Jah Wobble & Invaders Of The Heart

The bass that has influenced an entire generation | Thursday 20.2 | Isrohall

The bass that has influenced an entire generation | Thursday 20.2 | Isrohall Tickets

Born John Wardle, the stage name Jah Wobble is a slurred drunk version of his real name coined by Sid Vicious who also loaned him his first bass guitar at the outset of a wonderful multifaceted four-decade musical journey. Wobble the Englishman has become one of the most notable and influential bassists in the world as well as a singer and percussionist, diligently paving his way as a musician, composer, and producer, collaborating with a great many artists including Baaba Maal, Björk, Primal Scream, Brian Eno, Sinéad O’Connor, The Edge of the rock band U2, Natacha Atlas, Bel Canto, Bill Laswell, Madredeus, and Massive Attack, to name a few.

He grew up in the British punk, post-punk and new wave era, with friends John Lydon (AKA Johnny Rotten) and Sid Vicious. Following the Sex Pistols’ break-up, Lydon asked him to join PiL, Public Image Limited, and Wobble’s unique bass style was the backbone of the band’s pioneering sound. In the mid-1980s, he left the band and launched a prolific and abundant solo career. He showed a real curiosity and passion for global music, even before the World Music trend began to flourish and gained momentum. In the early 1990’s, he further expanded his exploration with the release of Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart two pinnacle albums Rising Above Bedlam (1991) and Take Me to God (1994). He later established his own record label and became an artist involved in every aspect of his career.

Wobble’s performance in Eilat features a versatile and jazzy version of selected highlights over the years such as Visions Of You recorded with Sinead O’Connor, Becoming More Like God, and other jazz covers like Roy Budd’s theme tune of the 1971 British film, Get Carter. He also plays excerpts from the new album expected to be released in the coming year. Wobble is a polished diamond, a musician who has gone through quite a few adventures, challenges and upheavals and found his way using his own two hands. The subtitle on the cover of Wobble’s biography, Memoirs of a Geezer, describes the essence of this musical journey with three fitting words: “Music, Mayhem, Life.”

Jah Wobble Bass
George King Keyboards
Martin Chung Guitar
Marc Layton-Bennett Drums

photo by: John Hollingsworth