Michael Casswell, the noted session guitarist, teacher, reviewer and columnist has died in a swimming accident, while on holiday in Spain.
Casswell enjoyed a successful career, at various times being signed to major labels including RCA America, MCA, Universal and Polygram. He toured with artists including Brian May, Ronan Keating, Rosy Royce, Cozy Powell, Dean Freidman, Limahl (Kajagoogoo), Rhinos Revenge Band (bass player and drummer from Status Quo) and many more. His playing has been heard on countless TV Ads, jingles, theme tunes and even a late 80’s William Friedman in film ‘To Live And Die In LA’.
In the mid ’90s, just before the untimely death of drumming legend Cozy Powell, Michael wrote and produced the last Cozy Powell studio album which was released on Polygram Records.
Michael also taught Diploma and Higher Diploma guitar at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music and many in the industry will have encountered his tuition through his numerous Licklibrary DVDs. His extremely knowledgable reviews of a wide range of guitars, amps and accessories have appeared in the pages of Guitar Interactive since its launch, along with a unique professional’s eye view of playing in his regular column, Pro Concepts.