Bob Daisley Introduction

Bob Daisley with 1961 Gibson EB3 bass - picture from the Kahvas Jute reunion gig www.kahvasjute.com

By Graham Fieldhouse, February 2007 Bob Daisley has played bass with many of the hard rocks greats; performing on numerous albums by the likes of Mungo Jerry, Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne and Gary Moore to name a few. His fall-out and subsequent court case with the Osbournes has been well documented but his fantastic collection of vintage guitars has not. We spoke to Bob about the instruments he owns, which of course includes some interesting Gibson basses!

FlyGuitars The name Bob Daisley has been familiar to me for many years now because of the long list of artists that you have played, and written with during your long on-going career. You must have some great memories from that?

Bob Daisley Well I always regard my career as being very fortunate in as much as I've always been doing something, not everybody can say that I suppose. Some people have a good career for a while and then go and open a chip shop or something but I've gone from one thing to another that seems to have been always with good players, good people. I regard myself as fortunate having done that. Several people have asked me when are you going to do a book because there must be so many stories, and there are. I'll probably just save those for the book and go through my diaries, there is no one story that stands out above the rest. There are lots of little ones, lots of funny things, tragic things, road stories and all sorts.

Blizzard of Ozz, 1980. From left to right: Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads

FlyGuitars Well you've worked repeatedly with Gary (Moore) and Ozzy (Osbourne), I'm quite interested to ask you what it's been like working with Gary because you've recorded on and off with him for a number of albums and I understand you're good friends?

Bob Daisley Oh yeah, Gary and I have remained friends over the years even when I haven't been working with him. I think my first work with Gary would have been the end of '84. He was in Island studios around Notting Hill, you know Portobello sort of area (London), I went in and did some tracks on an album Victims Of The Future. I'd known him before then, we'd talked and met but from then on it seemed to go on to other things. Then later as obviously you know I hooked up with him again. I went to Ireland with him beginning of '85 I think it was or that could have been the end of '84. He was doing a live video Emerald Isles and I went there and did that with him and they filmed it, we played in Dublin and Belfast. I was working with Ozzy at the time, he (Gary) said look you know if you're ever not in that situation come and work with me. So I think it wasn't that long after that in '85 when Ozzy and I had another fall out I went and joined Gary permanently.

The Gary Moore band, 1989 line up

Power of the Blues

FlyGuitars You recorded on the Wild Frontier album didn't you?

Bob Daisley There was one before that, Run for Cover, Wild Frontier, After The War, Still Got The Blues, After Hours, and then later, I didn't work with him for a while although we remained friends and stayed in touch. I hadn't worked with him for about ten years and I got a phone call out of the blue which would have been I think at the end of 2003. "I'm in London next week doing an album do you want to play on it?" I flew over to London and that was called Power Of The Blues that album. I really liked that album it's got a nice rawness about it and spontaneity. I think he finished it in early 2004 and it got released in about June 2004 or around there. I don't think it got the promo that it deserved or the airplay really. I think it did ok but it wasn't a high profile album and I think it should have been. You know he played so well on it and I thought it was a good raw ballsy blues album.

FlyGuitars Definitely. What's Gary like to work with when you go in to the studio?

Bob Daisley He's very disciplined and he knows exactly what he wants and if you're conscientious and you're professional and you're good at what you do then he's fine, I've always got on with Gary. I suppose not everybody has but he's a little bit of a taskmaster. I think that's a good thing and he's a bit like Ritchie Blackmore was, knows what he wants and if you do it then fine.

FlyGuitars Well you've worked with Gary but you've also worked with other talented guitarists such as Ritchie who we've spoken about, Randy Rhoads, Tony Iommi, Jake E Lee, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Steve Morse and Zakk Wylde. Which of those has left the greatest impression on you?

Bob Daisley They're all good in their own way and they're different and so it's very difficult to compare them, they all slotted in to their niche perfectly for what they did. You can't really compare somebody say like Ritchie Blackmore to Randy Rhoads or Yngwie Malmsteen to Steve Vai or that sort of thing. I was impressed with all of them as players, dedicated musicians. Randy Rhoads was a dedicated musician, he'd been brought up in a musical environment and his mother ran a music school in Los Angeles and I think he started playing when he was about five so by the time he was a teenager he was teaching there. I remember when Ozzy and I were first getting the band together in England and I was at Ozzy's house in Stafford and he'd had a local drummer and guitarist that were ok to sit in with us to see if it was going to work. Ozzy and I got on very well together and then he told me about this guitarist because I'd mentioned to him look if you want to get serious about this we've got to get world class musicians. He said, "oh I know a great guitarist in LA, he's a music teacher". When he said that I envisioned somebody with sort of a cardigan, pipe and slippers you know but it was Randy he was talking about. Jet Records who Ozzy was signed to and the new band was going to be signed to flew Randy over and the three of us Ozzy, Randy and myself started to audition drummers and write stuff together. Obviously that's a very memorable time in my career but in one way or another they all have been.

