MUSIC & TAB

b a s s p l a y e r. c o m

KRIST MESHELL
NDEGEOCELLO

NOVOSELIC
A NEW VIEW OF THE ’80s

MARCO
FINDING NIRVANA WITH MENDOZA
LATIN-INFUSED ROCK
GIANTS IN THE TREES
STEPHEN JAY
WEIRD AL’S ANCHOR
GOES SOLO

STING &
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 promise of the feel
North Hollywood, California . February 13th 5:58 PM
An acoustic instrument produces vibrations that resonate musically and
emotionally. Corey McCormick with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the
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 PLUG IN .
BREAK OUT.

RU M B L E ™
D IG I TA L B A S S A M PLIFIERS

LIGHT. LOUD. FULLY LOADED.

©2018 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. FENDER, FENDER in fanciful script, JAZZ BASS and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are registered trademarks of FMIC.
Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries. FENDER TONE and RUMBLE are trademarks of FMIC. All other brands are trademarks of their respective owners.

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bas544347_0618_fender_rumble.indd 4/5/18 11:51 AM
.

ARTIST: SERGIO VEGA

RUMBLE STAGE 800 RUMBLE STUDIO 40

2/28/18 11:51
2:23 AM
PM
bas544347_0618_fender_rumble.indd 3 4/5/18
 C ontents
LEARN
PLAY

JUNE 2018 | VOLUME 29, NUMBER 6 | B A S S P L AY E R . C O M D B S T W

TECH

10 COMMUNITY
Lowdown, Dig My Rig,
the Real World,

D E PA RT M E N T S
FACE

Court of Opinion
22 NEW GEAR
TC Electronic, Onkartgromt,
Tsakalis Audioworks
LINK

48 THE INQUIRER
Get good now
66 THE INNOVATORS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Jamie Stillman of
EarthQuaker Devices

12 MARCO MENDOZA
Living for tomorrow with
the Dead Daisies

OLIVER HALFIN
BASS NOTES 14 STEPHEN JAY
37 years of challenges with
“Weird Al” Yankovic
18 BP RECOMMENDS

42 SADOWSKY MetroExpress
26 KRIST NOVOSELIC 4- & 5-strings
Between Nirvana and his new band, Giants In The Trees, Novoselic’s bass lines 44 STEINBERGER XT-25
SOUNDROOM

have always been about songcraft. By Jon D’Auria 5-string

36 MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO
Meshell puts her style and grace into a unique album of Reagan-era covers
reimagined for modern times. By E.E. Bradman

54 THE CRUSADERS’ “SWEET ’N’ SOUR” 46 GRUV GEAR David Ellefson

Signature strap
The underappreciated Pops Popwell rips it up on this burning instrumental from
1976.
50 JAZZ CONCEPTS
It’s only I and IV, but we
WOODSHED

like it
52 R&B GOLD
Bass Player (ISSN 1050-785X) is published 13 times a year, monthly plus a Holiday issue to follow the December issue, by James Brown can’t stand
NewBay Media LLC, 28 East 28th Street, 12th floor, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and at
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6 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_toc_prod_f.indd 6 4/10/18 12:02 PM

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 Vol. 29 No. 6 June 2018

bassplayer.com

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8 bassplayer.com/ j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_masthead_prod_f.indd 8 4/10/18 1:55 PM

 ENTR Y FEES HELP SUPPO RT THE NON- PROFI T
JOHN LENN ON EDUC ATION AL TOUR BUS

2018 JLSC 1AD BP OL.indd 1 2/5/18 8:55

Untitled-1 2/14/18 5:10 PM
PM
 C ommunity
LEARN
PLAY
TECH

LOWDOWN
FACE

Brooklyn, Bowie, Bass

LINK

RECENTLY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE “DAVID BOWIE IS” EXHIBIT AT THE
Brooklyn Museum, an awe-inspiring, 500-piece collection from the career of rock’s most innovative, ever-
evolving musician (much like Miles Davis perpetually reinventing himself in jazz). As I strolled wide-eyed through
COMMUNITY

the numerous rooms—filled with stage costumes and props, hand-written drawings, lyrics, and charts (i.e. the
acoustic guitar leadsheet and violin part for “Space Oddity”), early memorabilia, movie and concert clips, and instru-
ments—my initial feeling was pride. After all, BP has covered a dozen Bowie bassists, from Trevor Bolder and Gail
Anne Dorsey to our recent cover with Bowie’s main foil, Tony Visconti, and recent transcription of Tim Lefevbre’s
bass line on “Lazarus,” from Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. Contented at (theoretically) being part of the contin-
uum that surrounded me, my thoughts next turned to what we, as humble bassists, can glean from master Bowie.
For me, it’s his combination of curiosity and creativity. At one exhibit, he’s heard speaking about how as a young
CHRIS JISI
man he read books that were over his head and listened to jazz, convincing himself he was into saxophonist Eric
Dolphy, even though he really didn’t understand the music. As bassists, that can translate to learning more musical
styles to expand your playing and your resumé, or it can mean digging even deeper into a favored style, to broaden
your vocabulary and perspective on that particular music. The keys to this, of course, are having an open mind and
a determination to grow—two other Bowie attributes. Allow me to recommend Jon Herrera’s Inquirer column on
page 48 as a good jumping off point. Thanks, Jon, and thanks, David!

A weighty issue: In our May ’18 issue roundup of gig bags, we erroneously listed the weight of the Sadowsky
Portabag as 15 pounds. The actual weight is 10.47 pounds. Apologies to Sadowsky Guitars.

DIG MY RIG!

I PLAY BASS WITH SEVERAL GROUPS, SPANNING VARIOUS GENRES;

this is most of my gear. From left: Donna Jr., a modded 1976 Fender Precision strung
BEAD; Rhonda, my main Precision, all-original 1978 perfection; and Kitty, a 1997
Mexican Fender DLX Jazz with a Nordstrand preamp and the original Suhr-designed
pickups. My main rig is a Gallien-Krueger MB500 (not pictured) powering two Neo
112s. For smaller events, I use either just one of my 112s or the CX 210 to the left.
For rock shows, I usually bring out the venerable GK 800RB and one, or both, of
my Neo 410 cabinets (not pictured). The pedals flow right to left, starting on the
bottom right: This1sMyne mini buffer, two Boss OC-2s (one modded, one stock),
early DOD FX25, EarthQuaker Devices Tentacle, EarthQuaker Devices Bit Com-
mander, and Mr. Black Fwonkbeta into the top row’s Bananana Matryoshka, Mooer
LoFi Machine, Boss CEB-3, MXR Phase 95, Cusack Music Tap-A-Whirl, MXR Echo-
plex with tap, and TC Electronic Polytune 3, with buffer engaged. —C H R I S PI E R C E

Got a rig you think we’d dig? Send a photo and description to digmyrig@gmail.com.

10 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_community_kc3_f.indd 10 4/10/18 12:09 PM

 THE REAL WORLD

Tom Susala
Home base Wisconsin Rapids, WI Join D’Addario’s
Occupation Retired Players’ Circle for
Gigs Maggie Aliotta & the Mighty Fines, the Blue Monday exclusive rewards,
previews of new
Band, harpist and composer David “Li’l Davy Max” Janke
gear, invites to
Basses 1999 Fender American ’62 Precision Reissue, 2017 Fender special events, and
American Professional Precision chances to win
Rig Fender Bassman 200  select prizes. Earn
Strings, etc. D’Addario EXL 170  bonus points by
sharing, posting,
Heroes & inspirations Donald “Duck” Dunn, George Porter Jr., Paul
and spreading the
McCartney, Ray Brown, Mo Foster, James “Hutch” Hutchinson word! playerscircle.
Contact reverbnation.com/musician/tomsusala daddario.com

How did you come to play bass? What lessons have you learned along the way? What are your musical goals?

I always wanted to play bass and had a part-time gig Always keep your eyes and ears open and lock in To play as much as possible and improve as
as a doorman at a bar that featured blues and jazz. with the drummer’s kick. Be flexible, musically and musician.
I learned that one of the bartenders had a band and socially. Be willing to play anything. Every gig is
was looking for a bass player. I bought a very nice 1974 a privilege and a learning opportunity. 
Fender Precision in a natural finish with a maple neck
for $175, along with a Peavey bass amp, and I never
looked back. 

COURT OF OPINION

Small, lightweight amps are all the rage. Are the days of lugging around 8x10 cabs over?

They don’t sound the same, but my limp has cleared up. I’m old school—I’ve been playing bass for 56 years, and I like bass
—R I CHARD BOTTOMLEY that sounds like bass. I drag two folded-horn cabinets to big shows,
loaded with 15" E-V SROs and driven by a Peavey Tour 800 head. For
smaller venues, I run a Peavey 6x10, and for really small venues, a Peavey combo
My 68-year-old back has me using an Eden bass preamp with a DI amp with a single 15. This gear is heavy! It’s not so much about volume, but
into the board. Less than one pound. When I need more, I use my rather the gut-rattling tone these new lightweight amps just can’t deliver.
Ampeg Portabass 250 head and 2x10 cabinet. My chiropractor may — MI KE TANS E Y C RU I S E RMI KE
have to sell his beach house. —BILL BROWN
I love all three of my class D amps (Ashdown, Phil Jones, and
I have lightweight rigs that are fine, but nothing hits as hard and Markbass), but I harbor no illusions about their sonic limitations. If
moves air like my Ampeg SVT rig with a tube head and 8x10. The you want non-peripheral grit or dirt, and you’re unwilling or unable to
light cabs just don’t have the same pressure. I curse every time I have haul around a Meat Smoke or an SVT, you are out of luck. — S H AWN M I LLE R
to lug the thing in and out, but I know damn well the second I sell it, I will regret
it! Plus, it still gets favorable nods and comments from other players: “I’d have Since switching to in-ear monitors, I get a direct feed from my Tech 21
one if I could afford one!” —ERIK TOMAS SansAmp RBI. Unfortunately, because my side of the stage would be
barren, I’ve been known to cart out my Ampeg 8x10. (I do miss
As a rock & roll bass guitar and slap upright player, I used to swear by feeling the thunder from it, but the sound guys are a lot happier with me
my old vintage valve amps. One day, I realized that on 95 percent of nowadays.) — C RAI G L E E
the gigs I did, I was using a DI through the PA. My main amp now is a
TC Electronic 2x8 and a lightweight 1x15. I can lift both with ease, I can load the I don’t lug any of that. My Zoom B3 fits into a small laptop bag. I only
car in five minutes flat, and the sound is awesome! —M ART Y COT T RE L L play where there is a nice sub-supported PA system and in-ear
monitors with personal mixer control. My Ibanez SR655 5-string is
I can carry my Gallien-Krueger Neo 1x15 in one hand, my 2x12 in the nice and light. Total gig weight: under 20 pounds, including case and Hercules
other, and my 1001RB-II in a backpack. It moves a lot of air and bass stand. — S COT T L AKE
sounds fantastic. I will never go back to lugging around a behemoth.
—I R O N HA L LE R

bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 11

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 B
LEARN
PLAY

BASSNOTES
TECH

THE DEAD DAISIES

FACE

Marco Mendoza
Rhyme Or Reason
LINK

BY FREDDY VILLANO | PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX RUFFINI

BASS NOTES

MARCO MENDOZA IS IN THE ENVIABLE POSITION ahead, and we said, “Let’s not finish any songs—let’s just bring
of promoting two albums—his third solo record, Viva La Rock, ideas and see where it goes.” The moment we sat down in front
released in March, and the Dead Daisies’ latest offering, Burn of each other in the studio, “Viva La Rock” came together.
It Down, released in April. Although the timing may seem aus- Within two hours, that song was down, and we felt there was a
picious, the 55-year-old says there wasn’t much forethought in vibe. The next day we wrote a couple more songs. We just con-
releasing both records in quick succession. “There’s no rhyme nect so heavily and creatively, and the cool thing with Soren
or reason to me,” he admits. “I go with whatever’s flowing.” is, he knows me. We’re just like a couple of teenagers writing
Professionally, that flow started back in 1989, when Black down ideas. He respects my vision, which is refreshing; you
Sabbath drummer Bill Ward tapped Mendoza to play on his capture somebody’s essence when you let them drive a bit.
debut solo album, Ward One: Along the Way [Capitol]. Since The album subtly incorporates a few of your other
then, Mendoza’s resumé has grown to include Blue Murder, influences.
Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, and Black Star Riders. There’s a little funk and R&B in there. I started out play-
When not on tour, he can be seen performing on his fretless ing rock & roll, and I’ll be doing that for the rest of my life.
6-string around his hometown of Los Angeles with his Latin/ The other stuff comes in as an ambition to stretch out as a
jazz/funk trio featuring drummer Joey Heredia and keyboardist bass player and singer. I have strong roots in Latin American
Renato Neto. He released his first solo record, Live for Tomor- music and all the Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms. I love
row [Frontiers], in 2007 and followed that up in 2010 with jazz fusion. I’ve been talking about doing a bass instrumen-
Casa Mendoza [Mascot], which showcased his more eclectic tal album for years, but that would be completely and solely a
jazz and funk influences as well as his Latin roots. With Viva passion thing, because there’s no business on that side—I live
La Rock, produced by Danish guitarist Soren Andersen, Men- off this. I’m raising a family, so I have to think about them. I
doza returns to his rock roots, even covering classic Thin Lizzy have to work, man.
and Ted Nugent songs. What was your method of tracking bass on Viva La Rock?
The Dead Daisies entered Mendoza’s life in 2014. Burn It Because of the lack of time, and knowing what a great mixer
Down marks his third record with the band (it’s their fourth Soren is, we went direct. I used my ESP signature bass. It was
overall), and he says it’s a natural fit for him. “The cool thing re-amped through an Ampeg Heritage SVT, which added some
about the Daisies is, because we’re a little older and we’ve been of the bottom end and natural tone. We had only two weeks,
around the block a few times, we’ve learned how not to do so we cut to the chase and went into the studio and did the
things. We’re all very good at keeping our egos in check—it’s work. It was about the songs. The tone and the technical stuff
a beautiful thing, man. It’s a family and we’re a team. We have comes after, which is what’s so great about Pro Tools.
a plan, and we’re moving forward.” If you live in the States, What do you look for from an amp in terms of tone?
you’ll be able to catch the Dead Daisies on their summer tour, I’m so old school I don’t have a lot of the technical things
which begins August 15 in Cleveland. We checked in with that I can tell you. When you plug in and play bass and hear
Mendoza on an East Coast press junket. Though he was with- the tone and tight bottom, midrange growl—with the fretless
out any of his baggage, he was ready to viva la rock. there’s a big midrange growl thing—that’s important. And I’m
a wattage guy for headroom. I believe in having more head-
Did you head into the studio for Viva La Rock with finished room than necessary for tone and air. I love punching that air.
songs? How does the writing process differ in the Dead Daisies?
I brought sketches. Soren and I talked about it a month When you have one guy writing and a producer backing

