Running Up That Hill! John Giblin

July ’88, London. On entering the control room of Sarm Studio that afternoon it was too obvious that I had walked into a tense situation occurring between then Minds bassist, John Giblin, and our record producer at that moment, Trevor Horn.

Mannered gents both, there was nothing really to suggest that things might unduly get out of hand. It did however, and badly so, when only a few minutes later, and without any signal of his intentions, John calmly unplugged his bass in the middle of recording and walked out the room with no words. Gone from Simple Minds, but never to be forgotten.

Time passes. Slow at first. Then scarily fast. Charlie Burchill and I did happily see John again some years ago.
He was on stage that night with Kate Bush, we in turn were sitting in the third row on his side of the hall making idiots of ourselves by waving and shouting out, wanting John to know we were there.

Why? Because we looked at him as a pal. One of us! As we do with everyone who has ever worked with Simple Minds. Yes, even after musicians we once worked with who have since moved on, the feeling of kinship and indebtedness for the contributions made never wears off.

As spectacular as Kate Bush was that night, I spent more time watching ‘Big Giblin.’
As handsome as all hell, grace and elegance manifest. A genuine Bass God. He was outrageously good throughout the show, and I became a little emotional when they performed ‘Running Up That Hill’.

The opening melody of the song bringing particular memories of hanging out with Giblin on tour. Me, sometimes crying with laughter at his vicious wit. Doing some brilliant work together. Getting up to various kinds of mischief as a release…And why not?
Older and meant to be wiser. Forget it!
He could tempt you into anything. Often all done while listening to that magical song on repeat in his room after gigs.

Gone but not forgotten! It is truly worth saying it again today.
I loved being around you John.

Jim Kerr

pic Guido Harrari

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