One of the defining bassists of the post-punk era, Jah Wobble returns to Ramsgate with The Invaders of the Heart. The man is quite simply a living legend: a founding member of Public Image LTD, and responsible in part for the magnificent Metal Box.
Jah Wobble, a name given to the man born John Wardle by none other than Sid Vicious, has since gone on to become a tremendous solo artist, earning chart success and Mercury nominations along the way. His Ramsgate debut back in 2016 was one of our greatest shows, and we’re extremely excited to welcome him to our special venue once again.
“Jah Wobble is something of an enigma. A post punk bass extraordinaire who has far outlived the restrictions of that genre” – Louder Than War
Over the past four decades, Jah Wobble has ploughed his own furrow as a solo artist, as well as 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, U2’s 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. It was Vicious who not only nicknamed John ‘Jah Wobble’ after a drunken binge but also loaned him his first bass guitar. Lydon asked Wobble to join Public Image Limited in 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-1980 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 more than 30 albums.
“A mighty strong album” – Pop Matters
“With his mighty bass, Wobble is like an old-fashioned band leader, barking out instructions within a cavernous, space-echoey dub mix” – The Guardian
“Jah has the audience in fits of laughter at certain junctures. A diamond geezer he is” – Louder than War