12 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 12 4/10/18 12:38 PM

 i INFO

LISTEN
Marco Mendoza, Viva La
Rock [2018, Target Group/
Mighty Music]; the Dead
Daisies, Burn It Down
[2018, Spitfire]

Basses ESP LTD MM-4

Signature Series Bass
Rig Ampeg Heritage SVT-
CL head, Ampeg Heritage
SVT-810E cabs
Strings D’Addario EXL190
long-scale nickel
EQUIP

you up, you can move quickly and find your goals and your monstrous, but at the same time they’re simple, which Picks Planet Waves white
direction. But I’ve never been a solo artist—I’m very social. is what makes them heavy. pearl celluloid (heavy)
I need to be around other cats and other people that create You have a new battery-mate in the Daisies with
music. I think there’s something very special and magi- Deen Castronovo [Journey, Ozzy]. Does that influence
cal when you get three or four or five guys in a room and your approach to bass lines?
write songs together. Of course. It’s a different drummer, so it’s a different
You are all in one room when the writing begins? approach. Anytime you change anybody in the mix, it’s
We all bring in ideas and throw them in the middle of going to create a different dynamic, so you adjust. But Deen
the table, and Marti [Frederiksen], the producer, picks and I have done at least three albums together already,
and chooses, finds the direction, and homes in on being with Soul SirkUS and Neal Schon. He’s a great musician. • See Marco’s videos for
a little more focused. When we got together in New He approaches music not as a drummer but as a musi- “Sweetest Emotions” and
CONNECT

York in November we had close to 25 ideas, so we whit- cian—there’s a difference. He plays for the song. For me, “Viva La Rock,” and listen
tled those down by deciding what direction we wanted as a bass player, when you have a killer drummer, it just to the Dead Daisies’ “Rise
to go in. On this album we decided to go on the heavier makes life so much easier, and everything you play makes Up.”
side. It’s just a natural place for us to be. The riffs are sense all of a sudden [laughs]. BP bassplayer.com/lessons

bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 13

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 13 4/10/18 2:07 PM

 B
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK
BASS NOTES

i INFO

LISTEN
Stephen Jay, So Do I Sadie
[2018, Ayarou], Sponta-
neous Symmetry [2017,
Ayarou], E Natural 7 [2016,
Ayarou]

Basses Dean Edge bass,

Dean Resonator bass,
“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC
Alembic Stanley Clarke
model

Stephen Jay Heading The Bass Dept.

Amps Mesa/Boogie
EQUIP

BY JOE BOSSO |
Subway D-800 head, two
Mesa/Boogie 4x10 Road-
A BASS PLAYER STICKING WITH THE SAME BAND the University of South Florida and has logged Ready cabinets
for 37 years is a rarity. Even rarer is a band that’s remained stints with jazz legends Wayne Shorter and Hugh Effects Boss ME-50B Bass
unchanged for that long. Since 1981, song-parody master “Weird Masekela—the “Weird Al” gig offers a multitude of Multiple Effects
Al” Yankovic has relied on the versatile talents of bassist Ste- musical riches. “The variety of styles we cover is all Strings Dean Markley sig-
phen Jay, guitarist Jim “Kimo” West, drummer Jon “Bermuda” over the map. That’s incredibly satisfying, because nature series (.048, .067,
Schwartz, and keyboardist Rubén Valtierra for both recordings we switch gears on a dime, and for a musician, .086, .106)
and stage work. “It’s pretty remarkable we’ve been together this that’s extremely fun and challenging. Some bands Picks Dunlop .74 mm.
long,” Jay marvels. “At first, it just seemed like a fun thing to stick to one kind of music through the whole set,
do, but over the years we put out records and had hits, and we night after night. With us it’s always changing, so • Check out videos of
kept touring and developed a real audience. It’s gotten more you’ve got to stay on your toes.” Stephen Jay performing
CONNECT

fun with how big it’s gotten. I look out at the crowd and see the During off-nights on the current “Weird Al” on his Dean Resonator
joy on people’s faces. Everybody forgets their day-to-day cares Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, bass and playing “A Cool
and has the best time imaginable. It sanctifies me every time.” Jay and West have been moonlighting with their Dry Place” (on a Dean
Elitists may scoff at the idea of playing song parodies for a own show, the Parallel Universe Tour, in which 8-string Rhapsody bass).
living, but for Jay—who boasts a degree in composition from they perform selections from their solo albums. bassplayer.com/lessons

14 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 14 4/10/18 12:38 PM

 Little Mark Ninja
1000W RMS @ 4 ohms
600W RMS @ 8 ohms

Markbass
New York 122 Ninja
2x12” + 1” voice coil tweeter
800W RMS (AES Standard)
8 ohms

1806_BP_MarkBass_Rich Bona.indd
bas537565_0618_markbass.indd 1 1 2/22/18 3:16
3/26/18 3:01 PM
 B
LEARN
PLAY

(Jay’s latest release is So Do I Sadie, a compilation of his 14 discs.) play the Roxy—that was one place I had never played. I went down
“I’ve got the best of both words,” Jay enthuses. “Between all the and I got the gig. I didn’t know how long it would last, but it was
TECH

music we do with Al, and everything that Jim and I get to play fun and everybody in the band was great. I wasn’t an elitist about
on our own tour, it’s a lot of great material. The idea for our tour anything. I had a wife and a young son, so I would play anything
came from Al’s manager, Jay Leavey. He said, ‘Why don’t you guys for anyone who would pay me. I was very happy to have the gig.
do your own tour? Al will pay for the travel and hotel rooms— How does Al work with you and the rest of the band?
FACE

we’ll get your gigs.’ How great is that? Believe me, I don’t take for He’s very hands-off. It’s like each of us is the head of our own
granted how fortunate I am. I love what I do.” department, and I’m the bass department. He tells us what we’re
going to parody, and he expects us to study and come up with
LINK

You’re primarily a fingerstyle player, right? the right stuff. When I study a song for a parody, I study not only
Most of the time. I use a pick on some songs if the original the notes but also the bassist’s idiosyncrasies. I also try to zero
bass player used a pick. Other than that, I prefer my fingers. I’ve in on what kind of instrument he’s using and what kind of tone
BASS NOTES

always loved grabbing the strings and getting underneath them he’s getting. If it’s a synthesizer bass, I play it on a synthesizer.
with my hands. It’s funny, though: When I was about three years How has your bass solo in the “Weird Al” show evolved?
old, I busted a glass bottle and it slashed through the palm of my At first you were simply striking rock-star poses.
right hand, severing the tendon to my index finger. The doctor Yeah, that was fun and silly. At first, Al said, “Just don’t do
didn’t do a very good job of sewing it back up, so I don’t have the anything that sounds good. You’re supposed to make a fool of
full use of that finger. It works out okay when I’m plucking, but I yourself. This is a comedy show.” So that’s what I did, and it was
can’t bend it up fully when I’m slapping. When I slap, I extend my great, but having done it for so many years, we’ve all taken liber-
index finger straight and I curl my other three fingers, and then ties. Now I’ll play famous little bass intros from songs that people
I kind of rotate my forearm at the elbow to create a sort of rota- recognize, like the beginning of the Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out
tional axle. What’s interesting is, my son Miles, who has no disabil- of This Place” or [Queen/David Bowie’s] “Under Pressure.” That’s
ity with his index finger, adopted the same style for funk and slap. more fun than just falling on my face.
Before the “Weird Al” gig, you auditioned for Frank What are the main basses you use with “Weird Al”?
Zappa. What’s the story there? I’ve got a bunch of Dean basses; these days I’m using the Edge
Frank and Steve Vai came to a gig I was playing in Tampa. bass—it’s a neck-through model that’s extremely versatile and
Afterward, I went over and told Frank how much I loved his guitar playable. I also use an Alembic Stanley Clarke model. That one
playing, and he said, “This is the best-sounding band I’ve ever sounds so pretty. But what I really love is the Dean Resonator
heard.” He actually said that, and Steve Vai’s jaw dropped. Later bass. It plays like a tenor guitar, but it’s for bass players, so you
on, Steve told me, “Frank never says things like that.” Two weeks can play chords that’ll sound good. It’s so charming. And here’s
later, I got a call from Frank. He asked me how soon I could be something I’m really excited about: Evan Rubinson at Dean Gui-
in L.A. I said, “I can be there this week.” Like, “Are you kidding?” tars has decided to release a Stephen Jay signature model, and it’s
Once I got to his studio, he pulled out a piece of music and said, going to be a Resonator. That’s about as cool as it gets!
“Play this.” It was the “Black Page,” which is this famous, impos- What about your rig?
sible piece of music. It’s designed to be a beautiful thing to look It’s fairly simple. I’m a Mesa/Boogie guy; I use the Subway D-800
it, but in terms of sight-reading … oh, boy. I was a composition head. I was using the Big Block 750 head for many years, but the
major, so I said, “If you give me a few minutes, maybe I can work Subway blew me away. I use two Boogie 4x10 Road-Ready cabi-
this out. But I really thought you wanted to hear me play.” Frank nets—they don’t make them anymore, but I love ’em. Because I
said, “Well, we really don’t have time. I guess you’ll just hold us have to try to emulate the sounds of so many bassists, I need to use
back, so, see ya.” I was stunned. I drove on Ventura Boulevard and effects, and I really like the Boss ME-50B. It has everything I need.
called my wife in tears. I couldn’t believe that this had happened. Have there been any bass parts or sounds you haven’t
But things ultimately worked out: Frank got me out to L.A., and been able to replicate?
that opened a lot of doors for me. I should add that I got to know Not really. Sometimes I have to think, “Okay, what are they
Dweezil Zappa a little after his father passed on, and he told me doing here?” I did a synth-bass part for “Another Tattoo,” which
that his dad had been following my career and that he was really is a parody of “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B. and Bruno Mars. That
proud of what I did. So, that was very consoling. part is absolutely amazing, but it’s very simple. The way they cut it
You got the job with “Weird Al” from answering an ad apart and recombined it—it sounds like it’s doing the same thing
in the newspaper. over and over, but it’s not. I had to figure out how to get that one
That’s right. In Al’s ad, he said he wanted to form a band to right. Other than that, nothing’s stumped me yet. BP

16 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 16 4/10/18 12:38 PM

 DAVID HOOD
HE’LL TAKE YOU THERE
DAVID HOOD’S 50+ YEAR CAREER IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING. AS A SESSION PLAYER AND
MEMBER OF THE FAMOUS MUSCLE SHOALS RHYTHM SECTION, HOOD’S PIONEERING BASS
PRESENCE IS HEARD ON SOME OF THE MOST BELOVED RECORDINGS OF OUR TIME.
HIS LIST OF CREDITS INCLUDES ARETHA FRANKLIN, ETTA JAMES, IRMA THOMAS, WILSON
PICKETT, SOLOMON BURKE, LEON RUSSELL, SAM & DAVE, LEVON HELM, BOB SEGER, JAMES
BROWN, GLENN FREY, CARLOS SANTANA, BOBBY WOMACK, ROD STEWART, GREG ALLMAN,
FRANK BLACK, PAUL SIMON, WILLIE NELSON, JIMMY BUFFETT AND OF COURSE THE STAPLE
SINGERS… AND THIS IS JUST A PARTIAL LIST!
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE HAD DAVID AS A LAKLAND ARTIST FOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
HE RELIES EXCLUSIVELY ON HIS USA SERIES 44-94 AND 44-60 MODELS TAKING
THEM AROUND THE WORLD; MOST RECENTLY WITH THE WATERBOYS.
THANK YOU DAVID HOOD!

