The phenomenon we know as Jah Wobble starts his extensive tour on 25 October and on the second night, he visits Rescue Rooms in Nottingham. We managed to catch up with him during a break from rehearsals and after his recent flu jab to find out about the man behind the legend…
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, how's the rehearsals going?
Overall, the rehearsals are going really well, there's a lot of material to learn and relearn to get the sound right, we all forget parts but that's what rehearsals are for and there's a lot of material to play during this tour and a lot of shows during this year, next so we have to get it right. I'm keeping fit and healthy, taking my flu jab, I've never missed a show from illness and I'm proud to say that.
Do you have any hobbies or activities away from music?
Yeah, lots of things, I always try my best to keep fit. I like walking lots and playing walking football, I used to play the full game but more recently taken up walking football and I really like it. I play golf and also meditate which all helps to keep me grounded, at which point he holds his hand up to the camera and shows me his recent injury from football. I know it's not exactly professional to get an injury before a tour but it's healing well and I'll be alright for the shows. I'm always active and pottering about. The album I put out earlier this year The Bus Routes of South London was from travelling and walking around South London, mainly on a bus and just pottering around and the music was almost an extension of my mind and experiences from the journeys.
Where are you living now?
I moved to Stockport some years ago which has good motorway access and close to the airport, plus some lovely areas to take long walks. It's also close to my wife's family and so we see a lot of them, which is great. I come from London and my younger boy lives there at the moment. I'm still in London lots, probably half of my time plus I set up a Community Venture several years ago called Tuned In which includes regular weekly jam nights and recording studio use for musicians in the area, it's great for lonely or older musicians or even folks suffering with their mental health and they get the opportunity to make friends and make music. It keeps me busy and it can really make a big difference to people's quality of life.
Sounds like you're really busy, can you tell us about the new tour?
Well, it's a long one and some of the shows are based on the Metal Box Rebuilt In Dub album that I released a couple of years ago and other shows consist of music from my band Jah Wobble And The Invaders Of The Heart, lots of music to learn and it's very varied. We've got over twenty shows this year and we're playing all over the country, with around a fifty/fifty split of Metal Box and Invaders material.
I know the Nottingham show is based on the Metal Box Rebuilt In Dub material, what can you tell me about that?
It's a more modern take on the classic post punk album I made with PIL in 1979, we've had to bring ourselves up to speed on the material in rehearsals, the songs are a reinterpretation of the original tracks, we might put in a couple of other numbers as well. John Klein the ex-Siouxsie and The Banshees guitarist is playing with us at the shows, he's a lovely guy and really artistic, he puts us all to shame with his professionalism and he's very talented, very arty musically and visually. He recently made some videos for my boys and their music. A lovely man. So, we're looking forward to the shows and showing the audience what our adaption of these classic tracks sound like. My band are really talented musicians and we all keep getting better and better the more we play together. The Metal Box material has tested us all but I'm pleased to say we are up to it.
What memories do you have from those days you helped create PIL and the music you made?
I'm grateful that I spent the early years in PIL and the music we made, it was the launch for me to go on and do other things and work with some great artists including Holger Czukay, Brian Eno, The Edge and many others. If I hadn't been in PIL, then the rest would not have happened and Metal Box was a really special album that we all created when we were young. Its impact is still talked about today and it just felt right to give the music and my bass lines a modern take, at first everyone around me said should we dare to reinterpret these numbers and I said definitely yes. I remember revisiting some of the material and all the excitement and energy came flooding back. I'm really looking forward to showing the audience what we have done.
Has touring changed for you over the years?
Yeah, you have to be very organised and control all aspects of the tour, you have to make sure you look after and hang onto hard working members of the team, we've got a great crew at the moment and I try hard to look after them, I don't have a manager and I do the organising myself, it means you can control the costs and pay the team more. But overall, you have to be in control of every pond you spend. I'm very professional about how I approach a tour and try to make sure we give a good performance every time.
When did you last play in Nottingham?
I think it was back in 2017 or around then, I remember it because one of our team got a parking ticket on the night, but yeah, I've played in Nottingham many times and looking forward to this show.
I know you have previously played the Ovation Magnum bass which is a great slab of an instrument, very heavy to hold. What are you playing at the moment?
I've fallen in love with the Fender Precision bass all over again and that was the instrument I used for the original Metal Box recordings, so it's like meeting an old friend again. It has a lovely feel and just right for the bass lines in the tracks. I also use round wound strings and I used to put super glue on my fingers to protect them but now I use gloves instead. Playing the bass on a tour can be very punishing for your fingers and they need protecting.
I thought Jah Wobble would limit me to around thirty minutes for the interview and when I politely offered to end the conversation, he was happy to carry on. We talked for around another half an hour about his family, his life, spiritual beliefs, football, previous musicians he has worked with and his work with the Tuned In charity. A top bloke, an awesome musician, a one off and not to be missed when he plays at the Rescue Rooms on 26 October…
Jah Wobble will perform at Rescue Rooms on 26 October. You can grab tickets here.
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