Gary ‘Gazza’ Johnson – China Crisis

[bass_in_ya_face]

Been learning a bit of China Crisis recently and discovered another long lost bass hero, Gary ‘Gazza’ Johnson.

Some lovely stuff on ‘The Highest High, ‘African And White’ and some nice subtle fretless on ‘Christian’

Anyone know what he is doing now and if he recorded with anyone else?

[DanOwens]

Dunno what he's up to but I'll ask Eddie when I next see him.

Dan

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='TheBrokenDoor' post='36712' date='Jul 25 2007, 08:52 AM']Dunno what he's up to but I'll ask Eddie when I next see him.

Dan[/quote]

Eddie Lundon?...say hi and tell them 'Wishful Thinking' is a cracking track thankyou

[MB1]

MB1.

African and White a great bassline.However my faves gotta be" Working with fire and steel"!

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='MB1' post='37355' date='Jul 26 2007, 03:03 PM']MB1.

African and White a great bassline.However my faves gotta be" Working with fire and steel"![/quote]

Yeah African and White is great, I also like Michael Demspey's stuff with the Lotus Eaters who sound very similar

[mike1234]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='36702' date='Jul 25 2007, 08:21 AM']Been learning a bit of China Crisis recently and discovered another long lost bass hero, Gary ‘Gazza’ Johnson.

Some lovely stuff on ‘The Highest High, ‘African And White’ and some nice subtle fretless on ‘Christian’

Anyone know what he is doing now and if he recorded with anyone else?[/quote]


He runs a garage in waterloo, dont think he's recorded with anyone since china crisis.

[RhysP]

My old band supported them donkeys years ago - he was one of the first people I ever saw using a six string bass (Warwick Thumb as I recall).
Good player.

[iconic]

I always wondered who played bass for these guys, even posted a thread some months back and no one knew!

great playing, that fretless on Christian makes me fill up, sublime...

[iconic]

[quote name='RhysP' post='1212745' date='Apr 27 2011, 03:44 PM']My old band supported them donkeys years ago - he was one of the first people I ever saw using a six string bass (Warwick Thumb as I recall).
Good player.[/quote]

your old band wasn't Perfect Vision by any chance?

[RhysP]

[quote name='iconic' post='1212884' date='Apr 27 2011, 05:20 PM']your old band wasn't Perfect Vision by any chance?[/quote]
No it wasn't.

[bluegazbloke]

Hello, I am the aforementioned Mr. Johnson. I don't know if anybody is following this thread but I'll straighten out a couple of things. I run a workwear shop in Seaforth, not a garage in Waterloo.
Gary Daly played the bass on the original recording of African & White. The fretless playing on Christian is by Andy Pask, of 'Landscape' (Einstein A Go-Go, also the co-writer of the theme from 'The Bill'). Although I played it for so long I feel like like it's mine, it still makes me feel very emotional as it brings back some very sad memories. I joined after the release of Difficult Shapes and the first thing I recorded with the band was Tragedy & Mystery. And it's a Warwick Thumb 5-string, my hands are too small for a 6-string, and I still use it to this day in a pub band at the weekends. The drummer calls it The Throb. Thanks for listening. GAZZA.

Edited December 5, 2012 by bluegazbloke

[TonyG828]

Awesome bass player. like his fretless playing on WWFAS, been trying to play that bass line for many moons!!!

Edited April 20, 2013 by TonyG828

[andydye]

[quote name='bluegazbloke' timestamp='1354485334' post='1886610']
Hello, I am the aforementioned Mr. Johnson. I don't know if anybody is following this thread but I'll straighten out a couple of things. I run a workwear shop in Seaforth, not a garage in Waterloo.
Gary Daly played the bass on the original recording of African & White. The fretless playing on Christian is by Andy Pask, of 'Landscape' (Einstein A Go-Go, also the co-writer of the theme from 'The Bill'). Although I played it for so long I feel like like it's mine, it still makes me feel very emotional as it brings back some very sad memories. I joined after the release of Difficult Shapes and the first thing I recorded with the band was Tragedy & Mystery. And it's a Warwick Thumb 5-string, my hands are too small for a 6-string, and I still use it to this day in a pub band at the weekends. The drummer calls it The Throb. Thanks for listening. GAZZA.
[/quote]
Thanks for sharing that matey, am sorry there's sadness back there for you, hope you're enjoying playing still!

[martthebass]

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1185458637' post='37355']
MB1.

African and White a great bassline.However my faves gotta be" Working with fire and steel"!
[/quote]

Gotta agree Mart, and as a Steelmaker the line 'and things get f#*^d and you're to blame' has haunted me many times.......

[John Cellario]

Recently re-bought some of the China Crisis albums...always admired the the bass playing and used to work them out and play along...Gary had a really nice style.

