Joe Gittleman (born April 6, 1968 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) is an American musician, best known as the bass guitar player for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. His proficiency on bass earned him the nickname "the Bass Fiddleman."
Career
Gittleman originally played guitar in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, but he switched roles with former member Nate Albert when he realized he had a better bass than guitar. He has also played bass in Gang Green and sang in and produced records for his band Avoid One Thing.
He provided background vocals for the Street Dogs' 2005 album Back to the World as well as the more recent Fading American Dream. In addition, Gittleman produced The Briggs' new album Back to Higher Ground as well as the Flogging Molly album Whiskey on a Sunday, Big D and the Kids Table's albums Strictly Rude and Fluent In Stroll and Chuck Ragan's CD "Los Feliz". Gittleman has also written songs for bands such as MxPx ("Heard That Sound") and has seen Avoid One Thing covered by The Bouncing Souls ("Lean on Sheena").
Since 2005, Gittleman has been a full-time staff producer and A+R for the Los-Angeles-based independent label Side One Dummy Records. While in Italy in 1993 with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Gittleman was stabbed in the chest by an Albanian bootlegger. This was documented in the song "The Pirate Ship" on the vinyl release of Question the Answers.
Gittleman began working as an instructor at Northern Vermont University in Lyndonville, Vermont. On May 16, 2012, he was promoted to Assistant Professor. On July 1, 2023, Northern Vermont University became Vermont State University, for which Gittleman teaches seven different classes, primarily about the music industry.
Artistry
Composing
Gittleman has been credited as the composer for at least 122 songs/albums. The list is as follows:
Undated
Most undated credits involve a song being repurposed for another piece of work.
Snow Day, music from the motion picture, Various Artists
Rrrrrock, ??? Right Here Where You Left Me, Avoid One Thing Rascal King, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Drew's Famous Instrumental Modern Rock Collection Vol. 6, Various Artists Digimon: The Movie, Original Soundtrack CAPS: Campus and Pub Songs, Various artists
1989-1999
Older..., Gang Green, 1989
More Noise and Other Disturbances, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1992
Simmer Down, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1993
Alternation, Various Artists, 1994
Ska-Core, The Devil and More, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1994
Safe and Sound: A Benefit in Response to the Brookline Clinic Violence,Various Artists, 1996 Let's Face It, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1997 Pop Hits Vol. 63, Various Artists, 1997 Pop/Rock Picks Oct. 1997 Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1997 100% Hits Vol. 26, Various Artists, 1998 A Compilation of Warped Music, Various Artists, 1998 Live From the Middle East, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1998 Meet the Deedles, Original Soundtrack, 1998 Next Generation of Swing, Various Artists, 1998 Shine Vol. 10, Various Artists, 1998 Ska Trax: New Generation, Various Artists, 1998 X-Games Vol. 3, Various Artists, 1998 Ka-Boom!, Various Artists, 1999 Ska Party '99, Various Artists, 1999 Total Hits Vol. 2, Various Artists, 1999
2000-2010
City Rocks: Boston, Various Artists, 2000
Digimon [Warner Bros.], Original Soundtrack, 2000
Naked-4-Play, Various Artists, 2000
Pay Attention, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 2000
Royal, The Amazing Crowns, 2000
Snow Day, Original Soundtrack, 2000
Stop Handgun Violence, Various Artists, 2000
World Warped Vol. 3: Live, Various Artists, 2000
Awfully Quiet, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 2001
Warped Tour: 2001 Compilation, Various Artistis, 2001
A Jackknife to a Swan, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 2002
Atticus: Dragging the Lake, Various Artists, 2002
Avoid One Thing, Avoid One Thing, 2002
Mighty Mighty Bosstones/Madcap [Split CD], The Mighty Mighty Bosstones/Madcap, 2002 Total Rock, Various Artists, 2002 Atticus: Dragging the Lake Vol. 2, Various Artists, 2003 Balls, Various Artists, 2003 Outlaw Volleyball:Xbox, Original Soundtrack, 2003 Warped Tour 2003, Various Artists, 2003 You Got It/Older... (Budweiser), Gang Green, 2003 Chopstick Bridge, Avoid One Thing, 2004 Warped Tour 2004, Various Artists, 2004 Panic, MxPx, 2005 The Gold Record, The Bouncing Souls, 2006 90's Rock Number 1's, Various Artists, 2007 Country-Rebel, Dave Smith, 2007