Bruce Howe death: Australian rock legend, Fraternity bassist dies aged 77

Aussie rock legend Bruce Howe from Fraternity has died aged 77 following a battle with cancer.

The bass player died on January 29 in his hometown of Adelaide, as per the Express.

Watch the video above

READ MORE: At 11 years old Sienna turned her Dollarmites savings into a business. It went on to make $80k in one month

The rocker was bandmates with Jimmy Barnes and AC/DC’s Bon Scott in the ’70s band, with Barnes stepping in for Scott on vocals when he left to join the iconic Aussie band.

Barnes shared a moving tribute to his former bandmate on his Instagram account, as well as a video of the band performing, with the two of them front and centre.

“My dear friend Bruce Howe has passed away after a battle with cancer,” he told his fans.

For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

Remembering the stars we’ve lost in 2025

“Bruce was the first person I rang when I went solo. He played bass with my band and helped guide me through the early years of my career. He will be sadly missed.

“RIP Bruce. You were the most ferocious bass player I’ve ever heard.”

Howe was one of the founding members of Fraternity, alongside John Bisset, Mick Jurd and Tony Buettel in 1970. Scott joined one year later.

READ MORE: Victoria had a ‘ticking time bomb’ inside her that killed two colleagues, but her GP missed it for months

The band saw some success, having topped the national charts with singles Seasons of Change and If You Got It in 1971.

The band broke up a short four years later, after which Howe remained active in the industry, often teaming up with his former bandmate Barnes.

They worked together on a number of the Cold Chisel star’s hits, including Working Class Man, No Second Prize and Daylight.

READ MORE: King Frederik’s bold message to Donald Trump as he and Queen Mary make their mark on the throne

After learning of his death, Barnes spoke to Adelaide Now about the rock pioneer’s influence in his life.

“Bruce was a hard taskmaster. He used to hit me in the back of the head with his bass if I sang flat. He was full on, tough and demanding but he encouraged me to drag out more of myself,” he said.

“I can’t thank Bruce enough for working with me after I left Cold Chisel. He was the one musician I needed around me at that crucial time in my life.”

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.