19-01-2016, 07:54
![[Image: 30521F5500000578-3405850-image-m-160_1453170066700.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/01/19/02/30521F5500000578-3405850-image-m-160_1453170066700.jpg)
Dale Griffin, a founding member and the drummer for British glam-rock stalwarts Mott the Hoople has died.
The 67-year-old musician, born Terence Dale Griffin, passed away quietly in his sleep, according to a representative of Angel Air Records, who manages the band's catalogue.
Speaking to the BBC, he described the Herefordshire-born drummer as 'one of the nicest, friendly and talented men I have ever known'.
The drummer is survived by his long-term partner, Jean Smith, while his death follows a decade-long battle with Alzheimer's.
A native of Ross-on-Wye, he was a founding member of Mott the Hoople, which took its name from a British novel of the 1960s and featured singer Ian Hunter and guitarist Mick Ralphs.
In 1972, the band scored their biggest hit with the David Bowie-penned and produced anthem, All the Young Dudes.
The group's other hit-songs include All The Way From Memphis and Roll Away The Stone.
The band split by the mid-'70s, with Dale later working as a producer for BBC live music sessions, with a stellar array of artists including Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins and Pulp.
Mott the Hoople reformed in 2009, but Griffin - who was already ill - only appeared during encores, his place otherwise taken by Martin Chambers, of the Pretenders.
Stars in the rock world took to Twitter to pay tribute to the British drummer following the news of his death on Monday.
the band were about to split in the early 1970s when friend David Bowie stepped in and offered to produce their material,
he also offered them Suffragette City before he recorded it himself, they preferred Drive In-Saturday, but Bowie refused saying it was his.
Bowie then agreed to write another song for them....All The Young Dudes, which incidently was a precursor to the Ziggy Stardust album...
All The Young Dudes became their biggest UK hit, but it failed to stop the implosion of the band who split a couple of years later.
"BTO....Bachman,Turner,Overweight
They were big in the 70s....for five minutes,on a Saturday,after lunch..." - Me 2014.
They were big in the 70s....for five minutes,on a Saturday,after lunch..." - Me 2014.