[Dingus]

I used to like China Crisis back in the 1980's , and I've just been listening to them again for the first time since those days and I had forgotten what a great band they were and what superb songs they wrote . Looking on Youtube , I'm glad to see they are still going and sounding just as good as ever . I will go see them play live if I ever get the chance .

Edited April 20, 2013 by Dingus

[Linus27]

[quote name='bluegazbloke' timestamp='1354485334' post='1886610']
Hello, I am the aforementioned Mr. Johnson. I don't know if anybody is following this thread but I'll straighten out a couple of things. I run a workwear shop in Seaforth, not a garage in Waterloo.
Gary Daly played the bass on the original recording of African & White. The fretless playing on Christian is by Andy Pask, of 'Landscape' (Einstein A Go-Go, also the co-writer of the theme from 'The Bill'). Although I played it for so long I feel like like it's mine, it still makes me feel very emotional as it brings back some very sad memories. I joined after the release of Difficult Shapes and the first thing I recorded with the band was Tragedy & Mystery. And it's a Warwick Thumb 5-string, my hands are too small for a 6-string, and I still use it to this day in a pub band at the weekends. The drummer calls it The Throb. Thanks for listening. GAZZA.
[/quote]

Hi Gazza, thats for stepping up and introducing yourself and putting a few things right. Great to have you here, hope you stay around and look forward to reading more posts from you. Great to hear you are still playing bass.

[wombatboter]

Enjoyed China Crisis a lot (saw them together with Simple Minds in Brussels years ago).
Thanks for the music and greetings from Belgium...

[bluegazbloke]

Ah yes. Fire & Steel. Bass sound inspired by Imagination's "Just An Illusion", believe it or not. Aria SB100 fretless with Dean Markley Ground Roundwound strings and a Boss Octaver. I loved the sound of that dual-oscillator fluid bass synth and that's the nearest I could get to recreating it. Bass line created during an intense brainstorming overdub with Mike Howlett and Gil Norton. I'm surprised nobody ever mentions "Hana Hana", the sliding harmonics went down a treat on the support for Simple Minds "Sparkle In The Rain" European tour. Thanks for listening to a fat arl fella, it's very much appreciated! God, I love being a bass player.

[Conan]

What a great thread! I was about to mention Hannah Hannah, but to be pipped to it by the bloke what wrote it is pretty cool too!

Flaunt the Imperfection is still one of my favourite albums. Some beautifully tasty (and tasteful) playing on there Gazza. Great stuff

[bluegazbloke]

Conan, to be honest, Walter Becker's attention to detail meant that nothing but the best was allowed under the radar. The best education a musician could ever get and a life-changing experience. The guy's innate musical knowledge is second to none and, as a person, totally inspirational. His enthusiasm for music knows no bounds and he's honest and just a f***in' great bloke. I've got a mate who's a dog's-bollocks trumpeter and he says that playing on Flaunt had the same effect on him. And he's played with The Who and Eric Clapton! Make no mistake, the greatest thing that ever happened to me, though, was the day Kevin Wilkinson walked through the rehearsal door. A bass player's only as good as his drummer, and we had the best.

[sirmoog]

[quote name='bluegazbloke' timestamp='1367444827' post='2065902']
Conan, to be honest, Walter Becker's attention to detail meant that nothing but the best was allowed under the radar. The best education a musician could ever get and a life-changing experience. The guy's innate musical knowledge is second to none and, as a person, totally inspirational. His enthusiasm for music knows no bounds and he's honest and just a f***in' great bloke. I've got a mate who's a dog's-bollocks trumpeter and he says that playing on Flaunt had the same effect on him. And he's played with The Who and Eric Clapton! Make no mistake, the greatest thing that ever happened to me, though, was the day Kevin Wilkinson walked through the rehearsal door. A bass player's only as good as his drummer, and we had the best.
[/quote]


Wow... I've been such a huge CC fan since the early 90's (I was 12). I was an 80's fan and bought the album because Gary and Eddy looked cool on the cover (did I mention I was 12?). First track on the compilation was African and White... and as soon as that bass kicked in after the little drum intro... I was hooked, went out and bought all the albums in the months following.. Amazing bass lines in all the songs.

So good to see one of my favorite bassists (Gazza) on this thread and get information about the albums and their recordings. Kevin Wilkinson... amazing drummer... RIP. And yes... Hanna Hanna... top tune and great bass line. Always wondered how the harmonic slide was done... still not sure. I would personally like to thank you for the wonderful music Gazza.

[Philwar]

I have been learning bass for 5 years and was always a fan on the 'Gazza' on China Crisis albums. Just saw them at London's Borderline 27/10/16, and an unexpected surprise to see the real Mr Johnson playing. A real treat to see this and I loved every minute.

[lojo]

They are touring as part of an 80s thing next year and at my local venue , but its not clear how much stage time or how big a band there is going to be , so I cant decide if to go or not.

Edited November 15, 2016 by lojo

[goingdownslow]

Gazza doing his stuff yesterday at the Waterloo Festival, Liverpool.