James Bond theme tune guitarist Vic Flick dies

The musician best known for playing the guitar riff in the James Bond theme tune has died.

Vic Flick, who was the lead guitarist on the famous track, is said to have been paid £6 to rearrange and record Monty Norman’s theme tune for Dr No, the first James Bond film.

Flick’s son, Kevin, announced on social media that his father had died aged 87 after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Surrey in 1937, Flick worked with the likes of The Beatles, Tom Jones, the Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Cliff Richard throughout his career.

The famous theme song was recorded in 1962.

Flick played the riff on a 1939 English Clifford Essex Paragon Deluxe guitar plugged into a Fender Vibrolux amplifier.

The guitar was displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Ohio, United States.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in the opening titles. He is wearing a black suit and walking towards the camera.
Vic Flick has performed on several 007 soundtracks throughout his career

Composer Monty Norman died in 2022 at the age of 94.

He said he knew the famous theme tune had captured the essence of 007 after switching the main riff from a sitar to an electric guitar.

“His sexiness, his mystery, his ruthlessness – it’s all there in a few notes,” he said.

In 2013, Flick received a lifetime achievement award from the National Guitar Museum, who said he was “one of the world’s great guitarists”.

“We have been proud of our association with him. He will be missed,” a spokesperson said.

Flick also performed on several other 007 soundtracks, including Shirley Bassey’s theme for the 1964 film Goldfinger.

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