LAKLAND.COM
Lakland is a registered trademark of Lakland Guitars, LLC

bas544348_0616_lakland.indd 1 4/9/18 11:28 AM

 B
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK

The Decemberists; Nate Query,

BP RECOMMENDS 2nd from left
BASS NOTES

STING & SHAGGY THE DECEMBERISTS

44/876 [Interscope] I’LL BE YOUR GIRL [Capitol]
Sting’s love of Jamaican music (dating back The eighth release from the Decemberists
before the Police), his high tenor vocal delivers drastic changes from the Portland
blend with Jamaican rapper Shaggy’s deep, indie rockers: Their typically acoustic-
singsong baritone, and his gift for playing rooted sound has taken a turn for the elec-
deep-pocketed reggae bass lines are among the reasons this pair- tric, with synths and amplifiers strongly dominating their new
ing works so well. “There’s maximum bass at all frequencies,” sings songs. A big factor in the success of their transformation is Nate
Sting in the title track opener—named for the phone country codes Query, who ditches upright (his signature for years) and picks
of England and Jamaica—and so it is for the next 11 tracks, with up electric 4-strings, even busting out a fretless for the lead runs
lyrics that reflect the current political climate, from immigration to and solo sections on “Cutting Stone.” —J O N D ’AU R I A
#MeToo. Sting’s P-Bass rattles fillings via a swung funk ostinato on
“Gotta Get Back My Baby,” the stream-of-consciousness pulse on the SPIRIT FINGERS & GREG SPERO
Marley-esque “Night Shift,” and the jazz-chord-infused musician’s SPIRIT FINGERS
tale “Sad Trombone,” while Robbie Shakespeare adds simple, fat [Shanachie Entertainment]
foundation on “To Love and Be Loved.” Elsewhere, Sting dials up a It’s hard to pinpoint particular bass highlights
cool squashed bass tone to anchor the theatrical “Crooked Tree” and on Spirit Fingers’ debut, because the entire
lays off the downbeat on the hook-filled “Just One Lifetime” and album is a Hadrien Feraud highlight reel.
“22nd Street” (with its classic Sting descending bass line). For a fit- From fretboard-spanning grooves on “Inside” and lyrical soloing
ting coda, Mr. Sumner pumps powerful eighth-notes on the Police- on “You” to his lightning-fast licks on “Movement,” this is Feraud
meets-Motown “Dreaming of the USA.” — C H RI S J I S I at his best. Early contender for bass album of the year? Without
a doubt. — J ON D’AU RI A
OTIS REDDING
DOCK OF THE BAY SESSIONS JOHN PRINE
[Rhino] THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS
Context is everything. Released in time to [Oh Boy]
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the titular He’s one of our greatest living songwriters
hit, Dock of the Bay Sessions is the album Otis and storytellers, right up there with Bob
Redding might have made if his plane hadn’t gone down on December Dylan and Joni Mitchell, but John Prine takes
10, 1967. Hardcore fans will know these songs already, but hearing it all in humble stride. His longtime backing band channels the
Donald “Duck” Dunn’s funky downstroke on “Hard to Handle” or same laid-back vibe on this stellar ten-song set, which features
the country-inflected runs he takes up the neck on “Champagne and Prine’s first new material in over a decade and a slew of Nashville
Wine” conjures the image of a band that’s exploring new and exciting stars (including red-hot producer Dave Cobb). Dave Jacques is a
directions, with its charismatic singer leading the way. Even guitar grounding presence on bass, whether he’s thumping the upright
legend Steve Cropper, then all of 25 years old, takes up the bass on on the juke-joint gem “Crazy Bone” and the sweet country ode
“Pounds and Hundreds,” pushing the groove into one possible future “No Ordinary Blue,” or laying into it with a rocker’s P-Bass feel
that places Redding at the vanguard with the likes of Sly Stone—a on the soul-stirring “God Only Knows.”
whole new thang in progressive soul. — B I L L MU RP H Y It also takes a steady right hand and a heap of tasteful restraint

18 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 18 4/10/18 12:38 PM

 dUg Pinnick
DP-3X
Signature
Pedal
dUg Pinnick. Unmistakable in every way --that voice, the
songwriting, his style, and, of course, the dUg tone.
A super-compact adaptation of his Tech 21 Ultra Bass 1000 Signature head, the
DP-3X also recreates the sound dUg originally developed way back in the ‘80s,
merging high-end distortion with low-end bass. Prior to his signature head, this in-
volved running a guitar amp and a bass amp together, along with rack full of effects.
Wanting to further streamline his gear for occasions when his full Tech 21 rig simply
isn’t practical, dUg collaborated on the all-analog DP-3X pedal. Personally beta-
testing the DP-3X on a European tour, dUg encountered a different backline in each
and every venue. But no matter which amp was on stage, dUg was able to nail his
immense tone each and every night.
In addition to achieving dUg’s unique tone, the DP-3X has the flexibility to provide
traditional bass amp sounds as well. Mix mode engages Drive to bring in distortion
and Chunk for upper harmonics. A Gain button provides additional distortion and
compression. In clean/full-range mode, Drive and Chunk disengage, while Comp and
Gain remain active. Other controls include 3-band active EQ with switchable Mid
and a master Volume.
Features include chromatic tuner, headphone capability, and an XLR Output to
go direct to the PA desk or studio board without compromising detail, warmth or
responsiveness.

Rugged all-metal housing measures 7.75”l x 2.5”w x 1.25”h and weighs just 12 oz.

DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY TECH 21 USA, INC.

TECH21NYC.COM

bas_0618_tech21.indd 1 4/5/18 4:56 PM

 B
LEARN
PLAY

to keep the deceptively simple rhythms that Prine’s songs demand, as Jacques 10”) or quiet precision (“River Mouth”), and
demonstrates beautifully on the samba-style lope of “I Have Met My Love Colley, joined by drummer Tom Rainey, clearly
TECH

Today.” —BILL MURPHY revels in the material’s open-ended freedom. He’s

at his best on a bittersweet ballad like “For Each
JIMI HENDRIX a Flower,” where even the close-up sound of his
BOTH SIDES OF THE SKY [Sony] fingers on the strings adds to the indigo of the
FACE

There have been many albums of Hendrix working material mood. — B I L L M U R PH Y

and studio B-sides, but few have been as bass-focused as
this. Billy Cox and Noel Redding pack Sky with rhythm- FAILURE
LINK

section grooves, and Hendrix himself picks up bass for IN THE FUTURE
“Woodstock.” Highlights include Cox on “Lover Man” and Redding’s work on [Failure Music]
“Stepping Stone.” —JON D’AU RI A Alternative rock band Fail-
BASS NOTES

ure decided to release its

THE NELS CLINE 4 new album in an unconven-
CURRENTS, CONSTELLATIONS [Blue Note] tional manner, dishing it to fans as four EPs spread
Right off the bat, double bassist Scott Colley asserts over a year. The first installment kicks things off
a relentlessly dialed-in groove on the aptly named properly with an explosion of riffs from founders
“Furtive,” the opening cut from Nels Cline’s second col- Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards, who rotate
laboration with jazz guitarist Julian Lage. Given Colley’s on bass duty between cranking epic guitar leads.
estimable jazz pedigree—he’s performed with everyone from Herbie Their bass playing especially stands out on the
Hancock to Pat Metheny—it’s no wonder he can bring such muscularity to tightly marching “Dark Speed” and the fuzz-fueled
the proceedings, but this outing absolutely calls for it. Cline and Lage can “Paralytic Flow.” We’re excited to hear what’s still to
play off each other with smoldering ferocity (on the step-out cut “Imperfect come. — J ON D’AU R I A BP

bas0618_bassnotes_prod_f.indd 20 4/10/18 12:39 PM

KB-Bakithi-BassPlayerMagAd-201803-D1-lc.indd 1 3/30/18 3:57 AM
PM
bas533770_0618_kala.indd 1 4/2/18 9:54
 N
LEARN
PLAY

TC ELECTRONIC
SpectraDrive Bass Preamp &
NEWGEAR Line Driver
TECH

This bass preamp doesn’t just have a

4-band EQ, an active DI with balanced XLR
output, overdrive, and compression—it’s
FACE

also a practice machine with a headphone

amp and an aux input.
Street $200
Contact tcelectronic.com
LINK

ONKARTGROMT
NEW GEAR

FunkyFellow envelope filter,

TurboTore EQ & Tremolando
tremolo pedals
This Norwegian company is making a
splash with three far-out new pedals:
the FunkyFellow, which has controls for
sensitivity, resonance, frequency, and
output, as well as a switch for highpass,
bandpass, and lowpass filter; the TurboTore,
with a 6-band parametric EQ, adjustable
parameters for level, frequency, Q, and
output; and the Tremolando, which gives
you control over level, frequency, depth,
and shape. Each pedal sports a 1.5mm steel
case, expression-pedal input for frequency
and depth adjustment, and momentary soft
true bypass.
Street $300
Contact onkartgromt.no

TSAKALIS AUDIOWORKS
Phonkify envelope filter &
Galactic multi-modulation pedals
Straight from Greece comes the Phonkify
envelope filter, which offers “smooth” and
“nasty” flavors, as well as wah, octave up
and/or down, octave footswitch, and an
expression-pedal jack for the envelope. The
Galactic allows users to creatively combine
phaser, univibe, vibrato, rotary, and flanger
tones, with three expression-pedal jacks for
ultimate control of speed, depth, and blend.
Street $215 (Phonkify), $300 (Galactic)
Contact tsakalisaudioworks.com

22 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_newgear_kc3_f.indd 22 4/10/18 12:21 PM

SamAsh_BP_JUNE2018.indd 1 1
bas544356_0618_samash.indd 3/29/18 12:08
3/29/18 2:17 PM
PM
 RAPHAEL SAADIQ

bas544346_0618_fender_SPOT.indd 2 4/5/18 11:46 AM

 ©2018 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. FENDER, FENDER in fanciful script, JAZZ BASS and the distinctive headstock
commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries.

bas544346_0618_fender_SPOT.indd 3
THE ‘70s JAZZ BASS. AMERICAN ORIGINAL SERIES.
CLASSIC DESIGN MADE NEW.

4/5/18 11:47 AM
 CS

26 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bass0618_coverstory_novoselic_prod_f.indd 26 4/10/18 12:54 PM

 ON THE
SHOULDERS
OF

GIANTS
KRIST NOVOSELIC
DISHES ON HIS NEW PROJECT, GIANTS IN THE TREES,
AND TALKS ABOUT PLAYING IN ONE OF THE
BIGGEST BANDS OF ALL TIME

IN THE GAMUT OF “WHERE WERE YOU WHEN …”

musical moments in history, the release of Nirvana’s groundbreaking
1991 hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is undoubtedly high on the list, some-
where around Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock performance. The song became
the anthem of a new era, capsizing the hair-metal frenzy of the ’80s
and sparking a musical genre—and more to follow—while skyrocketing
a modest Seattle trio to becoming the biggest band in the world. The
album Nevermind went on to sell over 30 million copies and, as you likely
know, ultimately led to the demise of singer Kurt Cobain, who took his
own life in ’94. You probably also know that Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl
went on to form Foo Fighters, which became another rock juggernaut.

That leaves Krist Novoselic. Known for his big stage presence (and not just because of his 6'7"
stature), his ability to write rhythmically melodious riffs, and for possessing some of the most
distinguishable tones in rock, Novoselic made a massive mark on the bass with Nirvana; listen to his
work on “Lithium,” “In Bloom,” “Breed,” and “Dumb” if you need a refresher.
After the disbanding of Nirvana in 1994, Novoselic moved on to a slew of projects and interests,
including directing and appearing in films, writing columns, flying Cessna aircraft, speaking out about

BY JON D’AURIA

bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 27

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 CS KRIST NOVOSELIC

politics and rallying for social activism, and of course, continuing that Nirvana was the last pre-internet band, before everything
to play music. He contributed his playing to Flipper, Mike Watt, went online. The music industry is a different thing now; it’s
Johnny Cash, the Melvins, Sweet 75, Eyes Adrift, Foo Fighters, been in disarray, but now it’s starting to get its footing again.
and eventually even Paul McCartney. But after he influenced so You can get your music out there, but there are different modes
many musicians, fans of the 52-year-old bass icon have been wait- to do so now. The old paradigm was to get on a label and get
ing for him to release his own music. An impromptu jam session on MTV and on the radio to have any shot of being heard.
at a small-town music hall in the Pacific Northwest finally turned And the labels would push you. Remember when labels would
that into a reality in 2017. shelve bands? Remember how many careers they destroyed
For the past 25 years, Novoselic has been living in southwest just because they decided to? It would render a group power-
Washington’s Wahkiakum County, a place with around 4,000 res- less when they’d do that. Well, now it’s flipped over, and now
idents, about which he cheerfully remarks, “We’ve got the inter- you want to pull people. It’s why you have exploitation and
net.” That’s where Novoselic responded to a flyer for an open fake news on the internet, because you want to pull eyeballs
jam, in which he grabbed his bass and trusty accordion and met in instead of pushing [content]. Luckily, I have a profile in the
Jillian Raye (banjo, bass, vocals), Erik Friend (drums), and Ray music industry, which helps this band tremendously. It helps
Prestegard (guitar, harmonica). After playing through a few pro- me get that music out there and pull people.
gressions, Novoselic tossed out some riffs that quickly became Does it feel like every project you take on has to compete
a song they’d later name “Sasquatch.” By the end of the session, with Nirvana’s success?
they had multiple songs outlined and a new band they’d eventu- Yeah, there’s that, but when you start a new band it’s like you
ally name Giants In The Trees. have to start from scratch again. You have to go back to playing
Novoselic and company couldn’t care less about chasing small clubs and getting your music out, and then you move up a
the wildfire success that Nirvana experienced, as their focus is notch and get into playing festivals. That pressure might be there,
on songwriting. Tracks like “Seed Song,” “System Slave,” and but you just have to focus your energy on your new band. In the
“Sasquatch” have folky, Americana shades to their alterna- end it’s almost the same when you’re performing, if you can con-
tive indie core, but the bass work unmistakably echoes the nect with the audience and feel that reciprocal energy. It’s the
Novoselic lines that we grew up revering. With Raye taking over crowd feeding off the band and the band feeding off the crowd.
bass duties during the live shows when Krist draws his accor- That’s when the magic happens. That’s the biggest reward, and
dion, the low end is always in the forefront of Giants In The while it’s hard to put a finger on it, you can feel it. That’s what I
Trees. It’s an appropriate band name for a rock star who has focus on. Not past experiences.
been living in the remote woods of Washington since the height How did Giants first form?
of his fame. Finally, this giant is re-emerging from the forest. We started in summer 2017 when we jammed at an open call
for musicians, and the core players of this band showed up. I was
How different is it forming a band now, compared to when you playing an acoustic bass guitar—an Epiphone that I had gotten
started Nirvana? for free because I played a show with Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and
Everything has changed so much since 1992. I’ve been told Beck in Beverly Hills. Our manager got an acoustic to replicate the
one I had in [Nirvana’s] MTV Unplugged episode. Anyway, I busted
out some riffs, and they all jumped in, and it turned into the song

i INFO “Sasquatch.” We wasted no time getting into it. Then I had some
riffs on accordion, and that turned into a song called “Center of
Giants In The Trees [giantsinthetrees.com] the Earth.” It all clicked really well, and one thing led to another,
and we decided to keep playing together. The forming was totally
natural. We’ve worked together so well since we first met.
LISTEN

How did the rest of the material come about?

We would just jam, and then the bass line would come out,
and then the vocal part and then the guitar part. We’d work it
all together from there. Some songs were written before by Erik
Bass Gibson RD Standard, Ibanez Black Eagle, Squier Gary Jarman or Jillian or Ray, because I was looking at their past work to see
Signature, Guild Acoustic Bass if anything spoke to what we were trying to do. I’d bust out bass
Rig Ampeg SVT-4PRO, Ampeg SVT 810 riffs a lot of the time and we’d just run with it, and then it came
EQUIP

Effects Boss DS-1 Distortion together and we’d have a song.

