Dale Hibbert (born December 16, 1961), is a musician from Manchester, England, best known for being the original bassist in The Smiths.

After forming their songwriting partnership and deciding they wanted to build a band around it, Morrissey and Marr set to work auditioning prospective band members. They recruited Hibbert on bass and drummer Mike Joyce. Hibbert had the additional advantage of being a factotum in a local recording studio and so able to provide after-hours recording time for the band's demos.

Neither Hibbert's personality nor his style of bass sat very well with the other band members, however, and he was replaced after the band's debut gig by an old acquaintance of Marr's, Andy Rourke. He has formally denied the long-circulated story that he only became aware of his dismissal after arriving at a session to find Rourke setting up his gear, stating that he was fired by Marr prior to Rourke's appointment.

Hibbert is believed to have dropped out of music since, opening and running a bar in Manchester before migrating to Australia.[1]

References

1. Goddard, Simon (2004). The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life. Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-84-6.