Missing You.” “We Belong” “Kiss Me Deadly.” “Always.” Urban Desire.

 

‘Twas a time when rock music spoke to a generation or two or three. Of all the players who anchored the 1980s MTV / rock radio golden era, among the most prolific was a modest cat from Queens County New York City. You’ve heard him (Pat Benatar, John Waite, Tom Verlaine, Alannah Myles, Lita Ford and Cher -to cite a few) but you don’t know him – until now. Dig this series of Skype interviews with bassist Donnie Nossov. Armed with a ’62 Fender Precision and deep knowledge of rock, pop, rhythm & blues, soul, and permutations thereof – Donnie’s passages went platinum – behold the silver and gold on his den wall behind him!

 

Tom Semioli Writer / Interviewer

James Spina / Interviewer

Mark Polott / Editor

Mark Preston / Executive Producer

 

Donnie Nossov Sound & Vision…. 

 

Pat Benatar “We Belong” https://youtu.be/qxZInIyOBXk

 

Lita Ford “Kiss Me Deadly” https://youtu.be/kIt3OGra3Lo

 

John Waite “Missing You” https://youtu.be/k9e157Ner90

 

Tom Verlaine “Always” https://youtu.be/9X8SEnCGCKE

 

Genya Ravan “Aye Co’lorado” from Urban Desire (1978): https://youtu.be/uhlCEgZ0uu0

 

The End Imaginary Life as discussed in No Depression in 2018: https://bit.ly/2XaGx2r

Ray Manzarek dubbed him “The Fifth Door” and he was offered a full-time gig with the iconic ensemble which he turned down in favor to anchor an ensemble wherein he had more of a creative input: Clear Light. Encouraged by Mama Cass Elliott to migrate to the City of Angels in the mid-1960s, the late Doug Lubahn was a prolific sideman / session cat, producer, composer, and author whose career spanned two generations of classic rock .

On Doors’ record dates, Doug deftly approximated and further embellished Manzarek’s left-hand keyboard figures. Doug contributed to significantly to the band’s hallowed canon, performing on Strange Days (1967), Waiting for the Sun (1968) and Soft Parade (1969) on seminal tracks including “Moonlight Drive,” “Love Me Two Times,” “People are Strange,” “Hello I Love You,” and “Wishful Sinful,” among others.

 

Dig Doug with The Doors:

 

“Moonlight Drive” https://youtu.be/iNilmUzcB0s

“Wishful Sinful” https://youtu.be/siU2inT0OuI

A watershed ensemble which incorporated jazz, folk, prog, psychedelic and pop – go figure why Clear Light did not scale the commercial heights they so richly deserved.

Produced and engineered by Paul Rothchild and Bruce Botnick of Doors fame,dig Doug with Clear Light:

“Mr. Blue: https://youtu.be/h4hpd4lcwpo

“Black Roses” https://youtu.be/IvkYzF3xmLs

In 1970 Doug was a founding member of jazz rock pioneers Dreams, featuring Randy and Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie.

Dig Doug with Dreams: “

“New York” https://youtu.be/nSRl55V2OiQ

“Dream Suite” https://youtu.be/dEJdIh_Mjgg

An accomplished vocalist, Doug also toured and/or recorded with Billy Squire (Emotions In Motion / 1982), The Monkees, and Ted Nugent, among others.

Dig Doug in the MTV era with Billy Squire with “Emotions in Motion” which featured a killer bass motif: https://youtu.be/ATE3m3HOmMw

Coda: Doug also authored a fine memoir: My Days with The Doors and Other Stories.

Though most Yanks were aware of this ensemble by way of their sole US hit penned by Sir Bob Geldof – which mordantly detailed Brenda Ann Spencer’s mass gun murder – Ireland’s Boomtown Rats were a major force in Europe as influencers and recording artists.

Bassist, composer Pete Briquette – who derives his stage name from a form of decayed vegetation which is used as a coal substitute in his native Ballyjamesduff – has anchored the Rats and Geldof as a solo artist since their formation in 1975 with passages that traverse punk, ska, reggae, funk, soul, and blues.

Among his standout performances include the #1 UK hit “Rat Trap”, the #6 UK hit “Clockwork” – both from A Tonic for the Troops (1978) and the #3 UK hit “Banana Republic” from Mondo Bongo (1980) – the latter two which include included Pete in the writers’ credits.

Pete Briquette Sound & Vision

“Rat Trap” https://youtu.be/YhXwyxDFmdw

“Banana Republic” https://youtu.be/Igzet9z0hNE

“Trash Glam Baby” https://youtu.be/or8dD5VYk_4

Aside from his work with the Geldof and the Rats – who reformed in 2013, Pete is also a producer, and helmed French singer Renaud’s chart-topping 2009 release Molly Malone – Balade Irlandaise.

 

 

Rock lore on the “buzz” inspiration of their band moniker ranges from a reference to the Manchester drug scene to a line lifted from the British television series Rock Follies, whereas “cock” is simply local slang for a mate: “It’s the buzz, cock!”

 

Regardless, The Buzzcocks were among the most influential bands to emerge from the UK punk – new wave era with their deft combination of pop melodies as penned by Pete Shelley, stripped down arrangements, and boundless energy.  