Strings Rotosound Swing Bass 66 How did you track your bass for the album?
Accordion Petosa Artista I went straight mics for this. On In Utero [1991] I didn’t use a

28 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 “THE BASS IS NOT JUST A
BASTARD STEPCHILD OF THE
GUITAR. AS A BASS PLAYER
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT.”

DI, but I did on Nevermind. At the beginning of this kind of fun music with a down-home edge.
process I used some Hiwatt heads that I had used Is writing easier now that you’ve been play-
on In Utero and on a lot of Nirvana gigs, but they ing together longer?
started breaking down on me, so I donated them to We know what we do now, so that helps us do it
the MOPA Museum in Seattle that has a Nirvana better. And a lot of that comes from knowing how
exhibit. From there I used a big Ampeg SVT through each other plays now. We go for a lot of melody, and
the same 8x10s I’ve used forever. We set it all up we’re not afraid to have big choruses. It all has more
in a bedroom and put mics on them, and I’d use a of an identity now.
little rack distortion for some growl. Then I played What’s it like going to play a show with this
my old Gibson RD bass from the ’70s. I pulled that band, knowing that a lot of people are there just
out from my closet when [Gibson] wanted to make to see you?
my signature bass—it had broken tuners and elec- I feel grateful that people give us a chance,
tronics that didn’t work, so they refurbished it and because that’s asking a lot of the audience. I don’t
now it’s perfect. go see bands a lot, for a lot of reasons, but when
You’ve always seemed to favor interesting and I do I just want to see my favorite songs. When
unconventional basses, like the Gibson RD and you’re asking your audience to come listen to a
the Ibanez Black Eagle. band’s material that they’ve never heard before,
It just kind of happens. With the Black Eagle, I you’re asking a lot, because you’re exposing them
got that in Olympia [Washington] because I needed to something unknown. You have to hope that
a bass on the fly heading out on a tour, and it was so they’re patient and open to liking something that’s
cheap. Back then was great, because we had all this not familiar to them.
’70s gear that was cool and solid and super cheap, How does it feel to have influenced so many
and it was built really well. We’d use it and beat the players?
hell out of it and it would keep playing. I played the It feels good, because I feel like I’ve helped a lot
first Black Eagle on Bleach [1989]—I would seriously of people learn how to play the bass. Those Nirvana
smash it every night, and it still sounded so good. If bass lines I wrote were really easy, but they were
you want to get that Bleach sound, like on the song catchy, and so many players got their start learning
“Blue,” you just need a Black Eagle tuned to D and them and following along with them. Now they’re
that’s that sound. I just did that the other day and on YouTube and kids are still learning from them.
it sounded exactly the same. That’s how I learned, too, just playing along with
Can you see where the material is leading for music in my room.
the next Giants album? Your 1993 MTV Unplugged performance was
We’ve already started working on it. In the old a historic moment. What was that like?
days, bands used to make two records a year, and We went into it so nervous and shaky. The
that’s what we want to do. We’re feeling pretty prolific. rehearsals didn’t go well at all, so to help prepare
We don’t have many shows lined up at the moment, myself I invited Cris and Curt Kirkwood of the Meat
so we have some time. We want to just go for it and Puppets to my hotel room just to jam out the songs
stay productive. The new record is more pop-groove, with me to get the details down. For David Bowie’s

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 CS KRIST NOVOSELIC

“The Man Who Sold the World,” I sat on the edge of my bed the
night before the show and tried to figure out what the hell the
bass was doing. I knew I couldn’t touch Tony Visconti’s bass line,
so I figured out the basic elements of the song that stand out,
which is that bass run and those flourishes that he does. I knew
if I could get the bass run down, it would bring it all together. I
sat for a half hour and played it over and over again, and I got it
locked in. Then, playing the Nirvana songs, I just played every-
thing faithful. I like improvising, and that’s how you come up
with new music, but once I figure something out that works or
I write something and lock it in, I never change it. I still can’t
believe we pulled that show off.
What was your approach to bass in Nirvana?
My approach was making things bigger and louder, because
we were a trio. We had an intense singer and heavy drums, and I
had to figure out how to fill things out a little. I have a few tricks
that I used over and over, like I’m some kind of hack musician,
but they always work. One of them is that there’s a time to follow
the guitar riff, but the bass is not just a bastard stepchild of the
guitar, and as a bass player you have to know that. The kick drum
is the boss and you have to follow it, but then you can riff off the
guitar riff, or riff off the vocal melody, which a lot of times is the
hook. And then if you can find the bridge between the guitar riff
and the vocal melody and the rhythm of the kick, then you can
pull something off that brings another dimension to the music
that isn’t just the bottom end of the guitar. That’s one of my tips:
Listen to the vocals. If you can riff off the vocals, then you’re on
to something. I was lucky because I had Kurt, who was a great
lyricist and he was great at writing melodies, so it made doing
that easy for me. And then I had Dave on drums and he made the
rhythm part stick. I just had to find my place between the two of
them within the song.
Was that how you always played, or was it something you
discovered over time?
I think I learned that through listening to Paul McCartney
and Geezer Butler and John Entwistle, who all do that. Entwistle
played lead bass, basically. Butler was a sludgemeister, and he
would go along with the riff but play a lot of fills. And McCartney
was so great at covering the foundation but adding little catchy
melodies to his bass parts.
So you look for a balance of supplying foundation and
adding flair?
That’s my next tip: You always have to search for what the
song needs. Do it for the song, and don’t do it for yourself or to
showcase your chops. You can transform a song with subtle little
changes and rhythmic things if you are mindful of the song. Just
go for the song, and then it’ll all come together and you’ll be suc-
cessful. Some players just do math and don’t do music. They try
to squeeze so many notes in, and sometimes it works. A lot of it
is visceral, too. The bass can change the whole personality of a
song. Like, one of the best bass players in the world is Flea—he’s

30 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 CS KRIST NOVOSELIC

incredible! He can be doing total slap bass, but he

Giants In The Trees: finds a groove and he locks it in. You can tell he always
(L–R) Novoselic, Jillian Raye, Ray Prestegard, Erik Friend works for the song. Chili Peppers are a song band,
and he makes the bass something that the listener
wants to follow. That’s part of being a song band.
Nirvana was definitely a song band.
Absolutely, 100 percent. Every song came from
us writing a song, not just parts. That’s all we cared
about. That’s what I love about Giants In The Trees:
It’s all songs for the songs.
Speaking of Paul McCartney, what was it like
collaborating with another living legend?
Incredible. Dave [Grohl] sent me an email asking
if I wanted to play with Paul McCartney in L.A., and I
said, Dude, I’ll walk there from Washington if I have
to. So I flew down and we were standing around figur-
ing out what to do, and I kept thinking, Please don’t
make me play bass, please don’t make me play bass.
That’s like being asked to do karate with Bruce Lee—
you’re going to get your ass kicked. Yep, I’m going
boxing. Who’s your sparring partner? Muhammad
Ali. Good luck with that! So of course he asked me
to play bass. Paul had this slide guitar that he was

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 CS KRIST NOVOSELIC

playing, and Dave was playing drums, but it wasn’t That must have been a surreal moment. was doing vocals. I had to pinch myself. We ended up
working for us. Then I realized we were playing in It was. Paul stopped everything and said it dawned winning a Grammy for that, too, which was “Cut Me
D, so I did the old grunge trick and I drop-tuned my on him that he was part of a Nirvana reunion, and Some Slack” [McCartney/Grohl/Novoselic/Smear,
bass to D. I played some riffs, and boom! Paul got he was right because Dave, Pat [who had toured Sound City: Reel to Reel Soundtrack, 2012]. And then
into it, Pat Smear was feeling it, and Dave laid down with Nirvana], and I hadn’t played like that for years. we played live at Madison Square Garden for the Hur-
some serious grooves. Then Paul shot me a riff and I Then I got really sentimental. We had the old band ricane Sandy benefit on 12/12/12, and there was spec-
shot him a riff and everything started clicking per- back together now, and we had this cool left-handed ulation that Nirvana was reuniting, with Paul taking
fectly. And we were suddenly a band! guitarist, who was actually Paul McCartney, and he over for Kurt. It was just a lot of fun. It was creative
and compelling.
So it wasn’t so bad playing bass for him after all?
He said he liked my bass lines. Paul McCartney
said that! You can put that in a pull quote [laughs].
What’s it like playing in a rhythm section
with Dave Grohl?
Dave’s amazing. He’s such an animal on drums.
We’re always so intense together, and it just takes
off. Once the train leaves the station, you have to
just hang on and go with it. It’s like in surfing: When
you catch a wave, you have to ride it out. There’s
so much power behind his drumming, and that’s
the key to performing—harnessing that power and
riding it. We’ve always clicked like that.
You have a signature gritty, cutting tone. How
do you achieve it?
I think it comes from my attack, because I always
strike the strings really hard. I don’t know how
or why, but maybe I just want it to be loud, and I
know if I hit that thing hard, it will project more. I
dump out all the midrange and do the “scoop” EQ
[smile-shaped curve]. I use my left thumb a lot for
bending, I do a lot of vibrato on the notes, and I
do a lot of slides; I’ll slide up to the note, slide off
it, or slide in between notes. You can hear a big
example of that in the verse bass riff of “Smells
Like Teen Spirit,” where I try to really lock it down
with the drums, and I never take my fingers off the
strings. I’m sliding up and down between the main
root notes. It works as kind of an accent where it
smoothed everything out.
Do you believe you’re a better player now than
ever before?
I like to think so. The years really make the musi-
cian, and probably the biggest thing that’s changed
my playing is all of the time that I’ve been doing this.
At the height of Nirvana, I hadn’t been playing for
ten years even. I started playing in 1986, so I was
maybe eight years into it at the time. Now I’ve been
playing bass for over 30 years, so you get that matu-
rity and you become a better, more tasteful musi-
cian. It just takes time. On accordion I barely get
by, and I’ve been playing that for around 40 years.
Hopefully I’m even better when I’ve been playing
bass for that long. BP

34 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 S E N S I T I V I T Y

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO’S STRIPPED-DOWN COVERS

REVEAL THE ESSENCE OF A THROWBACK SETLIST

T
hanks to her muscular staccato tone and signature slides and trills, Meshell Ndegeocello’s
dazzling 1993 debut, Plantation Lullabies, announced the arrival of a bold new bass badass. At
25, she had already developed her chops playing around Washington D.C. in the 1980s with
bands like Rare Essence, Prophecy, and Little Benny & the Masters, absorbing go-go’s steady but
syncopated feel. Throughout the ’90s, Meshell’s collaborations with Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan,

Madonna, Vanessa Williams, the Rolling Stones, the Indigo went to #1 in 1994, and her version of Bill Withers’ “Who Is
Girls, Scritti Politti, and others earned her a reputation as a He (And What Is He to You)?” was a hit in 1996; over the years,
fiercely funky bandleader, singer, performer, and bass idol. she has put her stamp on classics associated with Marvin Gaye,
Perhaps nowhere is Ndegeocello’s imprint more discernable the Soul Children, Leonard Cohen, U2, Fela Kuti, and Jimi
than her interpretations of other artists’ material. A duet with Hendrix. More recently, Meshell released 2012’s Pour une Âme
John Mellencamp on a cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night” Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone; played on and co-produced

pianist Jason Moran’s All Rise: A Joyful are stylistically fresh but structurally Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” and Force MD’s
Elegy for Fats Waller (2014); and wrote, faithful takes on the originals; Ndegeo- “Tender Love” get acoustic treatments
conceived, and performed in Can I Get cello’s imaginative production is spacious, a young Meshell might never have con-
a Witness? The Gospel of James Baldwin, and in every case, lyrically illuminat- sidered. The vaudevillian flourishes on
a 2016 theater show. In a move pre- ing. Free of era-appropriate synth and Ralph Tresvant’s “Sensitivity,” which
saged by her distinctive deconstruc- drum machine clutter, Lisa Lisa’s fears accentuate its distinctive chord progres-
tions of Ready For The World’s “Love about the possible effects of a one-night sion, are a highlight.
You Down” and Whodini’s “Friends,” stand are clear as day in “I Wonder If I The band—drummer Abe Rounds,
her new album, Ventriloquism, features Take You Home,” Al B. Sure’s already- guitarist Chris Bruce, and co-producer/
Reagan-era radio gems dear to the nine- smooth “Nite & Day” takes a Sade/Seal keyboardist Jebin Bruni—helps Ndegeo-
time Grammy nominee, who turned 20 turn, Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” is cello execute her genre-blurring vision
in the summer of 1988. recast as a slow burner that matches the with style and grace. Longtime collab-
On Ventriloquism, the arrangements song’s lyrical content, and both George orator Bruce (who has moonlighted on

