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Beloved Australian musician John 'Tatt' Dalzell has died aged 66. He was best known for being the bass player for 80s rockers Johnny Diesel and the Injectors.

The tragic news was confirmed by bandmate Mark Lizotte, who is also known by his stage name of Diesel. Sharing a touching tribute to Facebook and Instagram, he wrote: "RIP John Dalzell. Thanks for the music we made together, the sweat, tears and laughs. One of the most gentle souls one could ever encounter... sending light and love to his family." No further details, including the cause of death, have been made public as yet. His death is being mourned across the Australian music community, with tributes acknowledging both his contributions to one of the nation's most enduring rock acts and the warmth he brought to those around him. One fan wrote: "So Sad, John was absolutely the nicest in Rock'n'Roll I ever met, or worked with. He inspired me to be more gentle and a better Bass player. So glad we kept in touch.

"The early days are some of my fondest memories. And our Daughters were born a day apart. God Bless John and your family. Thanks for being a friend and so many great memories. Rest in Peace."

Another added: "Holy crap, that's super sad. Condolences to all the family and friends of this great man and one of a kind bass player. Have some great memories from the old days. Love from all The Hurricanes gang."

While a third penned: "It's a fact of music life that the guys behind some of the most iconic and recognisable lines/riffs escape mainstream fame. Thet opening bass from Don't Need love is the stuff legacy is made of... tough weeks for Aus music."

The Perth-born musician teamed up with Lizotte, the American-born brother-in-law of Jimmy Barnes, to establish the band in Perth, Western Australia, in 1986. Known for their hard rock style, they quickly gained recognition.

His distinctive bass playing earned widespread respect from both fans and fellow musicians. Following their success in Perth, Dalzell and his bandmates made the move to Sydney.

The group rapidly built a devoted fanbase within Sydney's vibrant music scene, securing a recording contract in 1988 after supporting Jimmy Barnes on tour. The band travelled to America to record their debut self-titled album, which reached No. 2 on the ARIA chart in Australia in 1989.

The album subsequently won an ARIA for Highest Selling Album, having shifted 280,000 copies - a remarkable achievement for an Australian release at that time. Dalzell received particular acclaim for his distinctive bass line on the band's hit single Don't Need Love.

Following Johnny and The Injectors' split in 1991, Diesel embarked on a solo career, with Noise noting that Dalzell's bass lines had been fundamental to his former bandmate's signature sound.