Bob with Rainbow, 1977

Rainbow - Live In Munich 1977 - DVD

You know my time in Rainbow was just as memorable because that was a great advance in my career, it was first real big serious heavy rock band that was like an arena band, we did big shows. It was a real eye opener and a great thing to learn from.. Just last year there was a DVD released of Rainbow live in Munich in 1977.

FlyGuitars Yeah, I actually got the DVD for Christmas.

Bob Daisley It was a long time coming because it was only a television show meant to be shown on German television, it wasn't recorded as a product to release. There were bootleg versions of it flying around for years, you know bad copies, second generation ones with bad picture and bad sound. That was the only thing available and then it got released properly, an official release with some extra stuff on it (including a recent interview with Bob). I thought it came across very well, I'd only been in the band about two months at that stage so it wasn't far in to my career with Rainbow but I think when I saw it again after all that time it comes across quite well.

FlyGuitars Well yeah, especially given the circumstances behind the gig with Ritchie being in prison and only just making it to the gig?

Bob Daisley Yeah that's right because normally I think we were meant to go on at around 8 or 8.30 at night and Ritchie was on his way back from Austria, Vienna being in prison and we weren't sure if he was going to make the gig. Then we got the ok that yes he'll be here but all be it late so I think we went on at about 11.30 or midnight but the audience was very good, they were very patient and only a few people left because of public transport and they had to but everyone else you know they could have said oh bollocks give us our money back were going home but they didn't.

FlyGuitars Or these days started a riot?

Bob Daisley Yeah that's right but they were very good.

Hoochie Coochie Men live at the basement

FlyGuitars You've currently got a band together called The Hoochie Coochie Men, how did that come about?

Jon Lord With the Hoochie Coochie Men: Live at the Basement DVD

Live at the Basement - audio CD

Bob Daisley I had a little blues band here called the Hoochie Coochie men and Jon Lord was out here in 2003 and I chap that I know in Melbourne phoned me and said "do you know Jon Lord?" and I said "yeah". He said "oh well he's staying in Sydney at the moment". I said "oh I'll give him a call where is he?" He said "Whale Beach", I said "that's just down the road from me". So Jon and I hooked up and we had dinner and then we talked about doing some stuff and we ended up arranging a gig in Melbourne, a gig in Sydney and one in North Australia in Queensland and the one in Sydney at The Basement was filmed and that's a live DVD as well. That's a pretty good one, it's blues but it's pretty interesting. It's nice the way Jons fitted in cause he's the guvnor of the Hammond organ.

FlyGuitars Definitely.

Bob Daisley So that's why last year I said to everybody well look we did that live thing at The Basement with Jon and The Hoochies and that let's do a studio album.

FlyGuitars Yeah, you came over to the UK

Bob Daisley I took the audio files over to London and we recorded Jon's parts in Olympic studios in Barnes and then came back here and then Ian Gillan sang on a couple of tracks as a guest. So we got Jon Lord and Ian Gillan back together which was nice. It's all turned out great. This album it's a blues album but it's definitely got a strong rock edge to it, it's a bit more aggressive and bit heavier.

FlyGuitars So when's that due to be released?

Bob Daisley Oh it should be released probably in September/October this year because we're just in the last stages of mixing that now and working on the art work and it'll be the title of it is "Danger White Men Dancing", a bit of a tongue in cheek title but it's turned out really well so everybody's very pleased with that one.

Gibson bass guitars for sale

Flyguitars.com is funded by its visitors. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. For more info see terms and conditions.

1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV Bass 1 of the best originals it's 1 of a kind & Minty

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$27495

These early production Reverse?? Thunderbird??s & Firebird??s were so far ahead of time & very few were ever made comparatively to Fender??s P & J Basses. This particular example was ordered in Gibson??s most popular color of a Dark 2-tone Sunburst finish all over its neck & body. Very little yellowing appears yet she has slight playtime all over. These tend to get funky from playing in bars & clubs & get nicotine stained. Its rosewood fingerboard is straight as an arrow ... more

1958 Gibson EB-2 1st year Museum Quality 100% original its 1 of a kind & Minty !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$9995

This is a truly superb original example of one of the rarer Gibson electric basses: the first-generation semi-hollow EB-2. The EB-2 in general is not a overly rare bass, but these earliest models built in the debut year were sold in only small numbers; many more were built in 1964-68 when production was at its peak. The ES-335 guitar from 1958 is one of Gibson??s most treasured and sought after instruments; this matching bass is actually considerably rarer, if not as highly in demand ! The EB-2 ... more

