’ by his group Slave. Still, to this day, one of the funkiest songs ever. Yo Mark, I’m glad I got a chance to meet you and tell you in person that I play bass because of you. Heaven just got a lot funkier!!! I’ll let my grandmother check that out!”

Details on Adams’ death have yet to be announced. Our condolences go out to Adams’ family and friends.

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  1. A personal favourite and inspiration I’ve spent so many hours listening to. When I first heard Slave I had to get hold of every piece of vinyl of theirs I could find. Just a couple of months back I was asking Steve Arrington (via twitter) how Mark was and he said that he (Mark) was fine and was gigging locally with his band. Arghhh. Thank you Mark!

  2. Skip

    I remember when I was a young bass player trying to understand the funk – you had to know Side to get a job. Oh and you had better know the solo. In those days your “E” string was your foundation. It was a funk staple…

    Adam will be remembered as a funk pioneer – now you are in the hottest band ever – RIP…

  3. what a nice guy mark was,he was a smiling,happy go lucky type. he and i had several good times together. i’m going to remember our good times,but for mark adams and i all we had were good times.

  4. Slave is my favorite group and Mark Adams is my all-time favorite bassist. They are one of the major influences on my music. Another great artist has gone home. Rest in peace Mark. You will be missed.

    • JR

      Mr. Adams was also my all-time bass player too. For years, I was hoping he would do something on youtube so the entire world would know why he was called him Hansolar. Mr. Mark Adams you will be greatly missed.(RIP)

  5. Clifton

    So sorry to hear this sad news!! I have All of Slave’s Albums! Yeah, that is Vinyl Records!! Slide was one that I loved to listen to!!!
    Thanks Mark!

  6. L'Amour

    Wow…!!! Why do I feel on shock!!! I just thought about Mark and I log on line and see this… Wow! Let me check in on his daughter… Wow!!!

  7. R.I.P. Mr. Mark L. Adams. It saddens my heart to know I have lost someone from my past whom I have always held dear in my heart. Entering into the presence of the Lord is the only way you could go….
    By: Pennetta Pollard-Jordan
    Miss you****

  8. WOW, another great bassist gone home, Jaco Pastorious now Mark Adams. I can’t believe it. It really hurts when you lose someone that you have played with all over the country and they are gone in A flash. Just like, Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee James Dean and other great Star’s SUDDEN DEATH! RIP. P.S. I’ll see you at the funeral. HE WAS THE BASSIST FOR THE GROUP, SLAVE, BUT, TO HIM WHOM THE SON SET’S FREE, IS FREE INDEED!

  9. Mike Jones

    I had a chance to meet him in person in a small town of Salisbury, N.C.at a nigtclub gig with E.U.. It was the best show ever and i stood in front of him the whole time he played. Awesome experience i will never forget. R.I.P. ….THE HANSOLOR.

  10. Willie L. Culley

    To many are leaving, all of those I admire, their sound will never leave us, my condolences to the family, and may God grant you peace and comfort

  11. Ron Rhythmz Richardson

    for me one of the best feelings a drummer could have is a funky bass you can feel and vibe with and drive hard for the whole show. Thanx 4 da ride and jewels bro.he will be missed.love from mine 2 yours

  12. Norman Falloon

    One of the true greats. Slave was my favourite group and Mark’s bass was integral to everything they did.

    He would never have known how many bassists first picked up the bass after hearing Mark play. He had a unique style that will live on forever.

    R.I.P. Mr Adams and thank you for the pleasure and inspiration you hsve given to so many.

    • DOC

      NORMAN,

      YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH!
      THE FIRST BASS LINE I TAUGHT MYSELF TO PLAY WAS
      GUESS WHAT? SLIDE>>>>>>>>
      MARK ADAMS BASS PLAYING WAS INNOVATIVE AND UNDERRATED BY POLITICALLY CORRECT BASSPLAYING STANDARDS.SOME OF HIS BASS LINE NOTES ARE UNDER
      HEARD BY THE AVERAGE NON BASS PLAYING EAR.
      THANK YOU MARK ADAMS FOR YOUR INFLUENCE ON PLAYING
      MY BASS.

