ESQUIRES: FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER, doors at 8pm
Over the past three decades or so, Jah Wobble has ploughed his own furrow as a prolific solo artist while simultaneously becoming a well-respected session musician with a genuine passion for Eastern and Global music. He has worked with a diverse range of musicians, including Baaba Maal, Bjork, Primal Scream, Brian Eno, Sinead O’Connor, Julianne Regan, Dolores O’Riordan, Holgat Czukay, The Edge and Chaka Demus & Pliers.
The man born John Wardle began his musical journey when he met John Lydon and Sid Vicious in 1973, when Vicious loaned John his first bass guitar. Lydon asked JW to join Public Image Limited (aka PiL) in spring 1978. Wardle’s distinctive ‘low end’ bass became the backbone of PiL’s pioneering sound. After its follow-up, the exploratory yet sinister soundscapes of ‘Metal Box’, Wardle became disillusioned by politics within the band and their reluctance to play live. He eventually split from PiL in mid-1980s and embarked on a prolific solo career.
Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart released their debut album in 1990 and received a Mercury Music Prize nomination in 1991 for the ‘Rising above bedlam‘ album. After the acclaimed ‘Take me to God‘ album in 1994 the band split and Jah Wobble launched his own 30 Hertz record label which has subsequently released around 30 albums.
We got to interview John prior to his Bedford gig…
Clanger: Have you ever visited or played Bedford town before?
Jah: No. It’s an honour and a privilege to play this ancient English town.
C: How did the name Jah Wobble come about?
J: Story of this is easily available online . I have recounted the story so many times that if I start to tell it…well I end up in a foetal position quietly sobbing. I normally use a ‘cosy quiet corner’ to do that.
C: (The story is John was given the nick name ‘Jah Wobble’ by Sid Vicious after a drinking session)
C: You’ve worked and collaborated with an impressive amount of artists, any favourites?
J: Bill Laswell was always a lot of fun to work with. I enjoyed working with Julie Campbell (Lonelady) a couple of years ago as well. But there have been so many it’s difficult to pick favourites.
C:And anyone else you’d still like to work with?
J:I would like to work with Harold Budd again.
C: What drew you to the bass guitar?
J: Those low low notes. Very therapeutic to my mind.
C: Most obscure place you’ve played?
J:A farmers convention in rural France .
C: Recommend a book?
J: This is London by Ben Judah is a very good read
C: Any new acts you’re into at the moment?
J: Esperanza Spalding, for me her best album is ‘Radio music society’. George King my keyboard player turned me on to her.
C:Any Tube tales?
J: Once in a deep underground siding I was astounded to see a unit of Roman legionnaires appear from the tunnel wall and then disappear again through the opposite tunnel wall.
There are a lot of ghosts down there
C: Any favourite recipes?
J: We have a live in Chef, Romana, who’s just wonderful. If I see a recipe (on long flights I might stumble across a recipe, that I like in the inflight magazine for example.) I scan it and send it to her . When I arrive home it will be ready for me. I often test her with complicated soufflé type dishes.
So another chance to check a musical legend on your doorstep…
Tickets are sale priced £12.50 in advance from Seetickets online and in person from Esquires Bar, Planet Boutique Bedford and Mario’s Hair Design Kempston
