Sal Maida, iconic bassist for Roxy Music and Milk 'N' Cookies, dies
1. Renowned bassist Sal Maida passes away at 76
Sal Maida, the celebrated bassist from New York, has passed away at the age of 76. His wife, singer-songwriter Lisa Burns-Maida, confirmed that he died in New York on Saturday due to complications from a fall he sustained in December.
Maida enjoyed a remarkable career, performing with legendary bands such as Roxy Music, Sparks, and Milk 'N' Cookies. He also collaborated with a host of notable artists, including Ronnie Spector, The Runaways, Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven, Annie Golden of The Shirts, Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, and Velveteen.
Born on July 29, 1948, in New York City, Salvatore "Sal" Maida grew up in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood. The city's rich musical landscape deeply influenced him, with the jukebox from a bar beneath his apartment window exposing him to a wide array of artists, from Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones to Motown, Ray Charles, The Beatles, and Dinah Washington.
After earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Fordham University, Maida's passion for music took him to London, where he worked at a record store. It was there that he met Paul Thompson, the drummer for the iconic band Roxy Music. In 1973, Maida joined Roxy Music for their Stranded Tour. The following year, he became part of Milk 'N' Cookies, a band that had recently relocated from Long Island after being signed to Island Records by label president Muff Winwood.
Though Milk 'N' Cookies had a brief career, their power-pop sound left a lasting impression on the emerging punk scene. The band reunited briefly in the 2010s following the reissue of their debut album in the mid-2000s.
Maida's son, Dylan, passed away in December 2019 after battling melanoma. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his son’s godparents, Anthony and Kathleen Lifrieri, and countless friends who cherished him deeply.
