Wobble

[Frank Blank]

Just seen Jah Wobble for the second time. First time was in Cambridge seventeen years ago, tonight at Chinnerys in Southend. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to see people responsible for making your favourite album of thirty eight years perform their current music, but then, it’s Jah Wobble, just seeing that Ovation Magnum was cool, it’s almost as legendary as the man himself. I don’t really know what the point of this post is...

[lurksalot]

If you know his current offerings and like it, go and see him, if he is touring his album of 38 years ago , you'll love it , but I think it a bit daft to hope he'll try to sell you his 38 year old output when he's just recorded some new stuff  

[Frank Blank]

32 minutes ago, lurksalot said:

If you know his current offerings and like it, go and see him, if he is touring his album of 38 years ago , you'll love it , but I think it a bit daft to hope he'll try to sell you his 38 year old output when he's just recorded some new stuff  

I don’t recall suggesting I was hoping he’d sell me anything, all I was saying (I think) is that he played bass on my favourite album made 38 years ago and that I don’t really know how I felt, or indeed feel, about seeing him now.

[lurksalot]

When I say 'sell' it was in the context that generally when touring, an artist is promoting the material that they are hoping to sell , or at least are currently producing , thus they probably wouldn't be playing a 38year old album !

Though having seen Uriah Heep a couple of times recently , there's a few old favourites thrown in 

 

[roceci]

Was it good?

[Frank Blank]

7 hours ago, lurksalot said:

When I say 'sell' it was in the context that generally when touring, an artist is promoting the material that they are hoping to sell , or at least are currently producing , thus they probably wouldn't be playing a 38year old album !

Though having seen Uriah Heep a couple of times recently , there's a few old favourites thrown in 

 

He played a range of material from his back catalogue including a couple from Metal Box. I think the gig (and your initial reply to my post) has me wondering what I want from a gig and what I wanted from this gig in particular.

[Frank Blank]

7 hours ago, roceci said:

Was it good?

It was very good indeed although I couldn’t put my finger on why.

[lurksalot]

You did sound a bit confused, even disillusioned a touch, in the first post. Maybe that's unfair though .

 

[Frank Blank]

1 minute ago, lurksalot said:

You did sound a bit confused, even disillusioned a touch, in the first post. Maybe that's unfair though .

No, not unfair, I think that’s an accurate summation. I’m kind of assimilating the experience and it’s making me think about how my attitudes have changed towards music.

[seashell]

I really admire him, although I wasn’t that familiar with his bass playing 30 years ago. I knew him more as a poet and raconteur who would turn up on radio 4 occasionally.  When I first saw him at London Bass Guitar Show two or three years ago, I was hugely impressed. So witty, funny and intelligent. I felt I really learned something from his masterclass. Now I’m a big fan, but I still need to work my way through his back catalogue.

Hope you continue to enjoy his work, Frank :-)

[alyctes]

I went to see him a couple of years ago.  His drummer was awesome, absolutely superb.  The gig was very odd; I don't know that I liked the music all that much but I came out with a huge grin on my face, and I can't remember the last time that happened.

So maybe it is Wobble who confuses us?

Edited January 28, 2018 by alyctes

[Highfox]

I haven't seen him play since some 20 odd years ago now that I moved away from the UK.

I used to go and see him all the time with all the different line-ups he had from PIl, Kerang to the Invades of the heart, one thing was for sure, the bass was always cranked up loud and groove was the order of the evening Always a great rhythm section.

I lost him a bit on the poetry and the Chinese dub stuff, but found some of his newer stuff fairly enjoyable again. Maybe he has gone a bit too show-man (looking at youtube videos) for me live nowadays, but I guess that's what is kind of expected of him.

The nicest bloke you could meet now he is off the booze. I went up and spoke to him as a fan many years ago, gave me his phone number and said whenever he was gigging to give him a call and he would put me on the guest list (which he did)

Big respect to Wobbs. (plus he started me wanting to play bass, a hobby I still practice nearly 40 years later)

[TheGreek]

I, like Seashell, saw him at LBGS - very entertaining and a great rapport with the audience.

I have no qualms about supporting Bass players - nuff guitarists and singers make a living regurgitating their back catalogue while bassists and drummers are forgotten.

Go on Jah...

[Frank Blank]

42 minutes ago, Highfox said:

Big respect to Wobbs. (plus he started me wanting to play bass, a hobby I still practice nearly 40 years later)

Oh no, absolutely, Jah Wobble and JJ Burnel are, between them, the reason I picked a bass up, Metal Box and early Stranglers albums were likewise massively bass formative for me, but Jah Wobble is the pinnacle for me. I am beginning to realise that the reason I left the gig vaguely dissatisfied is because regardless of how much I try to appreciate the man and his current music I can’t help but want something of the past that’s now unobtainable. I suppose instead of trying to recapture something historical by attending such gigs I should maybe make something current that gives me the same or similar vibe.

[ProfJames]

Just in the process of buying a Magnum III

 

[Lozz196]

That big pulsing intro to Public Image, simple but so effective, and in a time when many a punk band had very twangy trebly bass sounds, his was the opposite. Still one of my fave singles of all time, that song.

[Frank Blank]

52 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

That big pulsing intro to Public Image, simple but so effective, and in a time when many a punk band had very twangy trebly bass sounds, his was the opposite. Still one of my fave singles of all time, that song.

One of those perfect moments in music, that is, as you say, one of the best singles (that word ages us doesn’t it) of all time.

[Frank Blank]

3 hours ago, ProfJames said:

Just in the process of buying a Magnum III

Excellent! I’d love to try one.

[IainS]

I picked up The Legend Lives On many years ago. I didn't know anything about him at all and have no idea why I bought it. I remember the quizzical looks from friends whenever it went on the CD player. I don't think I understood it either, but it remained one of my favourite CDs for years.