Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention has been a leading light of the British folk-rock movement for half a century. Sessions with troubadours such as Nick Drake, Sandy Denny and John Martyn cemented his reputation over the years, with a 15-year stint in Jethro Tull a particular influence on a generation of American bassists. One of these is our guest writer Steve Di Giorgio, currently playing bass with thrash metal heavyweights Testament, who interviewed Pegg for us in an unlikely, but productive, collision of two very different worlds...
Photography: Getty
There were many fretless bass players of various styles when I was young; the guys who were an influence on my journey to find my own sound were an assortment of individuals. I found something different in each of them, that shaped the way I went about my own voice. These ranged in approach, from the highly proficient playing of Gary Willis; the smooth and silky approach of Tony Franklin; abstract and innovative lines from Mick Karn; and the king tone and technique of Jaco Pastorius, to name a few.
One of my favourite bands back then, along with Rush, Yes, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Queen and Iron Maiden, was Jethro Tull. Every musician in the band was extremely proficient and an interesting player – no matter the album or time period. However, the bass player I initially focused on the most was John Glasscock, who played on some of Tull’s best albums. During the sessions for 1979’s Stormwatch, he got real sick and died at the age of 28. His bass is on a few songs, and the singer and bandleader Ian Anderson finished the bass tracks.
Tull’s next album, A, came out in 1980 and showed a new synth-based style, as the band walked into the new decade of sound. The bass now came from Dave Pegg, formerly and now of Fairport Convention, and I was immediately hooked on his sound. It was a familiar fretless tone, but not a familiar technique. The way the bass spoke its own voice clearly, yet supported the songs in traditional fashion, influenced me to emulate Pegg, as a new, young bass player trying to find an identity.
When in need of some inspiration these days – 40 years later – I still put on that album and marvel at that pleasantly obnoxious growl. For these reasons, it was a huge honour to ask Pegg about his approach to bass, then and now, for Bass Player magazine.
Hello, Dave. It’s quite an honour for me to be talking to you, trust me.
Hello Steve! As it is for me to be talking to you. I’ve just had a look at your website and it looks pretty incredible. I’m honoured.
