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RIP John Giblin
- Thread starter WG Plum
- Start date
Four hours of Giblin tracks in this playlist now. Including some gems I was unaware of before this week, like Judy Tzuke:
John Giblin Bass Lines, Barend Tromp Favorites
John Giblin Bass Lines, Barend Tromp Favorites
D
Deleted member 368008
Guest
Yes, sad. He formed MY personal forays into fretless, when I heard "... A LONGER APRIL" from one of Brand X albums. One of the few songs that is credited to him solely. He released a short version of that on the album prior, but this one clocks in at 7:00 minute mark. A long major key melody in long form odd time signature. It has a longer cycle. Took ages for me to learn, but I went on from there, and that's the ONLY fretless melody by someone else I've ever bothered to learn. And I've heard Jaco or Palladino before that one.
From there I went on of myself. The thing is - sacriliege - I even rate him higher on fretless than Pino Palladino. But he was definitely an unsung hero and under the radar, and not a household name like Palladino was. I think I've seen him live 2 times without ever recognizing it was him until introduced. Once with Peter Gabriel (III album tour) who introduced him from stage, as "A guy who Rod Stewart refused to hire because he was too tall..." to which the audienced booed but cheered vividly when his name was said. But by and large, I basically didn't know what he looked like, except for being tall.
quote:
“The fretless is almost in danger of becoming extinct, because everyone is still trying to sound like Jaco. I wish people would get just as egotistical because they can play like James Jamerson or Ron Carter.”
From there I went on of myself. The thing is - sacriliege - I even rate him higher on fretless than Pino Palladino. But he was definitely an unsung hero and under the radar, and not a household name like Palladino was. I think I've seen him live 2 times without ever recognizing it was him until introduced. Once with Peter Gabriel (III album tour) who introduced him from stage, as "A guy who Rod Stewart refused to hire because he was too tall..." to which the audienced booed but cheered vividly when his name was said. But by and large, I basically didn't know what he looked like, except for being tall.
quote:
“The fretless is almost in danger of becoming extinct, because everyone is still trying to sound like Jaco. I wish people would get just as egotistical because they can play like James Jamerson or Ron Carter.”
D
Deleted member 368008
Guest
Not as bad as 2015 was, for sure. if you can recall. 2016 was infamous for Prince, Bowie, more non-bassists. But 2015 was the "bassists dropping like flies" year. But we're not halfway through yet, of this year, so...
2015 bass losses (famous, influential, infamous ones):
2015-12-28 Lemmy
2015-12-? Carson van Osten (Todd Rundgrens)
2015-12-24 Anthony Tolston (lady GaGa)
2015-10-18 Frank Watkins (Gorgoroth)
2015-09-? Bryn Merrick (bass The Damned 84-89)
2015-06-27 Chris Squire
2015-06-09 James Last (yes, he was an upright bass player)
2015-05-21 Louis Johnson (Michael Jackson)
2015-05-05 Craig Gruber (Elf, Rainbow, Gary Moore etc)
2015-04-30 Rutger Gunnarsson (Abba)
2015-04-28 Jack Ely
2015-03-16 Andy Fraser
2015-03-15 Mike Porcaro
2015-02-07 Joe B Mauldin (The Crickets)
2015-01-10 Jim Drummond (Neil Young, CSNY, Bob Dylan)
Wow, a blast from the past, I used to have those albums, somewhat Bowie-esque as I recall, very under the radar.
Not mentioned so far is Giblin being along for the wild ride of Scott Walker’s three final harrowing abstract solo albums over 17 years. He’s not on every track, and often the pieces are brutal soundscapes where you’re not sure what instrument is doing what. Not for the faint-hearted. But he can be heard doing tasty, sometimes basic lines to great effect.
I know him mainly from Peter Gabriel 3, especially Family Snapshot, and for that alone his name will aways jump off a page for me. That's a bass track that singlehandedly made a mark on my playing. He had an iconic style.
Although Percy Jones is known as the bassist for Brand X, John Giblin played on a few albums like ‘Product’, ‘Do They Hurt?’ and ‘Is There Anything About?’
That’s when I first heard of him and his fretless playing.
RIP John Giblin
RIP.
John & Percy's fretless sounds with Brand X are what prompted me to buy my first Wal almost 40 years ago.
John & Percy's fretless sounds with Brand X are what prompted me to buy my first Wal almost 40 years ago.
I just only recently found these albums. Both very different stuff from what the sleeves might tell even 'though there's a hint of Bowie and Ferry in both music and pictures. The proggy instrumentals are brilliant.
Duncan Browne was also part of Metro who released this album in 1976. Features also Giblin and Phillips and this great song later covered by Bowie:
Watching some 40 year old Live Aid this weekend, Giblin with Simple Minds is awesome!
Lots of great work here with the inimitable Joan Armatrading.
That was two years ago already...
For those who missed it.
I made a playlist of the best John Giblin tracks (according to me, mostly fretless stuff) a while ago for a Dutch Bass magazine that I write workshops for. It also includes some lesser known Giblin tracks. He is one of my great early inspirations on the fretless.
Here it is:
For those who missed it.
I made a playlist of the best John Giblin tracks (according to me, mostly fretless stuff) a while ago for a Dutch Bass magazine that I write workshops for. It also includes some lesser known Giblin tracks. He is one of my great early inspirations on the fretless.
Here it is:
Last edited:
