Jah Wobble Story - Interview by Matt Bristow - 2015

[@permaveg]

John is a legend, no debate, as a white punk in the late 70s I was really into root's reggae and this geezer was a bassist that understood reggae as did Lydon. Pil's Metal Box's bass line's were amazing with Levene's cutting guitar work and his later solo material was likewise, check out 'Jah Wobbles' 'Chinese Dub' material.

[@jojojones2714]

Brilliant. Wobble's a legend good bloke to

[@Mr.Steve-O]

Seeing PIL on May 4th, 1980 in LA was one of the greatest shows I have ever seen. Wobble and Levine were the true backbone of PIL, they were both highly innovative, miss the original line with Adkins on drums as well

[@RiotNrrrdUTube]

I was there as well, watching from the front of the balcony as an amazing start to the gig gradually disintegrated as the idiot Punks started spitting :(

[@SpaceJaicen]

Steve Pena 39 years ago today 👍🏼

[@gotham61]

I was at PiL's first gig, which was in Brussels in December 1978. It was utter chaos.

[@MayaMaya-om2vv]

Just came across him on a rerun of an old I/V with Sinead O'C.... Liked what he said & how, back then...and now... He has a lovely sensitivity & awareness.

[@klausrain111]

For me, Annalisa will forever live in my Top Five Songs list. Just a work of pure collective genius that I never hear about on KZbin or in print, but Jah and Keith Levene knew well how to play together, especially with John Lydon as the singer. Poptones is another great one, esp the live version with John wearing that long red overcoat. Jah and Keith are doing some very innovative, groundbreaking work on that one.

[@stephenelkington5697]

I saw Jah in Reading 3 days ago - superb. Top bassman!

[@volvof12able]

He fascinates me I saw him live this week in Nottingham the gig was fantastic. the only thing was I came home with tears because of all the memories the music has for me ✌️

[@dougtull4594]

His bass playing was unorthodox and innovative.

[@alexschiller3434]

Jah Wobble is so awesome. It is great to see a recent interview. I thoroughly enjoyed this - thanks for sharing!

[@thunderferretsarego]

honest, genuine, totally engaging, i am transfixed. started to watch this as a 50 something ex musician and stayed because he made me realise that I still am !

[@County-ej8vj]

During my 5km a couple of days ago, I bumped into John. I stopped and must have been talking to him for 20 minutes. He hung up a call to his son and we talked music and football. A genuinely nice guy and it made my day. 👍

[@sabrinafinkel92]

GENIUS, true poet and musician. Genius.

[@trumpgottagoitmfa9216]

Ive been a Wobble fan since 1980. Im confident I enjoy all his compositions, I loved this interview, and I really don’t care what others say. If one wants to say Jah wobble isn’t any good. THEIR loss. He’s got a very ‘lively mind’. 🤣

[@Debster8554]

Thanks so much for uploading, this is great!

[@ZINCOVIX8754]

Very talented individual.Thank you Mr.Wobble.

[@gabrielguedesrossatti5133]

Very intelligent and sensitive person, this JW. Very interesting interview!!

[@MisAnnThorpe]

@Mark Richardson Don't be fooled by the accent. He's a very smart man.

[@stevenr2463]

Amazing man!

[@danabrahams7892]

Brilliant bassist - such an important musician to this country and music

[@twistedspanner4349]

PIL was my entrance to playing music. I got my first bass guitar for xmass 1979 and I learned how to play by playing along to 'First Issue' & 'Second Edition'.I was gutted when I read that he had left PIL. :-(

[@johncook6723]

Jah Wobble was the reason I bought a bass. When I was able to pay the riff to “The Suit,” I was so proud 😊

[@mikebenoit5658]

Been listening to his music for 20 years now. Hearing him talk about all those different phases of Invaders of the Heart and the 30 Hertz days - it's like yeah, I was there with him in a way (with the exception of the Mark 1 days in the early 80's of course). I saw him live at The Knitting factory in NYC back in May of either 2000 or 2001.

[@garyrichardson5688]

+Mike Benoit I might have been at that knitting factory show. Was it after "Passage to Hades?" Laswell showed up and Wobble was playing a white P-Bass I think.

[@mikebenoit5658]

+Gary Richardson I don't remember Bill Laswell, but it's possible. The one I went to was definitely May of 2001. It was on Mother's Day. I was the one towards the front, by the flute player, smoking a joint (I did that kind of thing back then.) Yes it was after Passage to Hades, and just before that live CD he put out, which is I believe where I left off with him. I just had way too many of his CD's. I bought the Early Years CD I think after that.

[@garyrichardson5688]

Yea, i think it was that show. I had just been laid off from my job that morning but didnt care because of the show. Actually laswell was at the show the night before. It was the first time i saw him it was a great show.

[@roqofort5110]

Your bass playing is great, original melodies and unique timing, 'Higher than the Sun' in particular, and other tracks :)

[@MisAnnThorpe]

Yes, the only track worth hearing on Screamadelica.

[@rjtas]

thanks for a great upload

[@Malegys]

An inspiration to us all :)

[@ReneAlexisPenalozaMunoz]

Amazing geezer!

[@koulamused]

Great interview! thanks

[@marycigarettes]

beautiful engaging interview

[@voyeurcoma638]

It is definitely time for a weird out the blue record like metal box to come along again, cos the experimental side of music particularly in Britain just sounds like pop music from the early nineties, i love this guy he completely changed what a bass guitar was he showed a side that said bass and it's groove is way more expressive than any electric guitar music.

[@marsd6038]

What a man!!!

