Guitarobit: Bob Bogle

The death has been announced of Bob Bogle, the lead guitarist with The Ventures.

A masonry worker before forming the band in Tacoma in 1958 with Tom Wilson, the initial lack of response to their demo tape inspired them to take a Do It Yourself approach and set up their own record label, Blue Horizon for their initial releases. Eventually, Dolton Records - one of the labels who turned them down - revised their decision, and signed the band up. The result was Walk, Don't Run, a track only kept off number one by Elvis doing It's Now Or Never.

The Ventures enjoyed their greatest success in Japan. Their first visit, in 1962, was as a two-piece because the promoter couldn't afford to bring over the rest of the band. Nevertheless, they went down so well they started to build a following which saw them still touring the country five decades later.

This overseas success was instrumental in helping The Ventures win induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year.

Bob Bogle, who was 74, had been fighting lymphoma for some time; he died on Sunday.