John Gustafson – Bass

John Frederick “Johnny” Gustafson (8 August 1942 – 12 September 2014) was an English bass guitar player and singer, who had a lengthy recording and live performance career. During his career, he was a member of the bands The Big Three, The Merseybeats, Quatermass, Roxy Music, The Pirates and Ian Gillan Band. Gustafson was another early convert to Wal basses and used to turn up playing sessions all over the place. This transcription is the title track of the 1977 Ian Gillan Band album, ‘Clear Air Turbulence’ which took the singer in a more progressive direction than he had gone with Deep Purple but which didn’t last long before he returned to composing evergreens such as ‘I’ll Rip You Spine Out’ with his next band Gillan. This is a very ‘Jazz-Rock’ sounding thing which was an interesting departure but, ultimately, it was less commercially successful that the Purple/Gillan canon.

Not an easy read although lots of repetition. Watch the changes from 4:4 to 6:8/12:8/3:4. I have tried to be accurate but I am not 100% I have it exactly right down to every ghost note.