Vic Flick dead: James Bond theme tune guitarist dies aged 87 after battling Alzheimer’s

His son, Kevin, announced the news on social media, sharing that Flick had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Surrey in 1937, Flick became a prominent figure in the music industry, collaborating with legends such as The Beatles, Tom Jones, the Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Cliff Richard during his illustrious career.

Flick was paid £6 in 1962 to rearrange and record Monty Norman’s theme tune for Dr. No, the first James Bond film. He played the famous riff on a 1939 English Clifford Essex Paragon Deluxe guitar, plugged into a Fender Vibrolux amplifier. The guitar later found a place of honour at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio, USA.

Monty Norman, the composer of the James Bond theme, passed away in 2022 at the age of 94. Norman credited the electric guitar riff with capturing the essence of James Bond, describing it as embodying "his sexiness, his mystery, his ruthlessness - all in a few notes."

In addition to the James Bond theme, Flick contributed to other 007 soundtracks, including Shirley Bassey’s Goldfinger in 1964. He received a lifetime achievement award from the National Guitar Museum in 2013, recognising him as “one of the world's great guitarists.” A museum spokesperson said: “We have been proud of our association with him. He will be missed.”

Flick is survived by his wife Judith, his son Kevin, and one grandchild.