BY E.E. BRADMAN
P H OTO G R A P H S BY C H A R L I E G R O S S

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 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 37

bas0618_meshell_prod_f.indd 37 4/10/18 1:06 PM

 F MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO

bass with Seal, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Lidell, and Jeff Beck, among give the songs a new breath, as I heard them. It was more about
others) adds atmosphere, texture, and sometimes, a sense of my connection to them than what tricks I could play or pull
doom, as he does on Janet Jackson’s “Funny How Time Flies out of them.
(When You’re Having Fun),” a far cry from Stanley Clarke’s smooth I was curious to hear what you were going to do with
1988 cover. Bruni’s sonic spices bring out the dreaminess of the LaMarquis Jefferson’s classic “Waterfalls” bass line.
System’s “Don’t Disturb This Groove,” and Rounds’ understated One thing about covering a song is that some parts are so
feel helps take “Sensitivity” and Sade’s “Smooth Operator” to unique and have such a personality that you should never even
entirely new places. Meshell leads the ensemble from the bass mess with them or try to recreate them. That’s how I felt about
up while flaunting exemplary vocal production, conveying the that bass line. Only he should play it [see Complete Transcrip-
essence of tracks like TLC’s “Waterfalls” and Prince’s poignant tion, BP, Aug. ’16].
“Sometimes It Snows in April” with soulful brevity. The results Chris Bruce’s guitar is a crucial element on the album. What
are consistently interesting and frequently stunning. do you look for in your bandmates?
Much more than a casual list of random covers, Ventriloquism Fellowship, innovation, and flexibility. But I also want to play
is a deeply personal snapshot of a compelling era from the van- with nice people. Chris Bruce is the nicest person there is.
tage point of this moment. “The year around the recording of this It’s interesting to hear songs like “Atomic Dog” and “I Wonder
album was so disorienting and dispiriting for me personally and If I Take You Home” from the vantage of the #MeToo movement.
for so many people I know,” Meshell writes in the album’s promo Others, too, like “Sensitivity” and “Private Dancer.” It’s impor-
materials. “I looked for a way to make something that was light tant to listen to things differently—it says a lot for the impor-
while things around me were so dark, a musical place to go that tance of context and cultural canvas.
reminded me of another, brighter time.” How’d you come up with the idea to honor James Baldwin
with Can I Get a Witness?
What was your relationship to bass in the mid and late ’80s, the It just grew out of reading [Baldwin’s] The Fire Next Time.
era from which most of these songs come? Speaking of cultural moments that transcend, that text is as rel-
I was playing. The bass was my ticket to get out of my situation. evant today as ever; I found his intelligence and insight so sooth-
Who was your favorite go-go bassist back in the day? ing—and so troubling at the same time—that it made me want
[Rare Essence co-founder] Michael “Funky Ned” Neal. to create a place to feel that together.
Was it important for you to reveal a different side of these What was the process? Can you imagine doing more shows
songs? like Can I Get a Witness?
Not exactly. I wasn’t trying to do anything specific, except If the right thing inspired it. The process was pretty haphazard
until I started working with Charlotte Brathwaite, who directed
it. She really helped me see what it could be.
What bass did you use for that show?
i INFO A 1963 Fender Jazz.
How would you describe the sonic identities of your
Meshell Ndegeocello, Ventriloquism [2018, Naïve] Reverend bass versus your other instruments?
The Reverend has more of a bite, but it still has a deep, round
LISTEN

sound.
What other instruments are you using these days?
A ’54 Fender Rhodes [electric piano]. I love it. It has informed
a lot of what I am hearing and playing recently.
What have you learned about group chemistry after all
these years?
Everyone comes with their own energy, and I am just trying
to find the right combination, as a human being and with [each
person’s] sonic palette. I’m just trying to find the right colors and
EQUIP

people I can talk to on the down days.

It’s been great to hear what different drummers bring out
Basses Reverend signature basses, vintage Fender basses in you, from Gene Lake, Abe Laboriel Jr., and Charles Haynes to
Rigs Ampeg, Fender Twin Sean Rickman, Chris Dave, Deantoni Parks, and now Abe Rounds.
Effects Malekko, Boss, Morley, Voodoo Labs I feel very lucky to have had the chance to play with them all.
Strings La Bella They’ve all taught me something, I can tell you that. I think Deantoni

38 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 T H I S C A N R E B U I L D A C O M M U N I T Y.

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bas_bp_com_0318.indd 1 1/18/18 12:51 PM
 MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO F

Parks is brilliant beyond brilliant. And Abe is my In your playing and your music, there’s a sense of sparseness, as if you’re
partner. He has been a true gift the last few years. playing just what’s necessary.
Is it true that you scored the film Queen Sugar I don’t need to do all that. I am averse to real showy playing; I think allow-
with a team of collaborators? ing for the space is as artful as the notes. I don’t know … all the notes don’t nec-
I do everything with a team of collaborators— essarily equal better playing or better feeling.
our band. That’s what being in a band is about. Abe, What kind of practice keeps you connected to bass these days?
Chris, Jebin, and I worked together on that score Just trying to stay on it, not coast, and always be a better musician. I prac-
like we do everything else we play together. tice as much as I can, but I never feel like it’s enough. My body hurts after all
I noticed that you played at the Television these years!
Academy’s Words + Music event in 2017. In these times of strife and struggle, are you inspired to make music rooted
I feel outside of a lot of industry stuff, but I was in the harsh reality, music that highlights positive views, or a balance of both?
glad to be there and happy to be invited. It depends on the day, really. I tend to dwell in the dark a lot of the time,
Does anything about your bass-playing back- but this record felt like a way to create something that felt good—although it
ground translate to film composition? was as much a response to strife and struggle, in the world and in my own life,
I don’t think so. I think of myself as a musician as anything else. There are things to be positive about, but pushing positivity
and writer more than a bass player—they are very on people doesn’t always feel helpful.
separate things, I guess. You’ve given several clinics at Berklee. What kind of advice do you give
What film composers, past and present, inspire bass students?
you? If you want to be a pop star, that’s a path to follow. If you want to be a fol-
Milos Forman, Atticus Ross, Mica Levi, Jonny lower of your musical muse, that’s a different path. Understand the difference.
Greenwood, and Alexander Desplat. I also love the What’s the next adventure you’re excited about?
score for the first season of House of Cards, and Jeff I am ready for a little less adventure, to tell you the truth. I am finding new
Richmond—his scores are like free jazz. thrills in steadier rhythms. BP

bas0618_meshell_prod_f.indd 41 4/10/18 1:07 PM

 S
LEARN
PLAY

SOUNDROOM Sadowsky
TECH

MetroExpress 4- & 5-string

FACE

B Y J O N AT H A N H E R R E R A |
LINK

WHEN LEO FENDER DREAMED UP THE JAZZ BASS with a morado fingerboard, a rosewood-like wood which, combined
around 1960, he couldn’t have known how enormously influen- with the alder, echoes the ’60s-era Fender formula. Regardless of
tial it would prove to be. Designed as the more svelte and sonically the wood, one immediately notable quality of the basses is their
SOUNDROOM

flexible alternative to the Precision Bass, the J-Bass is arguably light weight: Each weighs approximately 8.5 pounds.
the more impactful instrument. Offering two pickups, a contoured As I’ve always experienced with Sadowsky basses, the Metro-
body, and a fast neck, the J is the archetype for nearly every two- Express test basses boasted bulletproof, faultless construction. The
pickup bass that followed. And there is no place where that’s more hardware and electronics were skillfully and cleanly installed, and
obvious than in the over-saturated J-style copy market, a corner the fretwork was impeccable, with smooth edges and perfect crowns.
of the bass pool where it seems like nearly every manufacturer The finishes, while not exotic, were expertly applied, without any
has at least dipped a toe. imperfections or rough spots. Similarly smooth were the lovely
While we might take the category for granted now, upgraded and fast nitro-finished necks; they had a meaty, but nowhere near
and decked-out J-style basses owe as much to Roger Sadowsky chunky, profile that just felt right. The neck was stable and seem-
and Sadowsky Guitars as they do to the Fender original. The New ingly immune to the vagaries of Bay Area springtime weather—
York builder came to prominence in the late ’70s as one of the no doubt the dual inlaid graphite strips help.
city’s go-to Fender repairmen. An early partnership with Marcus In addition to their exceptional quality, Sadowskys are renowned
Miller, who famously installed a Stars Guitars preamp in his ’77 for their electronics, centered around a JFET-powered boost-only
Jazz, further burnished Sadowsky’s reputation, and before long 2-band preamp with a passive tone control. I’ve long extolled
he was building his own J-style basses from his New York shop. the virtues of passive tone knobs on active basses, and it’s espe-
Little did he know then that in doing so, Sadowsky pioneered an cially cool with the Sadowsky, given that its preamp is a boost-
entire segment of the bass market: Jazz-style basses made with only design. As I described in my August ’17 review of Sadowsky’s
exacting attention to detail, and boasting mods that improve play- outboard preamp pedals, the circuit is one of the most musical
ability and durability and broaden tone. around, with well-voiced and broad-spectrum bumps at just the
Sadowsky’s sterling reputation has earned his basses high price right frequencies and a remarkable ability to never sound harsh
points, but about 15 years ago Sadowsky began offering the made- or shrill. Not many instruments can boast a signature sound, but
in-Japan MetroLine in partnership with Yoshi Kikuchi, a Japanese Sadowsky is definitely one of them, and a lot of the mojo resides
luthier who had spent a year in the New York shop learning how in the excellent preamp.
to build to the brand’s exacting standards. The MetroLine made The instruments’ light weight, coupled with the J’s familiar
Sadowskys more affordable and were a hit—but still, they aren’t comfy contours, made my Sadowsky testers exceptionally com-
cheap at around $2,600. Knowing that the sub-$2K range sub- fortable and well balanced. High-fret access is decent for a tradi-
stantially broadens a bass’ marketability, Sadowsky paired with tional J-style bass, and the basses’ overall solidity, quality, and
Kikuchi again to create the factory-built MetroExpress instru- resonance imparted that inspiring vibe I get when I’m charmed
ments reviewed here. By automating some of the production pro- by an instrument.
cess and limiting the available options and finishes while retaining I tested the pair of basses with a variety of amps, including a
the electronics and hardware of his New York-built instruments, Wayne Jones rig and an Aguilar rig, and in my studio with a Neve
Sadowsky has successfully delivered basses that are just as killer, front end going direct to disk. Both the 4- and 5-string were essentially
at a fraction of the cost. the sound of a certain kind of slick and sophisticated Jazz-inflected
tone that is practically a genre unto itself. For an excellent example
SUB SOUND of what I mean, go listen to Will Lee on just about anything. The
I tested both a 4- and a 5-string MetroExpress. The basses don’t Sadowsky sound represents an evolutionary step from the passive
differ just in string count, they also feature different body and fin- Jazz Bass, with a ton more depth, sheen, and dare-I-say “modern”
gerboard woods. Sadowsky pairs an ash body with a maple finger- character. I’m not indicting passive Fenders (my favorite basses)—
board (often thought of as the ’70s Fender style) and an alder body I’m trying to place the singular Sadowsky sound in the pantheon.

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 S SPECIFICATIONS
MetroExpress Basses
Street 4-string, $1,875; 5-string, $1,975
SADOWSKY

Pros Expertly constructed; excellent

electronics; light weight
Cons None
Bottom Line Sadowsky brings its superb
souped-up J-style basses to the masses,
and they hit the mark.

Construction Bolt-on 
Body Ash or alder
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Maple or morado, w/graphite
strips
Frets 21 medium
Nut NuBone by Graphtech
Bridge Sadowsky
SPECS

Tuners Hipshot Ultralite

The lows are big, strong, and supportive, but never As the owner of my fair share of hyped-up Scale length 34"
muddy and indistinct. The mids are present, but not J-style basses over the years, I know the breed Pickups Sadowsky J-style
too aggressive, while the treble is sweet and airy. well. It’s always nice to come across a Sadowsky Controls Volume, blend, bass, treble,

Boosting both EQ bands yields the slightly scooped and remember how, why, and where it all started. passive tone; active/passive switch
Weight Approx 8.5 lbs
sound that’s perfect for slap bass, while using the The MetroExpress instruments are a steal, given
tone control yields an array of sounds that can ape how much of the U.S.-bass vibe they convey for
Made in Japan
just about every Fender era, and then some. so little money. BP
Contact sadowsky.com

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 S
LEARN
PLAY
TECH

Steinberger
FACE

Spirit XT-25 Standard

LINK

|
SOUNDROOM

B Y R O D C . T AY L O R

THE PHOTO ON THIS PAGE SHOWCASES

the unique design of the Steinberger Spirit XT-25.
Since its initial release in 1979, the Steinberger head-
less bass has enjoyed a special place in the world of
instrument design. While its widespread popularity
was fairly short-lived and mostly confined to the ’80s,

S
some prominent players helped to put it on the map:
Geddy Lee, Sting, and even Cliff Williams of AC/DC all
SPECIFICATIONS
showed some love for the Steinberger bass somewhere
Spirit XT-25 Standard
in that decade. (Check out Rush’s “Distant Early Warn-
Street $450
ing,” 1982 live performances by the Police, and AC/DC
Pros Unique look; great sustain; travel-
“Guns for Hire” on YouTube.) And during the same
friendly design
STEINBERGER
period, stylish visionary Jamaaladeen Tacuma made
Cons Presents some ergonomic challeng-
the instrument popular on the jazz side. These guys es; front-pickup volume pot not nuanced;
mostly played the all-graphite, high-end L2 series, but tuning system a bit stiff
nabbing one of those on the used market will set you Bottom Line While this isn’t the ground-
back about $3K. For a fraction of that price, you can breaking, high-level Steinberger from the
now own a modern take on that bass: the Spirit XT-25, 1980s, it offers players a way to try out
offered by Gibson (which bought Steinberger in 1987). this bass style for little monetary
The test bass featured a beautiful figured-maple investment.

top, revealed through a glossy, transparent black finish.

