MO FOSTER
In the mid 1960s Mo studied physics and maths at the University of Sussex. During this period he played both drums and bass in a wide variety of different bands. Once he left, a short spell as a laboratory research assistant convinced him that a career in music was preferable and, along with other ex-university pals, he formed a progressive jazz/rock group called ‘Affinity’ which was managed by the late Ronnie Scott. From that time on his career blossomed into one of the most prestigious of any contemporary bass-guitar player. Mo is now established as a highly respected session musician, record producer, composer, author, and solo artist.

As a sideman Mo has toured the world - or played concerts with - Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Joan Armatrading, Gil Evans, Mike d’Abo, Van Morrison, RMS, Eric Clapton, Sting, Maggie Bell, Dusty Springfield, The Manfreds, George Martin, Hank Marvin, Cliff Richard, Veronique Sanson, and The London Symphony Orchestra.

As a studio session musician, working at studios variously in UK, USA, Canada, Caribbean, France, Italy, and Japan, Mo has played on over 350 albums - and many singles - by artists as varied as: Phil Collins, Jeff Beck, Gerry Rafferty, Ringo Starr, Frida (of ABBA), Gil Evans, Gary Moore, Cher, Cliff Richard, Brian May, Scott Walker, Tanita Tikaram, Mort Schuman, Peter Green, Nanci Griffith, Rod Argent, Jose Carreras, Elkie Brooks, Ray Russell, Michael Schenker, Olivia Newton-John, Neil Innes, Colin Blunstone, Howard Jones, Roger Glover, Judy Tzuke, Russ Ballard, Nigel Kennedy, Sheena Easton, Meatloaf, Andrew Lloyd-Webber & Tim Rice, Luka Bloom, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The London Symphony Orchestra.

Apart from his five solo albums (Bel Assis, Southern Reunion, Live at Blues West 14, Time To Think, and Belsize Lane), Mo has produced – or co-produced - albums for Deborah Bonham (The Old Hyde), Dr John (Such A Night), Maggie Bell (Live At The Rainbow), Affinity (Live Instrumentals 1969, 1971-72, Origins 1965-67, and Origins Baskervilles 1965), Survivors (Survivors), Maria Muldaur (Live In London), Adrian Legg (Fretmelt), RMS (Centennial Park, Live At The Venue 1982), RMS with Gil Evans (Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1983 DVD), The R.J.Wagsmith Band (Make Tea Not War).
In addition Mo has composed and produced hundreds of titles for the major Production Music Libraries, co-wrote with Ray Russell the instrumental ‘So Far Away’ for Gary Moore, co-wrote with Mike Walling the comedy hit single ‘Chalk Dust’ for The Brat, co-wrote with Kim Goody the song ‘Sentimental Again’ which reached the final in the Song for Europe Contest in 1990, and co-wrote with Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and Kim Goody the main song ‘In My Car’ from Ringo’s album Old Wave.

His many film sessions include For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Clockwise, Heaven’s Prisoner, Lost And Found, Billy The Kid And The Green Baize Vampire, and Silver Dream Racer while those for TV include Minder (famous theme), Bergerac, Grafters, Stay Lucky, Dangerfield, The Last Salute, and Peak Practice.

Mo’s well-received first book - Seventeen Watts? - an amusing, anecdotal, illustrated, semi-autobiographical history of British rock guitar - was originally published by Sanctuary, but there are plans for a new, revised reprint with a new publisher. Mo has also contributed regular columns to the UK magazines Guitarist, Bassist, Making Music, and Total Production, Bass Guitar Magazine, and the new German magazine Bass Quarterly.

In 1975 Mo pioneered the teaching of Bass Guitar in Britain by founding the first-ever course at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He continues to give occasional seminars at various music colleges in the UK.

Mo now concentrates on producing albums for others, composing music (currently working on a stage musical version of Jean de Florette), session work (he recently played with Brian May and Brian Bennett on a 12-hr session at Abbey Road Studios for a re-make of Cliff Richard’s 1958 hit ‘Move It’), writing, researching and remastering his back catalogue (not only for his solo projects but also for artists such as Affinity, Maggie Bell, Mike d’Abo, Linda Hoyle, Survivors, RMS, and The R.J.Wagsmith Band), and recently worked as archivist/interviewer for the Channel 4 television series – Live From Abbey Road.

Mo has also resumed playing concerts with his band RMS, featuring Ray Russell, and Gary Husband - notably with Gary Moore at a recent charity concert Vibes From The Vines.