Basil Gabbidon

Original lead guitarist for reggae band Steel Pulse, and along with David Hinds, the man who had the vision to form Steel Pulse from a gaggle of Handsworth Wood schoolmates in 1973. Basil taught David how to play the guitar and time spent together at art college and working as shop assistants at the Co-op cemented their friendship and forming a band was a natural progression. He remained with the group throughout their successful Island Records period, their first three albums and their initial forays across to the US but decided to call it a day prior to the release of "True Democracy" in 1982. Jamaican-born and still residing in Handsworth, he's continued to gig throughout the Midlands with his band's Gabbidon and TuffLuv, and spent two months on the road as the guitarist with Buju Banton in the States. Basil also appears as a guest on the live album by The Stranglers recorded at the Rainbow in 1980, and on two albums by the best-selling Bhangra band, The Sahotas.