Vic Flick, guitarist on James Bond theme song, dies aged 87

British musician Vic Flick, best known for writing the riff that became the theme tune for the James Bond film series, has died aged 87.

His son Kevin confirmed that the guitarist died on 14 November after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Victor Harold Flick was born on 14 May 1937, in Surrey, England. After working with composer John Barry during the late 1950s and early ’60s, Flick was recruited to work on the soundtrack of Dr. No, the first film in the James Bond series. He went on to work on other Bond soundtracks, including From Russia With Love and Goldfinger.

His guitar riff became a piece of music and cinema history... even if at the time, Flick was paid a measly one-off fee of £6. Still, the Bond theme made Flick a legendary name within the industry.

Flick was also a renowned session artist who played with The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, Jimmy Page, Herman’s Hermits, Eric Clapton, as well as on Tom Jones on ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark.

In a 2021 interview for Guitar Player magazine, Flick credited the sound of his guitar on the Bond theme to the “plectrum I used and the guitar’s strings. I placed the DeArmond pickup near the bridge. I put a crushed cigarette packet underneath it to get it nearer the strings. That helped to get that round sound.” 

“Most important, sound wise, was the Vox AC15 amplifier. I used it on tour. It wouldn’t let me down — until it fell eight feet into a music pit and disintegrated. Also important was the way the guitar was recorded. It was picked up by the mics for the orchestra, and it gave the guitar a mysterious, powerful sound. It was a sound we created, to a certain extent, and it had a bite that they loved.” 

In 2013, Flick received a lifetime achievement award from the National Guitar Museum. 

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