Q&A - JO BURT
A cura di Andrea (Skizzo), Rossella (Galileo).

Jo Burt è un bassista inglese famoso per aver suonato tra il 1987 ed il 1988 in tour con i Black Sabbath.

E’ stato bassista dei “Sector 27” che hanno fatto da support-band ad Elton John nel tour europeo del 1982. E proprio in questo tour Mr Burt conobbe Freddie Mercury (Manchester, 19 novembre 1982) che gli propose di lavorare alle sessions di “Man Made Paradise” come bassista.

Leggi qui la traduzione in italiano.

Who asked you to work for Freddie Mercury? How did the thing begin?
Freddie asked me personally. We discussed it over dinner in Munich one night after Freddie got up onstage with Elton, whom Sector 27 were opening for at the time."

What were the suggestions about how playing "Man Made Paradise"?
Freddie already had a great bass player for the album but he wanted me to play the fretless (**). In the studio he asked me to play along to the track in my own style and afterwards was typically particular about which parts he liked and which he didn't.

Did you play the bass only in that piece?
Yes

What was your set-up?
I was playing an original Fender Precision fretless bass which I had customised with Di Marzio pickups and plugged straight into the desk. No frills. Mack did the rest!

How long had you been working on that session?
3 hours, but it felt like 5 minutes! We actually recorded 3 tracks in that time, but only 1 made the final cut.

6) What do you remember of the moments spent with Freddie?
Freddie was a huge part of my life for many years. My friendship with him was special - and personal. What I remember most about him was his generosity and his love of all things beautiful.

How would you describe him?
He was the Oscar Wilde of his generation - a genius trying to live within society's straight-jacket."

Which song has satisfied you most?
I would say 'We Are The Champions' - it's the pathos of it - "hey, I messed up, but I'm here and working on it".

What do you think of John Deacon as a bass player?
I think he's a great bass player - I always have done. He is the opitomy of what a bass player should be. All that, and a songwriter, too!

(**) Basso Fretless: basso senza tasti.


Links
- La Q&A sul nostro forum
- Il sito ufficiale di Jo Burt

QueenItalia & Jo Burt, Novembre 2007.

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