http://www.dixontech.com/NABA/wamsley.jpg

Trip credits the fateful day early in 1982 when he heard "Silly Love Songs" by Wings as the day he decided that music was for him. He would often accompany his band-director father to area music stores where he would see bass guitars. The young Trip thought basses were, "...big guitars for dumb people...". (We've learned to appreciate Trip's dry sense of humor...) Trip's school had a bass that was not being used, so he brought it home and learned to play "Summer Nights" from the movie "Grease". With his first song under his belt and some new-found confidence, Trip set out to make music.

Trip studied with Michael Manring in 1991 and 1992, which was an experience Trip says that consisted of scathing invective and brutal honesty. Trip credits Michael with the phrase "...be deep wide awake and slow...".

Trip's playing takes on both the rhythmic bass and melodic lead roles, harmonics and overtones are flung about effortlessly. Right hand, left hand, all ten fingers, tuning keys and every ounce of potential is used to bring forth music from his finely crafted instruments. Musicains will appreciate his creative use of both fretted and fretless basses, special effects and detuners. Trip is the introduction to the bass guitar as a complete orchestra.

Trip performs solo concerts all over the world, plays in the art rock band Atomic Opera, and hangs out with his wife Saran and son Xander at his house in Louisiana.

I dont know if you have ever heard this from anybody, but on first glance I thought you were Johnny Depp.

On a more serious note..I really have enjoyed your playing I have listen to some of your stuff. I love it!

Johnny Depp? I'll take that. :) Glad you are digging my tunage!

I'm from Shreveport, my girlfriend is from Sulphur. Her family's houses were annihilated, save the one they built on a 10-ft. man-made hill by scooping a lake in their front yard.

Sulphur's a tiny place. Stokes' ring a bell for a name you may know?

I'm exceedingly impressed by what you've got going, and wish I had a smidge of your talent/opportunity. Working a night shift job makes it impossible to find a teacher.

Ces la vis.

Hello there! Stokes doesn't ring a bell at all. Sorry for that. What part did they live in? I'm in old Maplewood. My house faces South and we had 130 mph winds from the West. So our house did well as we had lots of protection on the West side from other people's houses. Even my Direct TV dish survived! Again, glad you did what I'm doing!

Heya Trip, enjoyed your clinic at the Atlanta Bass thing a month or so ago. I wish I didnt have to catch a plane and missed you playing that 8-string monster, but thanks for bringing it out to show us during your clinic anyhow :)

/sings punk song and plays with a pick really fast :)

Trip, .....You're my hero...........If I ever grow up I wanna be just like you.........only taller....but other than that....just like you.

Hope you're doing great things my friend!!!

Looking forward to us playing together again sometime soon. :bassist:

You're friend and fan, :hyper:

This could get quite circular because you are my hero! I want to be taller too. Another foot or so would behoove me. Then again if I were behooven I would look like I was in league with Lucifer. Not good. I'm doing some great things and some not so great things. Per usual, but things are shaping up and cleaning up after Hurricanes and what-not. Can't wait to see you and do some pickin'!

Hey Trip!

Here's a blast from the past

http://www.chromatic-fantasy.com/2003-09-27-bassquake2003/Dsc02838.jpg

BassQuake 2003! :D

Hope to hear you play again sometime. Your CD is great! (er, the one I have, at least ;))

- Dave

More BassQuake pics:
http://www.chromatic-fantasy.com/2003-09-27-bassquake2003/index.html

Whats going on Trip, you dont know me but I know a couple of friends of yours... Shayne Clifton ring a bell by any chance? :D I goto church with him, me and him are good buds. I ran into another guy in a local music store here in town he told me he took lessions from you, his name was Daniel Miller.

I thought it was a small world that I ran into Daniel and that music store more than half way across the state and we knew the same person, well at least not personaly on my part... Shayne's told me some storys. :D

Take it easy Trip,
Evan

Whats going on Trip, you dont know me but I know a couple of friends of yours... Shayne Clifton ring a bell by any chance? :D I goto church with him, me and him are good buds. I ran into another guy in a local music store here in town he told me he took lessions from you, his name was Daniel Miller.

I thought it was a small world that I ran into Daniel and that music store more than half way across the state and we knew the same person, well at least not personaly on my part... Shayne's told me some storys. :D

Take it easy Trip,
Evan

I remember Shayne well. As for the stories, I have no idea what he told you about. Send a PM and let me know. Might be really funny. Good to meet you!

Hey Trip, I wanted to say I really enjoyed your set at Uk Bass Day. Yours and John Lesters cd's havent left my cd player since.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/thunderthief_31/trip.jpg

Mike

Not positive I'm right here, but that BB from Bassquake might just be the one sitting in my music room right now.

Dad, you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong, but is that #23 he's playing?

Could be. Check for those two darker parallel lines between the bridge and the tailpiece, and those little puckery knotettes either side. Gawrsh, to actually own a bass played by Mr. Wamsley...It would be an Antiques RoadShow winner in, oh, 50 years or so...

Hey Trip, I wanted to say I really enjoyed your set at Uk Bass Day. Yours and John Lesters cd's havent left my cd player since.


Mike

Thanks for the kind words and I'm really glad you like the album. It's things like that really keep me going. :)

Yep. That's the one. Same wood figures, and it's one of the old-school, pre-cutaway dobbers, which was a limited run, as I recall.

Antiques Road Show, for sure.

Trip,

I really enjoyed the Duke City Bass Jam last night. Also, thanks for your time with the bass lesson.

I ripped your "Curve" CD onto my iPod and have been playing it quite a bit. Awesome! For some reason I have been craving eggs when I listen to "Huevos Con Dios".

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/whitedk57/BassJam001.jpg

Here's a link to Sheila Marshall's site:

http://www.sheilamarshallband.com/

Trip used his Barker on Radio, Wrong and Intrigued. There's a preview of Radio. It cooks.

Kindly,

Lee

Yo man, you're still one of my biggest influences through all my stylistic wanderings at Berklee. Cheers man.

My Barker bass is also featured on "And He Speaks" parts I and II on my current album CURVE. It's doing those low notes. And doing them GREAT!!! And thanks for the kind words SNARF!

Hey Trip... Just wanted to say that "Curve" is incredible! It's truly inspired me. So what is your writing process like?

The key to decent writing for me, is not take it all too seriously. I try to loosen up and have fun, and let things unfold from there. I don't really have a set routine. It is what it is. I hope this doesn't disappoint. :)

Fun subject, and I want to know more, Trip. Having heard you do your tunes at numerous bass clinics, I want to know if you write and record them and then take them on the road, or if you write them and road them and then, after using the bumps in the asphalt to massage them into shape, commit them to a track? "It varies" is a very Triplike answer, and I'm prepared for it...

Kindly,

Lee

Hey All,

I met Trip for the 1st time last weekend here in Denver at the Lodo Bass Bash. I was totally shocked at what an awesome person he was first of all, and secondly what a incredible musician. The part most people don't pick up on is what a forward thinking fashion "Icon" :bassist: Trip is... case in point

Take Care,

Derrell

I think I'm cool cuz Trip is my friend.

Old, maybe, but cool nonetheless. (notice how when he even holds a bass he assumes the shred pose)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Music/Trip%20Wamsley/P0006586-1.jpg


And now I'm, like, liquid nitrogen cool cuz I took this pic and he used it on his myspace page.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Music/Trip%20Wamsley/100_7601.jpg


But I don't think I'm as cool as Harleyy. He has that totally covered.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Music/Trip%20Wamsley/trip.jpg