Rib13Bass Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 (edited) This guy is a complete mystery. The Lexicon of Love by ABC is, to me, a near perfect pop album: like a dancy version of Eldorado by ELO ( another near perfect album)...Brad Lang did all the great fretless parts on that album and even did fretless for them on subsequent albums (like the end of "Be Near Me" from How to Be a Zillionaire)...there is practically no information on him except being a UK session guy in the 80s.....Would love to hear more of his work.......Anybody? Edited February 11 by Rib13Bass 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJWW Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 One of my favourite records and a terrific bassist. Trevor recommended the band sack their original bass player Mark Lickley and Brad replaced him. According to Trevor Horn's book Brad was the son of Don Lang who was the trombonist in the Bob Miller band and had sung the original theme for the Six-Five Special TV series. There is a really challenging bass lick in 'Show Me' at the end of the string intro at 0.38s where the drums come in. Awesome dextrous bass guitar playing which took me ages to figure out! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rib13Bass Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 5 minutes ago, EJWW said: One of my favourite records and a terrific bassist. Trevor recommended the band sack their original bass player Mark Lickley and Brad replaced him. According to Trevor Horn's book Brad was the son of Don Lang who was the trombonist in the Bob Miller band and had sung the original theme for the Six-Five Special TV series. There is a really challenging bass lick in 'Show Me' at the end of the string intro at 0.38s where the drums come in. Awesome dextrous bass guitar playing which took me ages to figure out! Thanks for the info! Thats more information I learned just posting here than I did in the past decade lo....this begs the question: Did Lang also play the fretted parts? Lickley is in the music videos from the album's singles which means he was still in the band post release....and yes, I love that Show Me bass riff....... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 1 minute ago, Rib13Bass said: Thanks for the info! Thats more information I learned just posting here than I did in the past decade lo....this begs the question: Did Lang also play the fretted parts? Lickley is in the music videos from the album's singles which means he was still in the band post release....and yes, I love that Show Me bass riff....... Did Trevor Horn play the fretted parts? I'd always thought that was the case, but not really based on much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rib13Bass Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 1 minute ago, Woodwind said: Did Trevor Horn play the fretted parts? I'd always thought that was the case, but not really based on much. In the videos, Lickley is playing a Kramer DMZ bass. Although the bass in videos is often not what is being played on records, the fretted parts on Lexicon sound like a high-endy brittly P-Bass, which is what those basses sound like 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 This Brad Lang? https://www.taxi.com/members/tMUWdre-QSa6sorKSEufiA-brad-lang 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rib13Bass Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 52 minutes ago, TimR said: This Brad Lang? https://www.taxi.com/members/tMUWdre-QSa6sorKSEufiA-brad-lang Yes...Thanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 (edited) Wasn't the Kajagoogoo bassist, Nick Beggs, involved in the project? Edited February 11 by itu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocketflup Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Did he play on 'Poison Arrow'? Absolutely love the bass tone on that track 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rib13Bass Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 On 11/02/2024 at 17:08, itu said: Wasn't the Kajagoogoo bassist, Nick Beggs, involved in the project? Yes but in the 2000s On 11/02/2024 at 17:22, sprocketflup said: Did he play on 'Poison Arrow'? Absolutely love the bass tone on that track Lang did all the awesome fretless parts....The fretted parts are attributed to Lickley although there are some sources that state that Trevor Horn (who produced Lexicon) did all the fretted parts, which is also believable 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Currently playing with Barbara Dickson. https://www.barbaradickson.net/my-own-adventure She's currently on a farewell tour but seems the bass parts on the Album were recorded in France and I can't find out who is in her live band. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 One of my fave bass albums and fave albums full stop. Every track has a great bassline the best being 4ever 2gether and Valentine's Day. I've searched high and low on the web for other bass credits for Brad Lang but nada. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPrawn Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 PLAYEEEEEEER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 27 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: One of my fave bass albums and fave albums full stop. Every track has a great bassline the best being 4ever 2gether and Valentine's Day. I've searched high and low on the web for other bass credits for Brad Lang but nada. Sewms to be Barbara Dickson first call bassist. Fretless and other on Albums: Words Unspoken To Each and Everyone My Own Line Time is Going Faster My Own Adventure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen2eq Posted November 1 Share Posted November 1 (edited) Deleted Edited November 1 by stephen2eq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen2eq Posted November 1 Share Posted November 1 See also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Davis Posted November 2 Share Posted November 2 Not sure how much info i can really add to the discussion , but i'll try; there is a fair bit of info (clearly written by Brad himself!) on taxi.com, along with a fair number of self-penned tracks (which i have yet to listen to!). What i can add, over and above what is written there, is that i was at school with Brad! Even as a teenager he was a phenomenal bass player; a very musical family, since his dad was the legendary Don Lang (of Don Lang & His Frantic Five, who were a staple of British music TV in the late 50s/early 60s. If i remember correctly, Brad's sister could belt out a tune or two as well! According to taxi.com, Brad now divides his time between Yateley, Hants and rural France.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted November 2 Share Posted November 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.