John Stax

John Stax
John Stax (right) alongside Phil May and Dick Taylor in Melbourne, Australia (c. 2018)
John Stax (right) alongside Phil May and Dick Taylor in Melbourne, Australia (c. 2018)
Background information
Birth nameJohn Edward Lee Fullagar
Also known asJohn Stax
Born(1944-04-06)6 April 1944
Crayford, Kent, England
Genres
Occupations
  • musician
  • luthier
Instruments
Years active1965–
Websitehttp://cigarboxguitar.com.au

John Stax (born John Edward Lee Fullagar, 6 April 1944, Crayford, Kent[1]) is an English musician best known as original bassist for the Pretty Things[2]]. He adopted the name "Stax" because of his fondness for the music produced by Stax Records.[3]

Stax played on all of their charting singles, which included "Rosalyn," "Don't Bring Me Down," "Midnight to Six Man," "Road Runner," "Honey I Need", and "Cry to Me."[4] He also frequently contributed backing vocals as well as playing harmonica. He played on the Pretty Things' first three albums: The Pretty Things,[5] Get the Picture?[6] and Emotions, although his exact contributions to the latter are unknown. He also played on the band's first two EPs, The Pretty Things and "Rainin' in My Heart". He was part of The Pretty Things infamous tour of New Zealand in 1965.[7] Stax left the band in January 1967, a month after rhythm guitarist Brian Pendleton. Stax then emigrated to Australia in 1970 where he currently resides.

Stax currently builds and sells cigar box guitars.[8] He rejoined the Pretty Things on their 2012 Australian tour,[9] taking the stage on a couple of songs to play bass guitar and harmonica and also guested for a song on their 2018 Farewell Tour in Melbourne.[10]

Stax also played with Melbourne R&B 'supergroup' Blues Hangover, which featured Dave Hogan (vocals, harp), Warren Rough (guitar) and Ken Farmer (drums; all from The Paramount Trio) plus Peter Wells (Rose Tattoo) and Lucy De Soto. The band issued two albums issued on the Dog Meat label, Blues Hangover[11](1995) and Roadrunner[12] (1996).[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Delinotte, Didier (2000). Les Pretty Things, une institution. Camion Blanc. ISBN 9782357797697.
  2. ^ Hughes, Rob (10 February 2024). "Classic Rock The Pretty Things".
  3. ^ Pretty Things, the Pretty Things Get the Picture? CD , liner notes by Pierre Perrone, Madfish, Snapper Music, 2011, liner notes
  4. ^ Brown, Tony, Jon Kutner & Neil Warwick, The Complete Book of the British Charts: Singles and Albums, Omnibus Press, London, 2002 p. 795
  5. ^ The Pretty Things, Fontana, TL 5239 1965, liner notes
  6. ^ The Pretty Things, Get the Picture?, Fontana TL 5280, 1965, liner notes
  7. ^ Stax, Mike (2006). Don't Bring Me Down... Under: The Pretty Things in New Zealand, 1965. UT Publishing. ISBN 0977816605.
  8. ^ John Stax, Black Diamond Cigar Box Guitars - About Page
  9. ^ DRW Entertainment - The Pretty Things Farewell Tour
  10. ^ Kiwi Musicians In Oz - Pretty Things Farewell Tour 2018
  11. ^ Blues Hangover, Dog Meat DOG070CD 1995, Liner notes
  12. ^ Blues Hangover, Dog Meat DOG078CD 1996, Liner notes
  13. ^ McFarlane, 'Peter Wells' entry at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 June 2004). Archived from the original on 15 June 2004. Retrieved 2 July 2014
[edit]


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