1959 Gibson EB-2 Bass

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8695

1959 Gibson EB-2 Bass, Sunburst finish, Booming Humbucking pickup withBlack Plastic cover, Nickel parts, Full feeling neck, Fine bass! Hang tag, VG++, Original hard case... more

1960 Gibson EBO a stunning rare all original example from Gibson's best era !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6495

This is a very rare late production 1960 Gibson EB-0 Bass the original slab-bodied EB-0 bass weighs just 9 lbs. 6oz. and has a nice, fat nut width of just under 1 11 / 16 inches and a scale length of 30 1 / 2 inches. Solid mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck, and unbound Brazil rosewood fretboard with 20 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Headstock with inlaid pearl ??Gibson?? logo and pearl crown inlay. Two-layer black over white plastic ?bell-shaped?? truss-rod ... more

1967 Gibson EB-2C Bass fabulous special ordered EB-2 in "Sparkling Burgundy" !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6495

The Gibson EB-2 Bass was invented in 1959 & made famous by many players. This example is oh-so rare & very special ordered by its 1st owner & is 1 of the coolest special ordered EB-2C??s from 1967. Its beautiful slightly faded original ??Sparkling Burgundy?? custom color finish is what this is all about & it??s so frickin rare. Its 1 piece mahogany neck feel delicious. No volute nor Made in the USA stamp. She??s got a perfect orange label too. Its pickgard is missing. Its ... more

1979 Gibson RD Artist Bass Guitar with active Moog Electronics

Frankfort, Indiana, 460**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6000

This vintage 1979 Gibson RD Artist is in MINT Condition. The sunburst finish in perfect condition. It has Robert Moog active electronics on board. At the flip pf a toggle switch you can have compression with indefinite low end sustain to clean midrange and high treble tones. Each pick up has a dedicated volume and tone control that are clean with no noise. Requires X-Tra Long Scale strings if you want to go through the body or long scale from the bridge. Comes with the original hard shell ... more

Mike Watt??s 1969 Gibson Les Paul Bass

Cross Junction, Virginia, 226**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6000

1969 Gibson Les Paul Bass: ESP Strat preamp with bypass mini-switch added. Badass bridge, headstock repaired. Mike Watt moved the output jack from the side to the front and added a big ol' washer to reinforce it you can see it in the picture. He also removed the side jack.
(bought from dirk vandenberg of guitar surfari. mike watts bass tech in San Pedro... more

Gibson 1960 EB-0 Bass Guitar Cherry

Rochester, New York, 146**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5999

Here we have a very historic bass guitar from Gibson, an EB-0 from 1960.
This is a double cut solid body guitar, featuring banjo-style tuners and a one pickup design. Condition-wise this piece is in great playing and sounding condition, and bears typical signs of wear and tear. Small dings, checking, and scratches can be seen on the surface, as well as more checking and wear up the neck (as seen). This will include a non original case.... more

WOAH! Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass in super RARE Alpine White! Owned by Nathanie

Colorado Springs, Colorado, 809**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5999

These basses are so cool and have such a wonderful and highly usable palette of tones! The scale and action make it a pleasure to play!
And to top it off, it looks so cool in its ultra rare Alpine White finish! This is an instrument that is truly FUN to play. And this one is in amazing shape for its age with strong original color with little fading and no blotching which is normal. It does have some light checking and small dings around the edges, but is in excellent shape for an almost 50 ... more

1964 Gibson EB2 bass guitar w / original hard-shell case.

Clarkston, Washington, 994**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5500

The 1964 Gibson EB2 bass guitar is a vintage piece that comes in its original hard-shell case. This electric bass guitar is designed for professional performance, making it a high-quality option for musicians. With a classic semi-hollow body, rosewood fretboard, and maple neck, this right-handed guitar offers a rich sound that is perfect for bass players looking for a vintage feel and high-performance capabilities. The red body color adds a touch of style to this iconic Gibson model from 1964.... more

1967 Gibson EB2-C Bass Guitar Cherry Finish Original Hardware

Hackettstown, New Jersey, 078**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5500

Made in 1967 at the Kalamazoo plant this is a Gibson
EB2-C bass in very good condition. Everything original except for strings and brand new truss rod. Very little finish cracking
Works perfectly! Baritone pushbutton switch works!
We minor cosmetic damages shown. There was a chip on the left side of the head when I bought it and when the truss rod was fixed there was some bubbling on the neck and damage to the head stock
Feel free to reach out for any questions!... more

