Joel Dobbins
Hi I'm Joel, the bass player of Firelucy, joining 2 days prior our New Years Eve 2011 gig in Shellharbour.
I started listening to music at 12, with The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Mamas and Papas and Easybeats. All my music at this time were in the form of cassettes as these were pre CD burner days. Rubber Soul by The Beatles still remains my favourite album, with the bass melodies of Paul McCartney playing a significant part.
For about 3 months I played a 3/4 size family acoustic guitar that cost $100. Eventually I convinced my parents to buy me my first guitar which was an electric Yamaha EG 112. This was a dream as it allowed me to play bar chords and F which felt impossible to play before. I was soon after introduced to the world of effects with my first Zoom 505II multi effects peddle.
Later while writing and recording from 2006 at high school, I didn't have a bass guitar so I emulated the bass for recordings, playing the low E string with my fingers.
From then on till 2008, with brother Samuel (who was also a founding member of Firelucy) I co-wrote and recorded an album as Gravier later joined with a mutual long-term friend Thomas Whalan.
In July 2011, I purchased a Schecter Diamond Studio 4 Honey Satin bass guitar. I really took to the bass and still find it more comfortable and creative than playing standard guitar. 6 months later I jammed playing bass with Samuel that December, and shortly after I joined Firelucy with whom he was playing guitar and was a founding member.
In 2012, mostly to further my own songwriting, I purchased a Cole Clark Fat Lady acoustic electric guitar. I also occasionally play acoustic guitar for Firelucy.