John Giblin on fretless bass

[toneknob]

7 minutes ago, JottoSW1 said:

The Brand X Product Album was probably my real intro to Fretless Bass, Wal to Wal JG and P Jones. Also the fantastic Mike Clark drumming on that album.

50/50 with Phil Collins, but yep good job all around, it's a brilliant album. And So To F has two basses on it as well - not sure if it's Percy and John, or one of them twice.

 

[dmccombe7]

43 minutes ago, JottoSW1 said:

The Brand X Product Album was probably my real intro to Fretless Bass, Wal to Wal JG and P Jones. Also the fantastic Mike Clark drumming on that album.

Probably same for me too altho i think i might have bought Do They Hurt first and then Product and Unorthodox Behaviour.

Brand X and Bruford were a turning point for me and when i moved from Rock bassists to Jazz. I would sit at home after work for approx 2-3 hrs every night learning those albums and a few others. It took my playing to a new level where i was playing things that were way different to the rock bands i was playing in.

John Giblin, Percy Jones and Jeff Berlin were guys i could only dream of playing like.

Dave 

[fleabag]

Morrocan Roll  was a killer CD , and in my collection.  Also Unorthodox  Behaviour,  and   Masques.

Percy only on those, i think.   

Funny bit of info ..PJ's first fretless was a Gretsch fretted  ( IIRC ) and he filed down the frets under the  D and G strings, but its only been used on one track  "  Running on Three "

After they got their first ever advance,  PJ went straight out and bought  a Precision fretless, and the WAL came after that.

John Goodsall bought a fur coat with his first advance

Edited March 8, 2021 by fleabag

[dmccombe7]

15 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Moroccan Roll  was a killer CD , and in my collection.  Also Unorthodox  Behaviour,  and   Masques.

Percy only on those, i think.   

Funny bit of info ..PJ's first fretless was a Gretch fretted  ( IIRC ) and he filed down the frets under the  D and G strings, but its only been used on one track  "  Running on Three "

After they got their first ever advance,  PJ went straight out and bought  a Precision fretless, and the WAL came after that.

John Goodsall bought a fur coat with his first advance

Love hearing wee snippets like that. What would i have bought first ?? who knows but another WAL might work for me.

Dave

[fleabag]

Yeah, that came from an interview with Percy, straight from the horses mouth.  I had to dig into my memory trough for that 

More funny info...  Percy built his own flangery wah type thing before they were an effect, and it was well strange.  It used to get so hot, he had to use a Peltior system to cool it down, but the sound kep changing depending on how hot it got.  He was a bit of an  amateur  ( but a bloody good one ) lectronix hobbyist

It can be heard on early Brand X where wah is involved.   I might even remember which track (s)  if i rack my walnut

Edited March 8, 2021 by fleabag

[fleabag]

Aha !

 

 

[4000]

Somewhere I have interview with John Giblin (from the ‘90s, or maybe a bit later?) where I’m sure he says he mainly used a fretless P Bass. At some point I’ll try and dig it out. 
 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by 4000

[Bilbo]

I only just learned John had passed away in 2023. Desperately sad.

[Linus27]

One of the greatest bass players ever and to me, the most interesting and inspiring fretless bassist ever.

[Rodders]

Hurt in your Heart is my favourite bassline of his, only when I read more about the whole Grace and Danger album I found Phil Collins played on the album too. 

[Linus27]

John was also a composer and could play piano and guitar. During his time with Simple Minds, he played the following during the Simple Minds recording era. Mick McNeil, the incredible keyboardist from Simple Minds is playing it here.

 

 

John also composed the following for Simple Minds. Sadly, during the recording process of the Street Fighting Years album, John and Trevor Horn fell out in such a big way that John packed up his gear and walked out and quit Simple Minds. Its possible to tell on the album what are some of John's bass lines for some tracks but not all. I have spoken to Steve Lipson who played additional bass if he knew but sadly he can't remember. 

 

 

[Rich]

Some of my favourite JG moments are on Fish's first solo album 'Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors'. His playing across the entire album is a fretless masterclass, but this bit is especially wonderful. 

 

https://youtu.be/hqWdNSDc-uc?si=VoTlt78gA9WNDZ6y&t=145

[dmccombe7]

6 hours ago, Rich said:

Some of my favourite JG moments are on Fish's first solo album 'Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors'. His playing across the entire album is a fretless masterclass, but this bit is especially wonderful. 

 

https://youtu.be/hqWdNSDc-uc?si=VoTlt78gA9WNDZ6y&t=145

Cheers for the heads up on the Fish album. Had never heard it before but now ordered from Amazon. BC is a wonderful thing. 

Dave