Body Poplar
There were a few quality issues (explained below), but
Neck Three-piece hard maple
sometimes that corresponds to significant reductions
Fingerboard radius 14"
in production costs as a company tries to make an
Frets 24 medium-jumbo
instrument more affordable. Gibson’s website bills this Scale length 34"
instrument as “the ultimate travel bass,” and in that Nut width 1.625"
context it serves players well. As a daily gigging bass, 12th-fret width 2.40"
though, there a few playability aspects to consider. Bridge Patented DoubleBall™ Bass Bridge
SPECS

The moment I strapped the bass on, I noticed a Tuning system Patented 40:1-ratio Direct-
huge difference in how it sat in relation to my body. Pull
Due to its diminutive size, the bridge sat approxi- Pickups Steinberger Bass HB-1, HB-2
Controls Neck volume, bridge volume,
mately 4.5" farther left of where a standard Fender
tone
bridge would be. Consequently, my fretting hand had
Weight 8.2 lbs
to extend that same distance and direction to play
Total length 38.5"
in the first position. As such, despite being a 34"-
scale instrument, it felt much longer. Additionally, Made in USA
the neck angled forward about 35 degrees from my Contact steinberger.com

44 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_soundroom_prod_f.indd 44 4/10/18 2:24 PM

 and—with both pickups fully engaged and the tone knob adjusted halfway—
delivers a delightfully warm and punchy tone that would be at home on any
rock gig. The B string resonated well and sounded even with all the others. I
noticed one problem with the neck-pickup volume control: Normally, when
the bridge pickup is dimed and you roll back the neck pickup, you get an equi-
table decrease in that pickup’s volume, leading to a punchier, more growling
tone as the bridge pickup dominates. With our test bass, even the slightest
roll back produced a significant volume drop, and thus I wasn’t able to get a
very nuanced tone by that method. It was either all on or, for the most part,
all off. The bridge pickup didn’t operate in this manner, which leads me to
think it was probably a bad pot.
The bass is tuned via a system located at the bridge. The smooth, even tuning
of the original Steinberger bass was one of its hallmark features, but I found the
XT-25’s tuners to be a little stiff and inconsistent in their rotation. I could still
body, causing me to have to pull the bass in a bit to tune the bass properly, just not as smoothly as I would have liked.
play comfortably. The practical implications of these With the Spirit XT-25, Gibson offers players an economically friendly
ergonomic differences hit me when I took it to a Steinberger-inspired bass, but the price break comes with a few compromises.
rehearsal one night. About 15 minutes in, I noticed Ultimately, even at this lower price, I would like to see a bit more attention to
my left shoulder aching from being extended out detail on the electronics and tuning aspects. In regard to the ergonomics, the
so far. Sitting down and using the provided leg rest different feel would be something I’m sure a player would adjust to over time.
helped some, although it still felt like I was play- Unquestionably, on a style level, this bass isn’t for everyone, but if you want to
ing an extremely long-scale bass. stand out on the bandstand, you can hardly do better than showing up with a
Sonically, the bass offers amazing sustain bass like this—perhaps you can also sport a mesh muscle shirt just for fun. BP

800-545-8813
www.basscentral.com • sales@basscentral.com

From Alembic to Zon

And Everything In Between!
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bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 45

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 S
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK
SOUNDROOM

Gruv Gear
David Ellefson Signature Strap
B Y R O D C . T AY L O R |

WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING STRAPS rehearsal, I started complaining about its weight While the Gruv Gear strap’s design aesthetic
for our instruments, we players tend to be opin- and happened to look over and see the Gruv Gear is clearly situated in the world of heavy metal,
ionated. I’ve always found it difficult to make rec- strap sitting on the Xotic. I switched out straps its superior comfort and subtle aesthetics invite
ommendations to other players, knowing that and immediately felt significant relief in my appreciation by players of all styles. It’s not easy to
what I like might not apply to someone else. back and shoulders. It was as if the heavier bass design signature gear of any kind that appeals to
However, I can say with confidence that readers brought the Gruv Gear strap to life. I played the a wide audience, but with this strap, David Ellef-
should check out Gruv Gear’s David Ellefson Sig- rest of the rehearsal comfortably, hardly think- son, Dr. Kertz, and Gruv Gear have done it. BP
nature Strap, a new design based on Gruv Gear’s ing about the instrument’s weight.
popular SoloStrap Neo. Fueling that comfort factor is a simple-yet-
For almost 30 years, I’ve used simple, nonde- profound adjustment system: You can change
script, 2" black leather straps on all my basses. the strap’s length via separate front and back
Yup, the same strap on every bass. I’ve also never adjustments. I see two obvious benefits from
played in a metal band. So, when Gruv Gear sent this. First, you can customize the way the strap S SPECIFICATIONS
me a 3.5", neoprene/faux leather strap designed lies across your shoulder. Bass player, author,
with, and for, a metal icon—complete with rivets and Chicago-area chiropractor Randall Kertz, David Ellefson Signature Strap
sporting the radioactivity symbol—I suspected I who was closely involved in the design, confirms Street $70
GRUV GEAR

would find it worthy of someone’s purchase, but that purpose: “The dual adjustment ensures that Pros Highly comfortable fit, subtle-yet-
probably not mine. I was wrong. I’ve been using a player can adjust the way the bass fits ‘on the stylish looks, front and back strap adjust-
this strap for over a month, and it’s worth every- fly,’ so if a player senses discomfort, or the instru- ments

one checking out, especially if you own a particu- ment doesn’t feel as if it is sitting right, it can Cons None
Bottom Line A thoughtfully designed,
larly heavy axe, play long gigs, or like to run and easily be taken care of with minimal effort, front
versatile, kickass strap
jump around onstage. Wait, did I just describe or back, which is important for the upper back,
almost every bass guitarist, ever? chest, and shoulder areas.” Second, you can run
Width 3.5"
At first, I tried out the strap on my Xotic your bass low. Way low. I ain’t gonna lie: With the Color/style Black
XJPro-1 5-string, which is fairly light (nine bass down around my knees, I found myself with Materials Vegan neoprene, faux leather,
SPECS

pounds), and it felt pretty good. About two weeks the sudden urge to play “Symphony of Destruc- steel rivets
in, however, I had a rehearsal that required me tion” and “Psychotron.” It has that effect. You
to play my Spector EuroLX 6-string (12 pounds) would be hard pressed to find a strap with this Made in USA
for a couple of hours. About four songs into the much adjustment versatility. Contact gruvgear.com

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BP_sub2012_FP.indd 1 4/9/18 2:24 PM
 T
LEARN
PLAY

THE INQUIRER

TECHBENCH So You Want To Get Better?

TECH

B Y J O N AT H A N H E R R E R A |
FACE

THE ONE THING THAT CONNECTS ALMOST EVERY PLAYING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
bass player I’ve met is the desire to be better. Peoples’ motives BETTER THAN YOU
LINK

vary; some may crave fame and success, while others simply Beyond my personal practice, there is no one thing I can iden-
want a greater ability to express themselves or feel the satisfac- tify in my own development that spurred more insight and
tion that comes from applying themselves to a challenging task. action than my consistent desire to jump into musical situa-
TECHBENCH

The reason that the world isn’t filled with amazing bass tions where I was the worst player in the room. The benefits are
players, but rather with a large number of decent ones, is that twofold. First, there is so much gained in seeing and hearing
the work required to achieve growth is either unknown or so how good musicians conduct themselves. It’s a forcing func-
labor-intensive that players can’t muster the consistent moti- tion for rising to an occasion; your desire to be a peer will ele-
vation to achieve their goals. This month I want to outline a vate your engagement with the music, while your immersion
few strategies, born out of a long playing career and the rare and participation in good musicianship will be a fertile ter-
opportunity my Bass Player gig affords me to probe the meth- ritory for a critical evaluation of your own progress. Second,
ods and attitude of many of the instrument’s icons. some of my hardest-won lessons came from not being up to
snuff. I don’t really remember much of the hundreds of gigs
TRANSCRIPTION I’ve done over the years, but I definitely remember in pain-
The irony of bass education is that while teachers can be a crit- fully vivid detail the times I sucked and was told as much. It’s
ical facet of musical development, the source material is as a harsh reality, but nothing stimulates practice like our desire
abundant as recorded music itself. Every concept, approach, to never feel that crappy again.
and ingenious musical strategy is there in the music; any pro-
cess that ignores this content is inherently inadequate. To me, PRACTICE
there is no better way to get better fast than transcribing music. It may sound trite, but you obviously need to practice if you
Transcription demands the full breadth of one’s musical have any ambition to get better. The problem is that many
skill, thus its rewards are equally comprehensive. The players don’t know how to practice. Their gentle egos and
headache-inducing concentration that accompa- short attention spans prevent them from getting
nies accurate transcription is a reflection of how to a space in their practice that actually yields
deeply engaged one is in the process, and it’s a results. The more days that tick by without
critical sign that productive work is at hand. picking up your instrument, the more your
To maximize transcription’s benefits, I think next session will be about returning to where
you first must learn how to play a line on the you were the last time, rather than growing.
instrument, before writing down a note. The Once you’ve resolved that problem, the return
rewards will be in equal proportion to the atten- on investment is equal to the effort. Many
tion you give to every little nuance of the line. people “practice” things they can already do,
It’s one thing to know the notes; it’s another Bass Player Senior Contrib- constantly reinforcing a comfortable concept
to mimic the technique, the slurs and articula- uting Editor Jonathan or technique because it’s painful to tackle the
tion, note lengths, and dynamics. Once you’ve Herrera is the magazine’s unknown. This is why people go decades and
learned a line, it’s time to commit the line to former Editor-in-Chief. An sound no better than they did originally. When
paper. When you’ve notated the line completely, accomplished player, you practice, it should constantly feel like
which includes markings for all the nuances Jonathan is now a full-time your brain is hurting a bit. Sure, you should
mentioned above, the analysis phase should musician and producer. His incorporate relief and fun into your practice
begin. Ask yourself why the line works so well. latest endeavor is Bay Area by playing freely or playing along with music
What is it contributing harmonically, rhythmi- recording studio Airship Labo- you know, but spend most of it at the edge of
cally, and sonically to the music that captures ratories. Catch up with him at your ability and awareness. Do that as much
its success? If you tackle this task consistently, jonherrera.com and at as you can for a year, let’s say, and I promise
you will get better fast. airshiplaboratories.com. you’ll be way better. BP

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bas000001_0116.indd 1 11/20/15 7:15 PM
 W
LEARN

JAZZ CONCEPTS
PLAY

WOODSHED Feelin’ Alright

TECH

Bass Lines By
Carol Kaye & Steve Winwood
FACE

BY JOHN GOLDSBY |
i INFO
LINK

BASSISTS OFTEN HEAR ADVICE ABOUT WHICH TECHNIQUES YOU NEED John is always
to play hip bass lines. We should practice scales to master the ups and downs of the instru- “feelin’ alright,”

J O H N G O L DSB Y
ment—but we usually don’t run scales up and down when we play bass lines. Arpeggios are except when he
WOODSHED

also useful, but a bass line full of arpeggios can sound like the musical equivalent of an over- doesn’t get enough
eager gymnast doing flips on the uneven bars. sleep. Check out
The key characteristics of a solid bass line are groove and clear harmonic information. his video lesson
Good bassists play the good notes, not every possible scale and arpeggio option on every series The Upright

chord. This month, let’s look at standards based on a simple two-chord progression, and prac- Bass Handbook, at
truefire.com and
tice ways to outline the defining notes of the harmony. To bring the point home, we’ll revisit
johngoldsby.com.
a couple of lines from Carol Kaye and Steve Winwood.
Example 1 shows a C7 arpeggio. The four-note arpeggio defines the sound of the C7
• Watch “Feeling
chord (a dominant-7 chord, with a flatted 7th, as opposed to a major-7 chord). Many songs Alright” sung by
use a dominant-7 chord that moves up an interval of a 4th, to another dominant-7 chord. Joe Cocker with
The C7 in Ex. 1 might move up a 4th to an F7 (Ex. 2). Chris Stainton on
The Mixolydian mode (also called a dominant scale) is often played over a dominant-7 chord. bass. The song
Compare the C Mixolydian in Ex. 3 with the F Mixolydian in Ex. 4. Can you find the one note echoes the sound of
that’s different between the C Mixolydian and the F Mixolydian? Look hard. Play both scales. the ’60s, using only
Listen hard. Right—you got it: The C Mixolydian contains the note E, which is the 3rd of the C7 two chords.

arpeggio, whereas the F Mixolydian contains the note Eb, which is the 7th of the F7 arpeggio. • Watch Leroy
Vinnegar get down
C F7

CO N N E CT
and funky on “Cold
Duck Time,” live
EX. 1

EX. 2

from Montreux with

Les McCann and
Eddie Harris.
3
2 5 1 • Play along
3 0 3
1 on the changes
to “Cold Duck
Time” with a track
C7
from the folks at
learnjazzstandards.
EX. 3

com.
bassplayer.com/
2 3 5 lessons
2 3 5
3 5

F7

C7 F7
EX. 4

EX. 5

Bb (7th of C7) to A (3rd of F7)

0 1 3 E (3rd of C7) to Eb (7th of F7)

0 1 3
1 3

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 Folk-rock
C7 F7 C7 F7
EX. 6 = 96

3 5
5 5 2 3 3 3 3 5 2 3 3 3
3 3 3 0 1 2 3 3 3 0 1 2

R&B
C7 F7 C7 F7
= 92
EX. 7

3 3 3 0 1 1 3 3 1
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 3 3 3 0 1
3 3 3 3 3 1

Go to your piano and play the chords in Ex. 5. If you don’t have a piano, “Feelin’ Alright” first appeared on the classic-rock album Traffic [1968,
use your keyboard. If you don’t have a piano or keyboard, go knock on your Island/United Artists]. Example 6 shows a four-bar excerpt from Steve
neighbor’s door and ask to use their keyboard to play a couple of chords. If Winwood’s bass line. The note E on the C7 chord leads into the root of the F7.
they don’t have a keyboard, either, just keep knocking on doors until you find Check out Winwood’s original line, and you’ll hear numerous variations on
someone in your neighborhood with a keyboard. Or you could just buy one. C7 to F7. Joe Cocker recorded the more famous version, “Feeling Alright,” on
A keyboard will help you understand harmony. his debut album, With a Little Help From My Friends [1969, A&M], with Carol
The chords in Ex. 5 demonstrate the voice leading that you hear when a key- Kaye on bass. (Note the slight spelling change in the song’s title.) In an inter-
board player moves from a close-position C7 chord voicing to an open-position view with Radar.com, Kaye talked about that magical day in the studio: “This
chord voicing on the F7. Notice that the note Bb on the C7 chord resolves to was with Paul Humphrey on drums and Artie Butler on keys. Artie started
the A on the F7. The note E on the C7 chord moves to an Eb on the F7 chord. out the riff, and Paul and I joined in. We got such a groove. The whole thing
This voice leading creates a satisfying forward motion in the harmony. just rolled. Before you knew it, we were locked in beautifully.”
Many standards use only two dominant chords. Below are five common Example 7 demonstrates Kaye’s creative spark on the chorus of the tune.
songs that are partially or completely framed by dominant chords, an inter- Note that she uses the chromatic passing tone B in bar 2, and emphasizes
val of a 4th apart: “Cold Duck Time” and “Listen Here” (Eddie Harris), “Jive the Eb on the F7 chord in bar 4. As with Winwood’s inventive bass line on
Samba” (Nat Adderley), “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” (Joe Zawinul), and “Feelin’ the original version, Kaye rarely plays the same line twice, even though the
Alright” (Dave Mason). song uses only two chords!
Example 8 shows a practice riff containing chord and
scale tones. The line emphasizes the change from the note
C7 F7 E on the C7 to the note Eb on the F7 chord. Example 9
Med. R&B
only uses chord tones to outline the chord progression.
EX. 8