1964 Gibson EB-2 Bass Guitar with Hard Shell Vintage Flight Case

Chantilly, Virginia, 201**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

1964 Gibson EB-2 Bass with Hard Shell Vintage Flight Case.

The Gibson comes with a stellar silver and gold very early flight case you could ship it overseas in that thing and I wouldn't be afraid. It came from a very high end Collection and is in extremely good condition and will not find one in better shape. Plays and sounds amazing, has the stock bass boost switch that gets super deep tones and a very very cool bass!!!!  It is so clean you can eat off of it!!! Jimmy page... more

1970s Vintage Gibson Les Paul Recording / Triumph Bass Knob Clean

Kingston, Michigan, 487**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

The product is a vintage Gibson Les Paul Recording / Triumph Bass Knob from the 1970s. This knob would have been used on the bass guitar of a Gibson Les Paul Recording / Triumph model from that era. Made by Gibson, known for their high-quality instruments, this knob is likely to be a rare and sought after collectible for vintage guitar enthusiasts.... more

Vintage 1913 Gibson Mando Bass Style J -Natural- For Repair & Restoration 1920's

Brooklyn, New York, 112**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4950

This listing is for a rare and amazing Vintage Gibson Style J Mando Bass. To the best of my knowledge this bass was made in 1913 and these Style J Mando Basses were made in small quantities between 1912 throughout throughout the 1920's and 1930's. This one is not in great shape and will require some professional restoration but these are so rare it would be a great project for the right player or luthier to restore
The Mando Bass serial number is 15722 as best I can make out but the label ... more

Gibson 1978 RD Artist Bass - Ebony w / Case

Pine Brook, New Jersey, 070**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4600

1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass in Ebony
Bass is in very good condition
All Moog electronics function
There had previously been a thumb rest which was removed and the holes patched. Still visible
There is slight damage to the finish on the back of the neck from the bass being hung
Comes with a case, but not the OHSC
... more

1965 Gibson EBO Bass in Custom Color "Ember Red" stunning 1 of a kind & Minty !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4495

This is a beautiful Custom Color example of Gibson's EB-0 bass, pretty much identical to this by so many famous bass players from 1965 into the mid-70s. It's a very special ordered example in Gibson's Ember Red finish all over much like Fender's Dakota Red finish. It's an outstanding show piece showing only the slightest play time w / virtually no fade from new. The 30 1 / 2" scale neck is chunkier than later examples, with a noticeably wider nut than those made after mid-late 1965. While the ... more

1978 Gibson RD Artist "NATURAL BLONDE" Electric (MOOG) Bass + OHSC

San Jose, California, 951**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4000

1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass Guitar + Original Gibson Hardshell Case
" NATURAL BLONDE" FINISH
GIBSON NORLIN-ERA
Original MOOG ELECTRONICS
Made in USA (Kalamazoo Plant, MI)
Production # 102 (April 17th release)
Adult owned only. Children-free, Pet-free household. Kept inside case when not used

Up for sale is a BEAUTIFUL LATE-70's Gibson Bass Guitar (RD ARTIST)
EXCELLENT overall vintage condition. Standard surface scratches, light dings, marks on front / back body / ... more

1968 Gibson EB-0 Bass Rare Slotted Head w / Original Case (EXC ) Stunning!!

Racine, Wisconsin, 534**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3995

1968 Gibson EB-0 Bass w / Original Case (EXC ) Stunning!!. Slotted headstock with original Gibson tuners!! Perfect for the collector!! This bass is in exceptional condition and so is the original case!! You will not find one in better condition!! Simply amazing!! Has new strings and comes with a beautiful vintage ??Made in Mexico?? leather strap!! Everything 100% original!! Thanks for looking!!
... more

Gibson Victory Artist Bass 81'

Blackfoot, Idaho, 832**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3800

This a killer bass and a total P bass killer. Gibson released these to compete with the p bass and they are far, far, better quality. Mahogany body, Mable neck, brass nut, active and passive humbuckers with MOOG electronics! All original with the original case. The original case is pretty beat up with a buckle replaced but still road Worthy. Original paperwork still with it. The guitar is set up to play easy with a low action and great sound. One bridge saddle is missing the riser but works ... more

Gibson EB-0, 1965, 1 Owner ?? ALL ORIGINAL - Excellent Condition , Cherry Red

Henderson, Nevada, 890**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3795

1965 Gibson EB-0 Bass ?? All Original, One Owner, Clean Example
Up for sale is a 1965 Gibson EB-0 short-scale bass in its original Cherry Red finish, a classic from Gibson??s golden era
This is a true one-owner instrument, carefully maintained for decades and kept in excellent vintage condition
?? Key Features
100% original ?? no modifications, no replaced parts Original Gibson hard shell case (OHSC) included Original Cherry Red finish with light, natural aging Original electronics... more

Find more vintage guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co