Born on July 13: Steve Gibbons, 50 years in the service of Rock

The British singer, guitarist, and songwriter was born in 1941 in Harborne, near Birmingham. Despite his low profile, his career has spanned more than half a century.

He began as a plumber’s apprentice and in 1960 he joined the band The Dominettes, which quickly changed its name to The Ugly’s in 1963. With this band, he played the bars and clubs of Birmingham, building a reputation thanks to his rock & roll style infused with rhythm and blues—a style to which he would remain largely faithful throughout his career…

After several band changes (notably Balls with Denny Laine, of future Wings fame), he joined The Idle Race, which quickly evolved into the Steve Gibbons Band. It was a natural fit that could have occurred to him much sooner. The band enjoyed success in the 1970s, particularly with their cover of Chuck Berry’s “Tulane,” which reached No. 12 on the UK charts in 1977. The Steve Gibbons Band went on to share the stage with legends such as The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Electric Light Orchestra, and Little Feat. Its greatest achievement, however, remains the title track of Down In The Bunker (1978), which is reminiscent of Dire Straits. Today, the description of this “girl from the bunker with such a beautiful body” could easily be labeled misogynistic…

Steve Gibbons is also appreciated for his interpretation of Bob Dylan’s repertoire with The Dylan Project, long before Cat Power explored the same niche. True to the spirit of British rock from the ’60s and ’70s, he no longer leaves his hometown much but continues to play a few intimate concerts there from time to time, having definitively given up grueling tours.

To wrap up, let’s hear from Pete Townshend, guitarist for The Who, who is full of praise for him. “Steve is able to convey the authentic spirit of Nashville, Dylan’s New York, or even the urban legacy of Bruce Springsteen or Paul Simon. Steve is originally from Birmingham, but his musical culture is a blend of fifteen years of rock.”

Photo: Steve Gibbons on stage at the Beursschouwburg in Brussels (Belgium) in January 1978