[@bigron7009]

This guy is a national treasure

[@kid56us]

It's still Wobbling.

[@FF-so3su]

What a nice, intelligent , likeable man🙂👍

[@tyrone.m.warren9011]

🗣 Legendary bass Man! A Country Mile above the rest!💯

[@ozzie-sk9dh]

Froggy went a courtin' is a top tune. Nice one Mrs Wobble.

[@Lou-zw3zg]

The man is an absolute legend

[@xwsftassell]

Yeah, they do still have that procession in Clerkenwell, and coconut shy and stuff round the back streets.

[@seansoblixe9711]

no doubt coolest bass riffs that made pill what it became.

[@champ1114]

Definetly was a band that couldn't be what it was without each member.

[@Warp75]

Class act

[@sonraysonic3146]

Metal Box was a life changer for me

[@TerekkiTerekki]

Great interview - interesting bloke

[@Thunda65]

Legend!

[@jasonlefler3456]

The Inspiration of William Blake LP may be my favorite all around album of Jax’s. A very moving and satisfying record. I like it all though. PIL, Betrayal, Snakecharmer EP, Without Judgment, Rising Above Bedlam, Take Me to God, Heaven and Earth, A Passage to Hades, and on and on. Bracknell Festival 1995 was a great gig. Nice memories. Heaven and Earth, A Passage to Hades,

[@TheRaptorXX]

John, itwas 'Animal Magic'. I used to hum that song a well!

[@eskeletos]

first to comment !! jah greetings from argentina from a bass player .not good as you ,bt well...

[@drexlspivey5828]

20:00 The highest commercial success he had was definitely 1994, two songs constantly on the radio and on music channels Edit to clarify: Two songs and number 20 is definitely better than one song at number 10

[@marycigarettes]

love your interviews,iain...load up the phil wainman one please...i want to share it.

[@weeeeoooow]

Hey Mary! We meet again ....coincidence! 😘

[@cosmicdrifter287]

jah rules!

[@johnburns3703]

What a diamond geezer!

[@creativeleapart]

I completely understand what he says about playing the bass having the ability to calm you, when you play repetitive grooves. I sometimes call it aural Valium

[@periurban]

What a true gent.

[@christopherbrookfield4785]

l loved Public Image Limited, and Jah Wobble, but when i got hold of a copy of the Invaders of the Heart lp, i found it really disappointing. To be completely honest, it bored me to tears. Each to their own, i suppose. Great interview. Really interesting, genuine, talented bloke. Thanks a lot.

[@Lilahowell]

What a geezer!

[@saultie]

Love the East End accent.

[@reimerbard1552]

Hard to believe someone as rounded and engaging as JW was once a subordinate of panto-adolescent John Lydon. He gives a great interview BTW. And is starting to look like Holger Czukay's nephew. ta.

[@dahabmassage]

Heh, he just outgrew the boys. Compare this to the would-be interview of PiL on the show "Check it Out" 1979. Pity they bleeped out his half-minute outburst before he took his turn storming off the set!

[@dahabmassage]

Actually, that was a bit unfair, the way I put it. You have to read the backstory to that interview because the show's producers have only released the footage where the band gets fed up, cusses them out and storms off the set. Missing is all the provocation on the part of the interviewers that led up to it. There is an audio transcription of the full thing on the Fodderstompf site.

[@rhysf.505]

How come there is *always* some amount of haters on every single Jah Wobble video? What is about this guy that seems to attract this kind of attention? Punks who are angry that he moved on to making real music perhaps?

[@draxlerchronicles5851]

He's slightly wrong about not being called "Wobble" until PiL started because there's an interview with Sid from about August '77 where he refers to Wobble by that name.

[@rapportlebon4823]

He is very interesting and funny.

[@scotteckert3110]

fucking love jah!

[@ismailr9775]

yes pil were shit without him

[@MisAnnThorpe]

Except The Flowers of romance is their best album. I think that maybe you meant PiL were shite without Keith Levene?

[@truecentral718]

@@MisAnnThorpe It's all very subjective, though, isn't it? Granted, some people love Flowers Of Romance, but I think the vast majority would assert Metal Box as their masterpiece, and that record is where Wobble really came into his own. Flowers sounds pretty thin in comparison, to my ears, although I understand its charms. I think it's probably fair to say it was the chemistry between Wobble and Levene that made PIL so special. What is indisputable is that the quality went off a cliff after they were both gone.

[@mauljoker2979]

How come Jim walker, the pil drummer at the time he was talking about was never even mentioned?

[@dahabmassage]

Maybe because Wobble, Lydon and Levene all knew each other before they formed PiL, whereas Jim Walker answered an ad they posted?

[@phelixxiaomi6259]

Like an Atomic Clock.

[@keikoyoshida3625]

He is not against Beethoven

[@magmasunburst9331]

No one should be against Beethoven. It's a losing battle.

[@MisAnnThorpe]

The only excuse for being against Beethoven is deafness.

[@caseyschrier1760]

Hey

[@SyntheticSentiment]

Who are the 4 absolute wankers who don't like this?

[@dougtull4594]

Bass grounds the entire production.

[@ericcrawford9827]

''Here's three chords''. Ignore them.

[@beatvampire]

phil collins little brother

[@rabsmiff]

Lydon...you're talkin' North London Islington, born and bred. In many ways, Lydon WAS London, no question. But Wobble---ye're talkin' Full-on, dyed-in-the-wool East End. You chuck in that Hampstead Heath squat mentality, and you got the nucleus of post-punk itself, that transcended the sonic merits of punk rock itself.