      DOC

  13. I’m a SLAVE 70’s FUNK TA FIED brotha, raised on SLAVE will never ever ever ever forget the 1st time I heard SLAVE, mess’d me up big time to the point I play it erryday to my wife’s disappointment lol, she understands and let’s me FUNK ON thankk God lol, dang I cant take anymore of our beloved FUNKATEERS leav’n on the real, it hurt’s like whoa ! prayer’s and Blessing’s to the Slave fam and the Adams fam we love you all for sharing Mark with us, I’m a grown man with tear’s along with u all.

  14. Billyrich Ross

    We had the opportunity to videotape Slave in Cincinnati at a Juneteenth celebration about 3 or 4 years ago. I hope Mark had an understudy yes, he truly was one of the top bassist..in the world. Rest in Peace Brother Mark.

    • MsFree

      Thank for all of you blessing and love for my fianc’e Mark adams i really appreciate the love you can e-mail me at his Aol at [email protected]

      • shawn

        God be with him on that journey… he was “SLAVE” and i still have the first album and i will always remeber him and the group for introducing me to real black funk !!!! bye brother….

    • slvfn32

      I never met Mark, but i’ve respected him as a musician and an awesome bass player. We have lost
      a true great that will never be replaced. Some months later DRAC had passed, and i felt that the SLAVE legacy has come to an end. Lets cherish what we have of these two great people. Most of all, they accomplished so much at an early age. Slide for instance was recorded when they were in their teens. Two true gifted, have left way before their time.
      Is it possible to see the concert in Cincinatti
      that he appeared in? All we have of him is a couple of footage on you tube. Can someone else put something out there with Mark playing that funky bass?

  15. dwayne

    damn

  16. Russell Aikens

    I found out the news about Mark Adams looking for another video on YouTube! I saw the video “Watching You” that said Rest In Peace Mark Adams. It struck me very hard as he is in my Top 5 list of Bass Players. Slave has always carried funky basslines in their music. More so than any other funk band out during the 70’s and 80’s. With a 3 pick up bass that created thunder like no other, Mark weilded his bass like a Hammer! After finding out about his death, I couldn’t stop playing Slave’s music. I am still in a daze, but God has taken another angel to sit beside him and Mark’s skills were required in heaven!!! I have heard that an album will be released later this year. I look forward to it. May the family of Mark Adams find peace during this time and may Mark Rest In Peace!!!

    • Ms Free

      Thank you very much for all of your caring thoughts about My Fianc’e Mark adams i really appreciete all you can e-mail me on his Aol at [email protected] thanks again.

    • iris bradley

      The family of Mark Leslie Adams would like to thank all the heartfelt comments you have given him. Mark is resting in peace and we the family is still mourning his death, but, wanted to pause a moment to thank all of you. Mark’s son is now blazing the trails and continuing his legacy as the HANSOLOR II. Mark and I have been friends, lover, and we consider each other as life partners would be so proud that his son is carrying out his legacy. Mark to me is the most phenomnal bass player of all times. The funky bass player also wanted his son to play beside him and now he is playing for him. Shenna Avery,Mark Akridge, The Hansolor II, Mark Adams, Christopher his son who lives in California,and Kim Adams, Maruice, Martina, Arvina and his youngest daughter, Sherita, Jubrina Sims Adams,his sister Patty Adams and his father Mark Adams all say thank you so much. As he meant so much to the music community he even meant that more to his family in Dayton, Ohio. God Bless you all and let’s keep his memory alive love iris aka isis. To see his son do a tirbute to his father go to Hansolor II the fox. One thing I know about Mark throughout our relationship for over 30 years he would always say “I have 6 children and a tribe of grandchildren and if any thing was to happen to me please make sure my children and grandchildren have all of my equipement and other items of memory given to them” and that was a quote, because he believed that his career will afforde to his children whom he loved dearly and his grandchildren. So the legacy will continue stay tuned to more video clips, several private interviews, and a book trailing his career, his thoughts, and his beliefs about life after Mark Leslie Adams, it still seem so surreal. Ashay and peaceful blessings.

  17. “The Hansolar”, Truly a FUNK ICON ! I am from an era that appreciated “MUSIC” ,”MUSICIANS” AND TRUE SHOWMANSHIP ! Saw SLAVE in concert in 1981 when they released the STONE JAM album. Mark Adams was the driving force behind the SLAVE SOUND,very evident the minute you put on their music. In a time when the ART OF PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT is being over-shadowed by computerized junk, He is HISTORIC !

