Brian Bethell, a musician and journalist, passed away at age 74 from heart failure. Born in Epsom, Surrey, and raised in Worcester Park, Bethell engaged in both the UK and Australian music and journalism scenes. In 1981, he joined the R&B band Nine Below Zero as a bassist, contributing to their early albums and appearing on notable TV shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test, Top of the Pops, and The Young Ones.
Bethell left Nine Below Zero in 1982 to join the Truth and later worked with the Blow Monkeys. He ultimately retired in 1997. Bethell's career also included time as a journalist at the Sun newspaper in Sydney and later at TV Times magazine.
He remained in Australia after emigrating with his family in 1968 but moved to London in 1980, where he continued his music career and worked at Visnews and Reuters. Brian's surviving family includes his partner Susan Skene, his ex-wife Maree Gilbert, their children David and Lucille, and four grandchildren.