molan Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 (edited) I've never really been a fretless man but I just love John Giblin's playing with John Martyn. My all time favourite has to be Hurt in Your Heart. Studio version: and live: EDIT - my mistake, this is Alan Thompson playing John Giblin's lines and John M talking about the song in '07: I really miss the old bugger. . . Edited August 8, 2010 by molan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mateybass Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 At last, someone else who appreciates John Giblin, I thought I was the only one here. I've always been a big fan of John's playing ever since I came across it with Brand X. Percy Jones was technically brilliant but John always had that touch which seemed to enhance the track. Everything he's ever played on has been from the heart and thoughtful. He plays basslines like an artist paints detail on trees, you don't really notice the craft until you really look deeply into it. I had the privilege of sharing bass duties with Fred T Baker and John Giblin on an album in the 90's. Fred was a pyrotechnician on bass but a million notes where one will do doesn't do anything for a song except impress other bass players. John would be quite happy playing one note well. He is my ultimate bass hero and probably the biggest influence on my playing and approach to fretless bass lines. Nice one Molan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mateybass Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 (edited) In my opinion these are two of the greatest fretless bass lines ever. I love the way he never gets in the way of the vocal melody. Sometimes he roots it, sometimes he harmonises with it, other times he's wrapping around it in a spiral of melodious loveliness. Oh and the vids aren't bad either Edited August 8, 2010 by Mateybass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 (edited) ooh - I'd forgotten he worked with Kate Bush. I love his playing on Breathing. Here he is live with John Martyn again: EDIT - This actually Alan Thompson but it's so good I thought it was well worth leaving here He really does have a great way of weaving around the vocal without over-playing & getting in the way of the melody Edited August 8, 2010 by molan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 For me, John is one the greats of fretless bass playing, alongside Jaco and Bakithi Kumalo. He just has such a wonderful vocal thing going on. Never before have I heard someone so able to make the bass sound like a human voice and he really can get right inside the instrument and make it touch your heart, which is incredible. His playing on Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" is my favourite of his. I only wish I liked the rest of Kate's stuff so I could hear more of him! He is cruelly underrated! The phrase in this at 02:24 is so powerful and perfect it is heartbreaking. Absolutely incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Another +1. I was brought up on his fretless work with Ms Bush. It's simply the best I'be heard. He's from Edinburgh too - can't be helped I suppose 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Saw him playing with Joan Armatrading earlier in the year on her recent tour. Sadly I was sat in a wierd place that gave a massive bass hump to the sound from about bottom A to D, so couldn't really hear his playing very well. Great gig though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 (edited) I'm a big fan Of Giblins playing too. However, in both the live videos you posted that's not John Giblin playing, it's Alan Thompson. He didn't play on the first Kate Bush album either. On "Wuthering Heights" it's probably David Paton. Kate used a wide variety of bass players - don't assume any fretless playing on her stuff is Giblin, it's just as likely to be Eberhard Weber or Del Palmer. It's definitely Giblin on "Babooshka" & "Breathing" though. Both absolutely brilliant bass parts. Edited August 8, 2010 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Don't forget his work with Brand X..... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfiylCkqMiE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfiylCkqMiE[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatboter Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I recently bought another copy of the John Martyn cd "Grace and Danger" with John Giblin and I was again amazed by John Giblin's fretless playing. The whole album is a sort of fretless bible and when I heard it again I realised how much my fretless playing has been influenced by this album. Didn't know it was Paton on Wuthering Heights, after "Nikita" by Elton John another one of his strong bass-lines.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 [quote name='RhysP' post='918537' date='Aug 8 2010, 08:45 AM']I'm a big fan Of Giblins playing too. However, in both the live videos you posted that's not John Giblin playing, it's Alan Thompson. He didn't play on the first Kate Bush album either. On "Wuthering Heights" it's probably David Paton. Kate used a wide variety of bass players - don't assume any fretless playing on her stuff is Giblin, it's just as likely to be Eberhard Weber or Del Palmer. It's definitely Giblin on "Babooshka" & "Breathing" though. Both absolutely brilliant bass parts.