Former Men Without Hats Bassist Alain Lefebvre, aka Al Gunn, Has Died
Former Men Without Hats bassist Alain Lefebvre, aka Al Gunn, has passed away. The news was shared by the new wave band on Facebook.
“It is with great sadness that we regret to inform you of the passing of Al Gunn, former bass player for Men Without Hats,” they wrote. “Al (Alain Lefebvre) was a larger than life character, immortalized in the song Pop Goes The World (‘Send Al Gunn to see the doctor BEN!’). He was a childhood friend, a loyal supporter, and a talented luthier to several generations of Montreal guitarists (The Guitar Hospital). He has left us much too soon, and will be dearly missed. RIP Al Gunn.”
Gunn got his first guitar at 13 and wrote that he was fascinated by music and the tools to make it for his whole life. He started his musical career in 1976 doing freelance playing and tech work. Gunn was a member of the Men Without Hats, known for their hit “The Safety Dance,” in 1985 during their Freeways tour. Notably, he’s featured on the 1985 concert film “Live Hats.” As the band mentioned, he once again took up guitar repair and building, launching his own business in April 1991. He was a pillar of the Montreal guitar repair scene for 35 years.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Al Gunn.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
