Sal Maida, iconic bassist for Roxy Music and Milk 'N' Cookies, dies

Sal Maida, the renowned bassist from New York, has passed away at the age of 76.

According to his wife, singer-songwriter Lisa Burns-Maida, Maida died in New York on Saturday due to complications from a fall he suffered in December.

Maida had a distinguished career, playing with iconic bands such as Roxy Music, Sparks, and Milk 'N' Cookies.

He also shared the stage with numerous notable artists, including Ronnie Spector, The Runaways, Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven, Annie Golden of The Shirts, Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, and Velveteen.

Salvatore "Sal" Maida was born on July 29, 1948, in New York City, where he grew up in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood.

The sounds of the city's vibrant music scene had a profound impact on him, with the jukebox from the bar below his window introducing him to a diverse range of artists, from Frank Sinatra to The Rolling Stones, Motown, Ray Charles, The Beatles, and Dinah Washington.

After earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Fordham University, Maida's love of music led him to London, where he worked at a record store and crossed paths with Paul Thompson, the drummer for the iconic band Roxy Music.

In 1973, Maida joined the art rock group for their Stranded Tour. The following year, he joined Milk 'N' Cookies, who had just moved from Long Island to be signed to Island Records by label president Muff Winwood.

Although they had a short-lived career, Milk 'N' Cookies made a notable impact on the rising punk scene with their power-pop sound. They reunited for a short time in the 2010s after their debut album was reissued in the mid-2000s.

His son, Dylan, died in December 2019 of melanoma.

In addition to his wife, his survivors include his son’s godparents, Anthony and Kathleen Lifrieri, and “countless friends who loved him dearly.”