Example 10 uses chromatic passing tones—notes out-

side of the scale and chord—to spice up the line. After
you jam on the C7 to F7 for a funky eternity, write out
2 2 1 3 1 0 1 0
3 5 1 3 3 3 1 some of your favorite variations.
Winwood and Kaye teach us several key concepts
with their iconic bass lines: (1) Outlining root motion
C7 F7
and playing with a strong groove are all-important.
Med. R&B (2) Chord tones are important, but we don’t have to
always play every chord tone available in every bar. (3)
EX. 9

Chromatic passing tones add hipness and shape to a bass

line. (4) We can vary a bass line rhythmically and melod-
3 2
5 2 2 5 1 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 ically when it’s stylistically appropriate. (5) Although the
3 3
harmony of a two-chord song is simple, it doesn’t limit
creative potential! BP
C7 F7
Med. R&B
EX. 10

3 3
1 2 5 4 3 3 2 1 2
3 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 1 2 2
3

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 LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN

R&B GOLD
WOODSHED

James Brown Furthers The Funk

BY ED FRIEDLAND |

CONTINUING WITH OUR LOOK AT THE EARLY FUNK Myself.” Featuring the tight-knit drumming of William “Beau
output of James Brown, I chose two tracks—“I Can’t Stand Myself Dollar” Bowman, the lean, effective guitar work of Eddie Setser,
(When You Touch Me)” and “Lickin’ Stick,” released in December and Drummond’s economical bass line, the track is a cross sec-
1967 and May ’68. The first track came a few months after the suc- tion of early funk, with all the intersecting parts clearly defined.
cess of “Cold Sweat,” while James was still broadening the defini- Example 1 shows Tim’s bass line; as with previous James Brown
tion of soul music. “I Can’t Stand Myself” is unique for its sparse examples, you can find detailed notation of the guitar and drum
groove, and because it was Brown’s first big “one-chord” record. parts (for both of this month’s tracks) in The Funkmasters: The Great
The vamp was already a well-established feature of his composi- James Brown Rhythm Sections by Allan Slutsky and Chuck Silver-
tional style, but previously there was always some type of release, man [1997, Manhattan Music]. An edited version of “I Can’t Stand
either a modulation to a B section, a unison rhythmic figure, or Myself” was released as a single, with the full 7:22 jam appear-
both. Another significant feature of “I Can’t Stand Myself” is a ing later on the album of the same name, labeled Part 1 and Part
bass solo—an event that happened once before (with interesting 2. Tim’s big solo happens at the 2:55 mark, making it fully on the
results) in Brown’s premier funk tune, “Cold Sweat.” Our second track before the fade out of Part 1. Given Brown’s penchant for
track this month features another hypnotic, one-chord bass line— throwing a curve when the pressure is on, I have to wonder if Tim
it’s rhythmically active, and right up front in the mix. Both tunes knew he was going to solo before they hit the record button.
are in Eb, and both were played by Tim Drummond, the first white During the song, Brown starts pleading, “Ba-a-by, ba-a-by!”
musician to play with the Godfather of Soul, and to my knowl- which morphs into “Ba-a-ss, ba-a-ss!” later in the track. Next thing
edge, the only James Brown bassist of the Caucasian persuasion. you know, he’s calling him out by name (three times!): “Tim, help
While integrated bands are commonplace now, 1967–68 was a me out, Tim, let me hear you walk a little bit Tim.” What comes
year of a heightened tensions in the struggle for civil rights. When next is shown in Ex. 2—eight bars of now-classic R&B bass stuff.
James Brown brought a white musician onstage, he got flak from To my ears, it sounds like Drummond was caught off-guard by the
the Afro-centric political movement. James’ well- request, as he briefly stumbles into the second bar,
known response to having a white bass player in but regains his cool and delivers a fairly solid per-
the band was direct and to the point: “That ain’t no
white bass player—that’s my bass player!”
INFO i formance for the rest of the eight-bar solo. Unfor-
tunately, he didn’t stop while he was on top, and
Tim Drummond came into the James Brown the next four bars get messy. Brown calls him out
Ed Friedland of
ED FR IED LA ND

orbit through his association with a Cincinnati again: “Wait a minute, Tim, let me get this little
Tucson, Arizona, is
band called the Dapps. However it happened, at currently touring
thing together over here,” and Drummond settles
the height of his career (having just rocked the with Grammy back into the main groove, undoubtedly relieved
world with “Cold Sweat”), James picked up an all- Award winners the to be out of the hot seat. There’s a video from a
white band from Ohio and recorded “I Can’t Stand Mavericks. 1968 appearance at the Apollo Theater in which

52 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 Drummond nails the solo, even taking another strong eight groove, and chunky tone put him in the company of Bob Dylan,
bars while the “Big Bad Boss” does the boogaloo. Eric Clapton, Miles Davis, Neil Young, Ry Cooder, B.B. King, Joe
“Lickin’ Stick” is another one of James Brown’s one-chord vamp Cocker, Albert Collins, Jewel, and many others.
songs, featuring Drummond’s high-register ostinato bass line and James Brown opened the door to a brand new genre in the
a laid-back, funky, Latin-influenced cross-stick groove played by late 1960s. Some called it soul, some called it funk, but it was
drummer John “Jabo” Starks. The syncopated 16th-notes in bar all R&B Gold. There is no shortage of groundbreaking James
1 feel edgy and relaxed at the same time, and are best approached Brown tracks to examine, and we’ll grab a few more next time.
with a light touch. Example 3 is the basic idea anchoring this sultry For R&B Gold I set an arbitrary cutoff date of 1979, which
stomper, which hit #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on means there will be many more visitations with the Man With
the R&B charts. As if playing with James Brown isn’t enough of the Master Plan. Some of his funkiest work is yet to come—
a claim to fame, Tim Drummond’s no-nonsense approach, solid so stick around! BP

Eb9
= 130
EX. 1

4 5 6 4 5
6 6

Eb9
= 130

8
6 6 7 8 8
6 6 6 6 6 4 4 5 6
EX. 2

6 6 6

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 8
8 8 5 6 7 8 8 5 5 6 7 7 8
6 6 6 6

Eb9
= 102
EX. 3

8 8 8 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 8 6 8
5 8 8 8 5 8
6 6 6

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 ?
LEARN
PLAY

TRANSCRIP TION
TECH
FACE

Pops Popwell with his modified Fender

LINK

Precision. Far left: the Crusaders

The Crusaders’ “Sweet ’N’ Sour”

TRANSCRIPTION

Robert “Pops” Popwell’s Complete Bass Line

BY CHRIS JISI |

THE BASS WORLD LOST AN UNDERSUNG MASTER WITH THE Sample, saxophonist/bassist Wilton Felder, drum-
passing of Robert “Pops” Popwell, who succumbed to a heart attack on Novem- mer Stix Hooper, and trombonist Wayne Hender-
ber 27, 2017, at age 66. During his peak powers, from the late ’60s to the mid son—are the pre-eminent pioneers of groove jazz
’80s, Popwell rivaled the creative output of any session bass peer, thanks to his (or soul jazz), covering R&B and pop tunes upon
soulful, Southern-rooted finger-funk feel and his uncanny command of slap- their 1960 arrival in L.A. And while Felton had a
ping in the early days of the technique—a period during which he also grew as stellar side career as a session bassist with the likes
a jazz musician with the Crusaders. Alas, not a lot is known about Popwell, who of Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, Steely Dan, and Joni
preferred a low-key profile offstage. Fortunately, his best friend, Chris Bradds, Mitchell, he couldn’t play both bass and sax at once,
who put together Popwell’s funeral service, was able to shed some light on the leading the band to employ a string of bassists that
man and his music. included Buster Williams, Monk Montgomery, Max
Popwell, born in Daytona Beach, Florida on December 29, 1950, got hooked Bennett, Chuck Rainey, James Jamerson (Sr. and
on bass at age seven and was playing professionally in his teens, most nota- Jr.), Alphonso Johnson, and Abraham Laboriel.
bly with the short-lived Macon Rhythm Section, at the Georgia city’s Capri- Yet many agree the group hit its soulful stride over
corn Records Studio in 1968. Influenced by Ray Brown, Sam Jones, and his Popwell’s three-album span. In the middle of that
main hero, James Jamerson, he next went to Detroit, where he got to meet run is the Crusaders’ most critically acclaimed disc,
and play with Jamerson and record with Smokey Robinson. It’s not clear when Free As the Wind [1976, MCA]. Popwell and Hooper
or how he picked up his nickname or who inspired his slap style. Pops then are in peak form throughout, but they reach their
moved to New York City to join the Rascals in 1971, recording two albums most liberating heights on “Sweet ’N’ Sour,” seem-
with them and cracking the session scene to cut with Aretha Franklin, Donny ingly echoing the album’s title.
Hathaway, Dr. John, and others. In 1975, he moved to Los Angeles to join Hooper, the lone sur viving original Cru-
the Crusaders at the recommendation of Larry Carlton, who helped Pop- sader, recalls the album being done at Hollywood
well get session work. That led to recordings with a range of artists, includ- Sound Recorders, with him, Popwell, Sample, and
ing B.B. King, Ron Wood, George Benson, Bette Midler, Allen Toussaint, Olivia Carlton first cutting the song’s rhythm track; Felder’s
Newton-John, Eddie Money, and Bill Withers, plus a role playing himself in the sax, the horns and strings, Ralph MacDonald’s per-
1984 Rick Springfield movie Hard to Hold—this in addition to his seminal sides cussion, and Dean Parks’ guitar were added later.
with the Crusaders, Carlton, and Joe Sample. By 1985, Popwell had left L.A. to Popwell undoubtedly plucked his career bass, a red
focus on his family (his wife and three daughters) and to become a reverend 1962 Fender Precision (see photo, left page), which
at a Baptist church in the Nashville suburb of Lebanon, Tennessee, where he had an added Telecaster pickup near the bridge
remained for the rest of his life. and high action for its (likely) Fender roundwound
Picking a Pops track isn’t easy, with so many inspired choices, but he cited his strings. Recalls Stix, “When Pops first auditioned,
work with the Crusaders and Carlton as his favorites, and history backs him up. we had a hookup right away; I remember me and
The Houston-born Crusaders (originally the Jazz Crusaders)—keyboardist Joe Joe looking at each other, knowing we’d found our

54 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 man. I’ve always been an on-the-one guy; no matter what you play within a groove,
the downbeat of the measure has to be firmly established, and I knew I could count A Dozen Other Great
on Pops to be there every time.” “Pops” Popwell Tracks
The track starts with a unison rhythmic figure, leading into the sax “head” at letter (* = written by, + = solos on)
B, and that’s where the fun begins. Given space due to the long tones in the melody,
Popwell and Hooper recognize that they’re providing the energy, and while locked 1 The Rascals, “Happy Song” [Peaceful World, 1971, Sony]
on the one, they operate independently of each other, to exhilarating effect. Over the 2 The Rascals, “Time Will Tell” [The Island of Real, 1972,
first eight measures, Popwell’s unorthodox ascending figure (on beat two in bars 17, Sony]
19, 21, and 23, and more drawn out in the other bars) smacks of a written or sug- 3 The Rascals, “Jungle Walk” [The Island of Real]

gested line, as it answers the melody. For letter C, the melody’s “B” section, Hooper 4 The Atlanta Disco Band, “Buckhead”
[Bad Luck, 1975, Ariola]
implies his trademark double-time feel, while Popwell moves to his signature, Jam-
5 The Crusaders, “Feeling Funky”* [Those Southern Knights,
erson-inspired root-fifth-octave shape to boogie along. Offers Stix, “We had a spe-
1975, MCA]
cial connection. If I went to double time he was right with me, and whenever I’d add
6 The Crusaders, “Spiral”+ [Those Southern Knights]
an inflection, he would play something in contrast that enhanced it.” A restatement 7 B.B. King, “Hold On” [Lucille Talks Back, 1975, Universal]
of the letter-A intro figure at D finds a fired-up Pops adding percussive thumb slaps 8 The Crusaders, “The Way We Was”* [Free As the Wind,
in the first ending. Letters E and F mirror the style of B and C, leading to letter G, 1976, MCA]
a sort of “pre-coda” of the tune. Listen for subtle variations over the first 14 mea- 9 The Crusaders, “Cosmic Rain”*+ [Images, 1978, MCA]
sures, not shown here, leading to the unison descending line that ends the section. 10 George Benson, “Welcome to My World” [Livin’ Inside Your
Letters H–K are Joe Sample’s Rhodes solo, which starts with the two-chord Love, 1979, Warner Bros.]
vamp from letter A (in a stylish touch, each soloist’s solo gets a subtly differ- 11 Larry Carlton, “Strikes Twice” [Strikes Twice, 1981, MCA]

ent form). Popwell and Hooper break it down, with Pops adding cool end-of- 12 Greg Mathieson Project, “Thank You”+ [The Baked Potato
Super Band Live!, 1981, Sony]
measure fills, including the syncopated fill at the end of bar 91, that Hooper
magically matches with his kick. Letter I, the song’s “B” section, contains more

“Sweet ’N’ Sour” Transcription by Chris Jisi

Bright R&B
Bbm11 Fm11
= 122 A 4x

Last time
only

8 6 8 8 8 6 8
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 (6 4)

Bbm9 Fm9
17 B

6 10 8 10 8 6 6
6 8 6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6 8 6 8
6 6 4 6 8 8 6 4

Bbm9 Fm9
21

6 10 8 10 8 6 6 8 6
6 8 6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6 8 6
6 4 6 8 8
Sweet ’N’ Sour
By Joe Sample. Copyright © 1976 Chrysalis Music Ltd. Copyright Renewed. All Rights Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC.
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Reprinted by Permission of Hal Leonard LLC.

bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 55

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 ?
LEARN
PLAY

root-5th-octave invention behind the solo. Letters J and K mirror Letter O completes Felder’s solo, and P sets up the return to
H and I, but with more motion and rhythmic intensity. “Popping” the sax head at Q. Popwell restates his original line and then soars
TECH

out are the upper-register fill in bars 104–105 and the climb- with a rousing climb for the start of another “B” section at letter
ups in bars 106, 107, 118, and 122. Letter L is Larry Carlton’s R. Finally, S is the long coda outro. Listen as the bass is faded out
guitar solo, which introduces the IV minor chord into the mix of the mix around 7:52 and faded back in around 8:21, before
(Ebm9). Carlton continues to blow through the song’s “pre-coda” the track fades out by 8:55. Advises Hooper, who continues to
FACE

changes at M. For Wilton Felder’s tenor solo at N, the two-chord travel and perform: “The feel combines laying in the pocket and
vamp changes are back, and Popwell has some cool new ideas, pushing, but the overall intent is to drive the piece.” He sums up,
including the trills in bars 169 and 171, the dead-note thumb “Listening to the song, I can hear Pops’ humor and joviality. When
LINK

slaps in 168, the approach from the Ab below to the Bb root in it came to having fun on a track, he was second to none. He will
174–175, and the climb-up in 179. be sorely missed.” BP
TRANSCRIPTION

Gbmaj7 F7sus F7 Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5 Gbmaj7

25 C

6
8 9 11 8 8 8 8 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4
9 11 11 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 4 4 4
9 8 8 86 6 2

F7sus F7 Bbm9 Cm7/Eb Bbm9 Cm7/Eb

30

S
3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 15
3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Bbm9 Fm9 1.
34 D

P T T T T
(10)
8 6 8 8 8 (8) (8) (8)
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 (9)

Bbm9 Fm9
41 2. E

6 10 8 10 8 6
8 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6
6 4 6 4 6 8

Bbm9 Fm9
45

6 6 10 8 10 8 6
8 6 8 6 8 6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6
8 4 6 6 4 6 8

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 Gbmaj7 F7sus F7 Bbm9
49 F

1 1 3 3 3 3
6 8 6 4 1 3 3 3 3 3
8 6 8 4 4 4 1 1 4 3 1 1
8 2 1

Db/Ab G7b5 Gbmaj7 F7sus F7 Bbm9

53

1 1 0 (3) 3 3 3 3
5 4 4 3 3 3
4 4 (4) (4) 4 1 1 4 3 1
3 3 2 1

Cm7/Eb Dbmaj7 G7b5 G Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5

57
7x

(High Gb
1st time only)

1 1 1 6 5 (4) 4 6 8 6
1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 4 4 6 4 3

Bbm9/G Bbm9/F Bbm9/Db Bbm9/B

Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Bbm9/Ab Bbm9/Gb Bbm9/Eb Bbm9/C
73

S
4
4 4 6 6 8 6 5 4 3 3 1
4 4 3 4 3 2
2 4

Bbm9 Fm9 Bbm9

78 H

6 7
8 6 8 8 8
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 6 4 6 4 6 4 5 6 6 4 6

Fm9 Bbm9
83

H
6
8 6 6 7 8 6 8
8 6 8 8 8 6 8
6 4 6 8 8 6 6 4 6

Fm9 Bbm9
87

6 7 8 8 6 7
4 6 8 8 6 8 8 8 6 8
6 4 6 (8) 6 6

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 ?
LEARN

Fm9 Gbmaj7
PLAY

91 I
TECH

3 0
8 8 (3) 11 11 11
6 8 6 8 8 8 6 9 9 9
6 6 8 8 8
FACE

F7sus F7 Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5 Gbmaj7

95
LINK

S
6
(10) (10) 8 8 8 8 8 6 6 5 4 4 (4)
8 (9) 8 8 8 6 1 (1) (1) 4
8 8 7 6
TRANSCRIPTION

Bbm9 Cm7 F7#5#9 Bbm9

99 J

H
4 4 4 8 8 8 8 8 6 6 7
4 4 (4)(4) 4 3 8 6 8 8 8
2 6 6 8 8 8 6 6 4 6

Fm9 Bbm9
103

H
H
8 8 8 10 10 10 8
8 10 8 6 8 8 6 8
6 7 8 6 8 8 6
6 4 6 9 8 3 4 5

Fm9 Bbm9
107

H H H
5 5 6 6 7 8 6 6 7
6 7 8 6 8 6 6 8 6 8 (6)
6 6 8 8 3 4 6 6 4 6

Fm9 Bbm9
111

H H H H

8 8 6 6 6 7 8 8 8 6 6 8
6 8 8 6 8 8 8 6 8 8
4 6 9 8 8 6 6

Fm9 Gbmaj7
115 K

8 8 8 8 8 6 4 4 4
6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 1 2 3 4 4
6 6 6 9 8 8 (8)

58 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_transcription_prod_f.indd 58 4/10/18 1:33 PM

 F7sus F7 Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5 Gbmaj7
119

H
3 3 3 3 3 1 0
3 3 3 3 3 (3) 1 4 1 4
1 3 3 1 1 1 2 3 4 4

Bbm9/G Bbm9/F Bbm9/Db Bbm9/B

Bbm9 Bbm9/Ab Bbm9/Gb Bbm9/Eb Bbm9/C
123

S
4
4 4 4 8 6 5 4 3 3 1
4 4 4 3 3 4 3 2
4 3 2

Bbm9 Fm9 Em9 Ebm9

128 L

8
8 6 8 8 8 6 8 7 6 6 6
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 8 (8)

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GUITAR_bassplayer_one fourth vert.indd 1 9/3/13 2:52 PM bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 59

bas0618_transcription_prod_f.indd 59 4/10/18 1:33 PM

 ?
LEARN
Bbm9 Ebm9
133
PLAY

H
8
6 8 8 8
6 6 6 6 8 7 6 6 6 6 (6)
4 4 5 6 6 6 6 6
TECH

Abm9 Em9
Bbm9 Bbm9 Gbm9 Ebm9
137
FACE

H
6 8
6 6 7 8 8 6
6 6 6 (6) 9 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
LINK

6 6 4 4 4 5

Bbm9 Ebm9
TRANSCRIPTION

142

6
8 8 8 8 8
(8) 8 8 8 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
6 6 6 6 6 6 4 5

G7b5
Bbm9 Db/Ab M Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5
146
7x

8 4 6 8 6
4 4
6 6 6 6 6 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 6 4 3

Bbm9/G Bbm9/F Bbm9/Db Bbm9/B

Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Bbm9/Ab Bbm9/Gb Bbm9/Eb Bbm9/C
162

S
4
4 6 8 6 5 4 3 3 1
4 4 4 3 2
2 2 4 4 4 4 6

Bbm9 Fm9
167 N

TR T T
H
8 10 10
6 7 8
6 4 6 8 6 8 8 8 6 (8) (8)
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 (8) (8) (9)

Bbm9 Fm9
171

TR

6 8
6 4 6 7 8 6 8 4 6 7 8 8 6 8 6 6
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 4 4 5

60 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 Bbm9 Fm9
175

H
6 6 8 6 6 7 8
6 4 6 8 6 8 8 6 8 8 6 8
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6 8

Bbm9 Fm9
179

4 6 4 8 6 8 8 6 8 8 6 8 8 4
6 6 4 6 3 3 3 4 5 6 6 4 6 8 8 6

Bbm9/G
Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5 Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Bbm9/Ab
183 O 7x

4 6 8 6 4 6 8 6 5
4 4 4 4
2 2 4 4 4 6 4 3 2 2 4

Bbm9/F Bbm9/Db Bbm9/B

Bbm9/Gb Bbm9/Eb Bbm9/C Bbm11
199 P

S
4
4 3 3 1
3 4 3 2
6 6 4 6 6 6 4 6

Fm11 Bbm9
204 1. 2. Q

T T T T T T

6 10 8
8 6 8 8 8 8 8 6 8 6 8
(13) (13)(13)(13) (11) (9) 4 6 6 4

Fm9 Bbm9
211

10 8 6 6 6 10 8
6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6 8 6 8 6 8
6 8 8 6 4 6 4

Fm9 Gbmaj7
215 R

9 10 11 8 9
10 8 6 6 8 9 10 11
6 8 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 6 8 6 8 9
6 8 8

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bas0618_transcription_prod_f.indd 61 4/10/18 1:34 PM

 ?
LEARN
PLAY

F7sus Gbmaj7
F7 Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5
219
TECH

10 8
10 6 8 8 8 8 8 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 (6) 4 (4) 4 4
FACE

8 6 4 2

F7sus F7 Bbm9 Cm7/Eb

223
LINK
TRANSCRIPTION

3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
1 1 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 1

Dbmaj7 G7b5 S Gbmaj7 Ab Bbm9 Db/Ab G7b5

226
Repeat till fade

6 5 5 4 6 8 6
4 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 4 4 4 6 4 3
BASS SHOWCASE

62 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_transcription_prod_f.indd 62 4/10/18 1:34 PM

 Ernest Tibbs
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bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 63

bas_june18_SPOT_SHOW.indd 63 4/11/18 2:09 PM

 TO ADVERTISE IN

BASS PLAYER'S
SPOTLIGHT OR SHOWCASE
CONTACT:

National Specialty Sales Representative

Jon Brudner
jbrudner@nbmedia.com
(917) 281-4721

SamAsh_BP_8thH_NOV17.indd 1 8/22/17 5:18 PM

BASS SHOWCASE

64 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

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 BASS SHOWCASE

bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8 65

bas_june18_SPOT_SHOW.indd 65 4/11/18 2:10 PM

 D

By Jim Roberts

Jamie Stillman of
EarthQuaker Devices
2010, I hired our first employee, Jeff (“otherworldly reverberator”), Data Cor-
France, who’s still here as our produc- rupter (“modulating monophonic PLL”),
tion manager.” and Organizer (“polyphonic organ emu-
Today, EarthQuaker has a dedicated lator”), as well as the Hoof Reaper and
crew of more than 50 employees build- Terminal fuzz boxes and the Warden
ing “extra special effects pedals” in a con- compressor.
verted warehouse in Akron, Ohio. Under EarthQuaker also has its own comic
Jamie’s leadership, the company has book, Octo Skull, “an epic fantasy adven-
grown steadily yet has remained faithful ture … inspired by the company’s color-
to its roots, hand-building its products ful and inventive line of musical effects
and maintaining close, personal relation- pedals.” The series was created by Matt
ships with both dealers and customers. Horak, the illustrator who does the
Jamie’s wife, Julie Robbins, supervises EarthQuaker pedals’ artwork. “He got a
the business side, and the couple—liter- job working for Marvel about two years
ally—runs EarthQuaker as a mom-and- ago,” says Jamie, “but he still works out
pop operation. “We like to have total of our office. He wanted to do a comic
control,” says Jamie. “That way, we’re book for us, so we let him have at it.”
never sitting on too much stock, and Asked what’s on the drawing board,
we’re never out of stock. Every week, Jamie responds that “we always keep
we know what we need to build, and we everything a big secret.” Product devel-
build it and we get it out.” opment has been a nonstop and pro-
The EarthQuaker line has more than lific process, with a new EarthQuaker
40 pedals, most of them designed and pedal hitting the market every quar-
FOR JAMIE STILLMAN, IT ALL named by Jamie. “I had no formal [elec- ter. “That can be overwhelming for our
started with a broken pedal. “I had a tronics] training, and it didn’t even dawn dealers. They’re just getting used to
DOD Overdrive 250, an older one, and it on me until about nine years into doing the thing that came out and getting a
broke,” he says. “I bought a new one and EarthQuaker that maybe I should have handle on how to explain it to custom-
hated it, so I thought, Well, I’m going to had some kind of formal training,” he ers, and then something else is there.”
get this old one fixed. But who fixes effect says with a chuckle. “Maybe trial and That said, Jamie remains committed to
pedals? No one. So I looked it up on error isn’t always the best route, but I continuing to create new pedals—and
Jim Roberts was this website called General Guitar Gad- think I’ve found a lot of interesting things to keeping production right where it
the founding editor gets [generalguitargadgets.com] and that I would not have tried if I knew the is. He’s well aware that many competi-
of Bass Player and managed to track down the problem and ‘right’ way to do things.” tors have overseas assembly plants but
also served as the fix it. I found that fun, and that started EarthQuaker doesn’t offer separate asserts that has no appeal to him: “A lot
magazine’s publisher my obsession.” lines for bass and guitar, and its website of times, when companies start to grow,
and group publisher. That obsession led to EarthQuaker makes a point of stating that “all pedals they try to outsource everything. We’ve
He is the author of Devices, where Jamie is the president work on bass.” As a guitarist, Jamie says, taken the opposite approach. We’ve been
How the Fender Bass and primary product designer. Soon after he’s always favored a tone with “tons of saying, ‘Handmade in Akron, Ohio’ for-
Changed the World he fixed that broken pedal, he started to low end,” which is one reason why his ever. We’re not going to change that all
and American Basses: build his own devices for friends. “That pedal designs work so well for bass. Juan of a sudden.”
An Illustrated History was in 2005. Within a year, it started Alderete confirms this: An EarthQuaker Go to earthquakerdevices.com
& Player’s Guide (both to get more serious, but for the first enthusiast, he says he uses “more than for more about EarthQuaker pedals,
published by Backbeat five years it was just me working in my half the line” and sings the praises of such the people who make them, and Octo
Books/Hal Leonard). basement. Then, on New Year’s Day in radical sound-shifters as the Afterneath Skull comics. BP

66 bassplayer.com / j u n e 2 0 1 8

bas0618_backpage_kc2_f.indd 66 4/10/18 1:22 PM

WW_LeeSklar_March18_9x10,875_USA.indd
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3/29/18 14:04
11:56 AM
 THE CURE FOR
P E DA L B OA R D O C D

D 'A D D A R I O D I Y P E D A L B O A R D P O W E R C A B L E K I T
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out of the box power solutions for their carefully curated effect chains. That’s why the
D’Addario Pedalboard Power Cable Kit is designed to organize and customize even the
most eclectic collection of pedals to share the same board. This kit allows you to create
six premium-quality power cables of any length, each capable of being configured straight
on, or at a 90° angle. This gives you superior reliability, control, and the flexibility to create
the perfect home for your audio arsenal.

DA D DA R I O.C O M / P E DA L P OW E R K I T

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