 

Employing no frills four-to-the-bar roots passages to creative counter-melodic motifs, the bassist during the band’s glory years was Steve Garvey, who anchored some of their finest singles along with The Buzzcocks’ essential early canon: Another Music in a Different Kitchen (1978), Love Bites (1978), and A Different Kind of Tension (1979).

 

Garvey, who also moonlighted with pop punks The Teardrops (which also included members of The Fall and PIL) and drummer John Maher were a ferocious rhythm section which grooved mightily at a frenetic pace.

 

After The Buzzcocks’ initial split in 1981, Garvey worked with Steve Diggle (50 Years of Comparative Wealth / 1981), toiled in various ensembles, produced, lectured, and returned to the band briefly in the early 1990s for one of their numerous reunions. 

 

Steve Garvey Sound & Vision with The Buzzcocks

 

“What Do I Get” https://youtu.be/iMXR7w76VZU

 

 “Everybodys’ Happy Nowadays” https://youtu.be/pf2DgSJuUHc

 

By Thomas Semioli

As cited by this writer in Huffington Post, No Depression, and Know Your Bass Player; he belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Allman Brothers Band.

Eleven More Bass Players Who Belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame  https://bit.ly/2njxaxZ

The original line-up of the ABB with Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley was watershed, melding blues, jazz, and roots music unlike any other American band before or since. Yet the second incarnation with pianist Chuck Leavell and the late Lamar Williams in the bass chair – took that template and despite deep dissension within the ranks, waxed two studio slabs and a live two-fer which brought the ABB to a much wider audience.

Lamar, who carved his plectrums from Clorox Bleach containers, was a far more in-the-pocket player than his predecessor Mr. Oakley.  As such – Chuck, Gregg, Butch, Richard, and Jaimoe had space aplenty to further groove and improvise. To my ears, Lamar’s finest work with the Brothers was on the only studio album wherein he appeared on every track: the flawed but occasionally dazzling Win, Lose or Draw (1975) as evidenced on Betts’ brilliant “High Falls.”

After the band’s demise, Lamar founded the jazz fusion ensemble Sea Level with Jaimoe and Chuck, which waxed two fine platters in 1977: Sea Level, and Cats on the Coast.

Williams passed at the age of 34 in 1983 due to exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.

“High Falls” https://youtu.be/4b8mJBGon98

“Jessica” from Brothers and Sisters https://youtu.be/mffO67ZPFCg

Lamar with Sea Level: https://youtu.be/cJBcWl0IZXw

yer

 

Tom Petersson Sound & Vision….

 

Cheap Trick:

 

“Rebel Rebel” https://youtu.be/7RdXR1Mxfy4

 

“Heart on the Line” https://youtu.be/CPguBCxXql0

 

“You Got It Going On” https://youtu.be/BPQ137ckGAQ

 

“Welcome to the World” https://youtu.be/Kw6MMPQfQyc

 

Dig Tony Senatore’s renditions of some of Tom’s top tracks:

 

“World’s Greatest Lover” https://youtu.be/uOmrMF-Gsnc

 

“He’s a Whore” https://youtu.be/toFZ-hJteRc

 

“Baby Loves to Rock” https://youtu.be/DRBcCs-E1TQ

 

“Surrender” https://youtu.be/qhpAEW_3jGM

 

“Dream Police” https://youtu.be/uAQgDzhvEpk

 

Courtesy of Culture Club Com

Aside from the Boy’s  extraordinary vocal prowess and proclivity to draw massive attention for his celebrity excesses and choices of haberdashery – time has shown Culture Club to rank significantly high among the most influential ensembles of their era of their by way of their unique and infectious interpretations of reggae, soul, dance, rhythm & blues, and pop song-craft.

 

Bassist Mikey Craig was the band’s not-so-secret weapon. With an articulate warm tone which he plied prominently from his MusicMan Stingray, Mikey’s bass artistry was intrinsic to Culture’s canon, forging melodic grooves that floated over the bar-line, resonated on dance floors, FM radio, boom boxes, and a device known as The Sony Walkman.

 

After Club crashed, Craig utilized his talents as a producer, DJ, and guest artist, most notably with Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Craig also participates in various Culture Club reunion shows.

 

Mikey Craig Sound & Vision…

 

“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me.” https://youtu.be/2nXGPZaTKik

 

“Karma Chameleon” https://youtu.be/JmcA9LIIXWw 

 

“Church of the Poison Mind” https://youtu.be/HVzAH0FtNwg

 

 

In the company of the finest bassists to ever emerge from the UK, Mark King took the instrument to the top of the charts as a rhythmic and harmonic force with Level 42 in the 1980s.

 

Known for his tuneful, dexterous slap style, Mark is that rare player who can render contrapuntal lines whilst crooning beautiful melodies as evidenced on the band’s remarkable run of albums and singles throughout the decade which were an intriguing mélange of pop, jazz, funk, soul, and dance.

 

Mark also distinguished himself on sessions with Midge Ure, Nik Kershaw, and renowned British comedian Alexei Sayle, among others. 

 

As Level 42’s commercial fortunes waned in the 1990s and the group split, King waxed a few commendable albums under his own name.

 

However when Level 42 reunited and released Retroglide (2006), to my ears, primary members Mark King and keyboardist –vocalist Mike Lindup sounded better than ever.

 

Dig “Lessons in Love” from the 30th Anniversary World Tour https://youtu.be/R26M6EpMRcU