Jean-Michel Labadie

Jean-Michel Labadie
Jean-Michel Labadie at Rock am Ring, 2017.
Jean-Michel Labadie at Rock am Ring, 2017.
Background information
Born (1974-07-14) 14 July 1974 (age 50)
Cambo-les-Bains, French Basque Country
OriginFrench
Genres
OccupationMusician
InstrumentBass
Years active1998–present
Labels

Jean-Michel Labadie (born 14 July 1974 in Cambo-les-Bains, Basque Country) is a French musician best known as the bassist of heavy metal band Gojira.[1]

Career

Labadie grew up in the Basque Country,[2] and played bass in regional underground bands.[3]

Since 1998, Labadie has been the bassist of the metal band Gojira,[4] which was formed in Ondres (Landes), near Bayonne (Basque Country).[3] The whole band grew up in the south-west of France.[2][3]

Labadie is known for his energetic live presence during shows, with much jumping around the stage and heavy headbanging.[2] Of the concerts made with Gojira, Labadie said, "I don't feel like a rock star but just human. I'm looking for my place and I want to give the best of myself, and while I can be useful, I just try to do good to people".[2]

Music

When he was eleven years old, Labadie discovered Metallica.[5] He started playing bass at the age of fifteen; "Fade to Black" was the first song he learned to play.[5] He was also influenced by death metal bands such as Death,[5] Morbid Angel,[6] and Sepultura.[5] He also cited Rage Against the Machine,[5][2] Slayer[5] and Pantera as influences.[3]

Personal life

Labadie likes landscapes, solitude, nature and adrenaline.[2] He started practicing boardsports such as skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding.[2] In 1996, he became passionate about mountain biking, and found these sensations again, "but more brutal".[2] When he's not touring across the world with Gojira, he practices mountain biking at a high level in his Savoyard mountains, the place where he resides.[2][7] Labadie said, "Playing sports helps keep up the pace. For the drummer, too, you have to train. I like to push my body and the adrenaline it gives me".[2]

Equipment

Labadie is known to use a pick to play bass in Gojira. He uses Darkglass electronics when playing live with the band.

Effects

  • KHDK Abyss[8]
  • Ibanez TS7
  • Boss TU3
  • MXR Smartgate
  • Radial Headbone VT[9]
Bass guitars
  • Tobias Basic 6 Bass
  • Fender American Deluxe Precision Bass
  • Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass
  • Fender American Deluxe Dimension Bass
  • Dingwall Super P Bass
Amplifiers and Cabinets
  • SWR Amps
  • Fender SuperBassman 300 Amp[8]
  • Darkglass Amps

Discography

Gojira

Main article: Gojira discography
Demos
  • Saturate (as Godzilla) (1999)
  • Wisdom Comes (as Godzilla) (2000)
EPs
Studio albums

References

  1. ^ Lecaudey, Martine (16 July 2004). "Rock tellurique avec les Landais de Gojira" [Telluric rock with the Landais of Gojira]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). Toulouse. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Humbert, Paul (3 February 2019). "De la scène à l'Etna avec Jean-Michel Labadie (Gojira) et Jérôme Clementz" [From the stage to the Etna with Jean-Michel Labadie (Gojira) and Jérôme Clementz (Interview)]. Vogo Magazine (in French). Savoy. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021. Paul Humbert is a French photographer and journalist
  3. ^ a b c d Soenen, Marie-Hélène (24 June 2016). "Gojira, du zen dans le metal" [Gojira, some zen in the metal]. Télérama (in French). Paris. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Gojira: Tout Savoir sur le Groupe" [Gojira: Know Everything About the Group | 1996−present]. Hard Force Magazine (in French). Paris. n.d. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Soenen, Marie-Hélène (10 June 2016). "Les cinq albums de metal qui ont changé la vie de Gojira" [The five metal albums that changed Gojira's life]. Télérama (in French). Paris. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Gojira, deux fois plus de bruit" [Gojira, twice as loud]. Sud Ouest (in French). Biarritz. 28 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. ^ Soenen, Marie-Hélène (24 June 2016). "Gojira, du zen dans le metal" [Gojira, Zen in metal]. Télérama (in French). Paris. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  8. ^ a b impire.cz (14 July 2017). "Gojira's Jean-Michel Labadie: "The Abyss overdrive is here to stay!"". KHDK Electronics. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  9. ^ "Inside Gojira's Touring Rig". reverb.com. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
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