[/quote] That'll teach me to go YouTube hunting at 2 in the morning, lol. I always think of Danny T on upright bass and thought that Giblin was out live with John Martyn around the Grace and Danger era - of course the live vids could have come from any time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' post='918537' date='Aug 8 2010, 08:45 AM']I'm a big fan Of Giblins playing too. However, in both the live videos you posted that's not John Giblin playing, it's Alan Thompson. He didn't play on the first Kate Bush album either. On "Wuthering Heights" it's probably David Paton. Kate used a wide variety of bass players - don't assume any fretless playing on her stuff is Giblin, it's just as likely to be Eberhard Weber or Del Palmer. It's definitely Giblin on "Babooshka" & "Breathing" though. Both absolutely brilliant bass parts.[/quote] +1 on all that. Giblin is a very lyrical player. Garry Edited August 8, 2010 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Yeah, I only knew of him through Brand X, which isn't a bad thing at all. I didn't realise he had worked with so many artists. That's the sort of fretless bass playing I like to do. KISS and melodic and effective. There's very rarely a time when you should use pyrotechnics on bass anyway. Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretlessguy Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I first heard John's playing on Chris DeBurgh's "The Getaway". His basslines on "Don't Pay The Ferryman" and "The Getaway" were nothing short of epic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmz Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Correction needed on the "Couldn't Love You More" clip above guys - that's Alan Thomson - who played on the Well Kept Secret Album amongst others - his tone on "Never Let Me Go" is just heavenly - I know it's subjective - but that HAS to be one of the best fretless sounds out there. +1 for Mr Giblin to get back on track - I always liked his duet with Percy Jones - "Wal to Wal" - they always had a wicked sense of humour those Brand X guys..... Never flashy but extremely tasteful in what he plays, it's easy to see why he is still around and in demand. Last saw him playing with JM at Colston Hall in Bristol in 2007 - nice mix of electric and EUB. Good grief I miss John Martyn........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faceman Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 John Martyn and Mr Gilbin must have made the most apt post-10:30pm music ever. Alongside some Steely Dan and Air, there is nothing better than this for late night chilled listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I recall Giblin selling a fair bit of gear off through eBay and most of it was posted just like any other seller would, it wasn't all full of 'I'm really well known , look at all these people I've played with' BS, he just came across as a really decent bloke and giving as much info about each piece of kit as possible. Still couldn't actually afford any of his basses though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 I'm sure he played on the first Judie Tzuke album as well just before Rhino Edwards joined the band....the one with "Stay with me till Dawn"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 [quote name='yorks5stringer' post='920474' date='Aug 10 2010, 11:19 AM']I'm sure he played on the first Judie Tzuke album as well just before Rhino Edwards joined the band....the one with "Stay with me till Dawn"?[/quote] I think that was Mo Foster on the first album, very tasty fretless none the less! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 The man's just fantastic. He even played on Scott Walker's [i]Tilt[/i], which is one of my favourite albums of all time... although it's almost nobody's cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 [quote name='yorks5stringer' post='920474' date='Aug 10 2010, 11:19 AM']I'm sure he played on the first Judie Tzuke album as well just before Rhino Edwards joined the band....the one with "Stay with me till Dawn"?[/quote] that album was called "welcome to the cruise" and is..... just superb no musician credits on it though sadly. I've allways been aware of John Giblin,didnt he do that "lady in red" thing? (it wasnt Pino) I've never listened to him properly before today...pheww....anyboby want to buy my fretless stingray? I can't do it anymore, what a player!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 [quote name='witterth' post='920604' date='Aug 10 2010, 01:06 PM']I've allways been aware of John Giblin,didnt he do that "lady in red" thing? (it wasnt Pino)[/quote] He did. Apparently, Pino recorded the original bassline for that song, but after a load of work on the track it didn't fit in any more. John Giblin was passing through town or something and threw down a few takes, and that's what ended up on the record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='920598' date='Aug 10 2010, 01:03 PM']..... although it's almost nobody's cup of tea. [/quote] That's usually my cue to sit up and take notice. A little investigation required I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 (edited) Its all about.... Babooshka! Awesome playing. Edited August 10, 2010 by Lfalex v1.1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='920609' date='Aug 10 2010, 01:12 PM']He did. Apparently, Pino recorded the original bassline for that song, but after a load of work on the track it didn't fit in any more. John Giblin was passing through town or something and threw down a few takes, and that's what ended up on the record.[/quote] no disrespect to Mr Giblin, but I'm kind of glad it wasn't Pino. but then, John is neck and neck with Mr P eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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