Rob Wright (sometimes known as Mr. Wrong, born 1954) is a Canadian musician and songwriter best known as the bassist, lead vocalist and occasional guitarist of the
progressive
Progressive may refer to:
Politics
* Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform
** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context
* Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
punk rock band
Nomeansno
Nomeansno (sometimes stylized as NoMeansNo or spelled No Means No) was a Canadian punk rock band formed in Victoria, British Columbia and later relocated to Vancouver. They issued 11 albums, including a collaborative album with Jello Biafra, a ...
, as well as the bassist of the
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti- suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other p ...
band
The Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers are fictional characters in the 1977 movie ''Slap Shot''. The characters are based on the Carlson brothers, who were actual hockey players.
The movie, which stars Paul Newman, was written by Nancy Dowd. The story was based ...
. Wright was born in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
, Quebec, and currently resides in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...
, British Columbia.
In addition to NoMeansno and The Hanson Brothers, both of which feature his brother
John and guitarist
Tom Holliston, Wright has composed and recorded an occasional solo act called Mr. Wrong where he sings and plays bass while performing in an authoritarian priest outfit. He has also recorded with
Ford Pier
Ford Pier (born 1970) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father is a professor of music. In addition to his solo albums, he has been a member of Jr. Gone Wild and D.O.A. as well as Roots Roundup. He has ...
, Itch and the instrumental progressive power-trio Removal (as the Mr. Wrong character in the latter.) In the late '70s and early '80s, Wright dabbled in record production, recording and/or producing many noted underground BC punk groups, most notably the Neos.
As a bassist, Wright utilizes a distinct technique to create a sound that relies on frequencies traditionally associated with a guitar. He took the inspiration for his amplification (involving a
Marshall solid state head through a Marshall guitar 4x12 cabinet) from
Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he w ...
of
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a prec ...
, and has cited
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
bassists such as
Jimmy Blanton and
Paul Chambers
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. (April 22, 1935 – January 4, 1969) was an American jazz double bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, he has become one of the most widely-known jazz bassists of the hard bop era. H ...
as influential players. His hard-picked, fast-fretted playing is highly respected among bassists, and has been praised by
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt (born December 20, 1957) is an American bassist, vocalist and songwriter.
Watt co-founded and played bass guitar for the rock bands Minutemen (1980–1985), Dos (1985–present), and Firehose (1986–1994). He began a solo ...
of The
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Mi ...
, among other musicians.
Rob Wright co-operates the record label Wrong Records. He has two children.
References
External links
The Hanson Brothersat
MySpace.com
NoMeansNo and Hanson Brothers discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Rob
1954 births
Living people
Anglophone Quebec people
Canadian rock musicians
Musicians from Montreal
Nomeansno members
The Hanson Brothers (band) members
20th-century Canadian bass guitarists