  18. Mark L Akridge

    I want to thank everyone for all the love you guys have shown my father but the fungk continues threw me his oldest son God Bless you all R.I.P. Daddy. Hit me on facebook to stay tune to the fungk !

    • Neal Jackson

      Hi Mark. Your dad was my musical hero & Slave my favourite band.I did meet & talk to your dad at a gig in Brighton,England back in 1984.Do you know if Free Kelley has released any stuff yet about your dad? I seem to be having trouble finding you on facebook-can you help?

      Regards,
      Neal UK

    • Tommy Lymon

      Your father was a amazing bas player… I was around 12 when I first heard the group SLAVE.. That bass took me by surprise.. I was mesmerized by that sound.. and that song “Feel my love” bruh..that song is the greatest..
      Thanks for sharing your father with the WORLD…

  19. Oscar j. Fields

    An absolutely phenomenal Bass Player that I first became familiar with when “SLIDE” was released and this bass was crazy. I was playing with a couple bands at the time and as a musician, could definitely appreciate this funky bass bottom that Mark brought. The amazing thing about his playing wasn’t just his technical ability but his style which was one that separated “excuse the pun” him from everyone else at that time. The music of Slave was a hallmark of the seventies music era and God bless this dude for his contributions to so many musicians and fans. My condolences to the family!
    Oscar j. Fields

  20. I had no ideal, he’s the reason I first picked up a bass R.I.P. I must agree heaven definitely just got funkier.

  21. Drawing near the Holidays makes it all the more real…We all miss you Mark and Rejoice in Knowing that youre Fungky Presence still Surrounds… Your Legacy is Growing… ‘Shine’ on in Heaven Sir Hansolor R.I.P.

  22. Words cant express how much I miss you daddy. Your phone calls, and your signature beat on the door that let everyone in the house know it was you. I love you dearly, save a spot for me in heaven…Love your baby girl Martina!

    • Imagine wanting to bring back the “good music of back in the da day” and being informed of Mr. Mark Adams untimely death. Made me want to scrap the whole thought of my project. I would have loved to hire him as the bass player for a couple of tracks. Nobody could deliver a bassline like his….. Ms. Adams, you were truly blessed with a talented father. So many bass players that I know started playing bass after hearing your dad’s jams. I’m not sure there’ll ever be another like him!

    • hi, im papo from oceanside cal,760-612-2316.i m trying to get some bdy to talk to about some music track we put to getter , while he was out here for a while him me and danny put some tracks togetter ,we were trying to get a deal,with sone record laps.i hold the tracks ive have had then for for at lease 10 years or more,please help me get to the people i need to talk to,papo jose colon is my name.please hav some one call 760-612-2316

  23. Just found out by coincidence that MARK “Sir Hansolor” ADAMS passed away in the Summer of 2011.He was the legendary Bass Player of R&B FUNK BAND “SLAVE”. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL to the hallmark sound of that band, without question. RIP “Mr Mark” MAY YOU LIVE FOREVER THROUGH YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INDUSTRY! 1977 would not have been the same WITHOUT YOU!

  24. Will be miss R.I.P.

  25. Mark L. Adams style was one of my most admired bassist to this day! His style was relentless!

  26. Yola

    I remember listening to Slave when I was just 12 years old, I loved many of their songs to this day.

  27. Devern

    Slave was one of my favorite groups never got a chance to see them back in the day but I did see them in 2010 it was a fews groups playing that night before slave so it was exciting until slave come on Stage all of a sudden a sadness come over me I couldn’t understand it at first until I found out a year later that Mark Adams and Mark Hick died it like the time I seen 2pac Video California love for the first time when I saw him in that video a sadness come over me for him not a year later he die.

  28. Tommy Lymon

    Thanks Mark for contributing your talent to music.. When I think of “Slave” my first thought is that BASS player…what amazing sounds. What an amazing bass player.. Your family should be proud of the impact you place in the music world… thanks for sharing your talent with the world.. May God Bless your family and the rest of the members of SLAVE….