SNL Band (GE Smith era) bassist ?

NJXT · #1 02-13-2001, 04:35 AM

I was watching a rerun of an old Saturday Night Live show, during the GE Smith band era, and noticed the bass player was pretty good (playing on a fretless JB I think).
Any info on this guy ? Did he do some original music ?

JimK · #2 02-13-2001, 05:55 AM

...that was probably Tom Wolk(usually played a sunburst P-bass).
He has/had a decent bass book out there about "Rock Bass"(late '70s).
Wolk also played in The Hall/Oates Band with G.E. Smith...remember the videos?

NJXT · #3 02-13-2001, 07:01 AM

Thx for the answer.
Found his website : http://www.sayseebone.com
And it was a PBass, not a J.

Rob W · #4 02-13-2001, 02:07 PM

Wolk is also a huge fan of the Gibson Ripper and has used it as his main bass for quite a while. He did play a modified P bass to start with on SNL, then he switched to a sunburst Ripper.

Marty Forrer · #5 02-14-2001, 04:23 AM

He was a very accomplished bassist. Where is he now? I heard a story that he died. Anyone elaborate on this?

NJXT · #6 02-15-2001, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marty Forrer
He was a very accomplished bassist. Where is he now? I heard a story that he died. Anyone elaborate on this?

According to the webboard on his site, he's not dead...

christos · #7 02-18-2001, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NJXT

According to the webboard on his site, he's not dead...

I hope he's not dead, he's planning tour dates, but then again Monty Python just did a European tour with Graham Chapmans ashes.......

Monkey · #8 02-22-2001, 07:45 PM

Didn't I see T-Bone Wolk on "Saturday Night Live" last week? GE Smith was playing guitar. It's obvious I didn't have a gig last Saturday, isn't it?

Gene Machine · #9 03-24-2003, 11:34 PM

I saw him on A&E Live request playing for Hall and Oates. He was using the sunburst B-pass.

He's a gah-roovy player. I really dig his stuff. He's a really good example for playing for the song. Sometimes got the pick, sometimes not.

sleazylenny · #10 03-25-2003, 12:01 AM

For more on T-Bone, check out Bass Player magazine. There was a pretty good article on him in a very recent issue.

I remember seeing him with Hall & Oates back in the early to mid-eighties ( why a headbanger like myself was at an H & O concert is beyond me

) but I remember his tone was very prominent in the mix, which was an unusual experience for me, as most metal shows bury the bass in sludge and volume. Anyhoo, I dug his playing.

Funkster · #11 03-25-2003, 09:06 AM

T-Bone is the man! I love his live work with Carly Simon.

Caca de Kick · #12 03-25-2003, 10:23 AM

I love T-Bone Wolk. The dude is incredible and very inspirational to me. During that time of SNL I used to watch all the time (my high school years) just to feed off of his playing. Remember his fretless P?
And his resume is very impressive. He goes a long way back with Hall and Oates, and he's done work with Billy Joel, yup and Carly Simon.

There was an article, I think in BP mag where he says his main bass is an early-mid 60' sunburst P.

brianrost · #13 03-25-2003, 02:16 PM

Paul and GE Smith used to be in a band called the Scratch Band that was based out of New Haven, CT. Funny seeing the hometown bar warriors beome international stars

Another New Havenite who was banging around in those days finally hit it big after changing his last name and ditching the Southern rock for blue-eyed soul ballads...Michael Bolton

I once auditioned for a band here in Boston who had their demo produced by T-Bone. Having to duplicate his parts was a most humbling experience.

jerry · #14 03-25-2003, 02:46 PM

I always forget T-Bone when those "players who use a pick" threads come around. Guys like T-Bone are great examples of how to get and keep getting gigs........he plays great bass lines for the songs, and has huge ears & a very nice guy......he'll never be out of work!

Eric Moesle · #15 03-25-2003, 09:23 PM

I just saw Tom "T-Bone" Wolk this past summer, he was playing on the Hall & Oates "reunion" tour that blew by my town. I really went just to see him, though everything sounded great. He also played double-duty with the opening act, Todd Rudgren (who unfortunately sucked . . .). What a long night for him, and he SMOKED.

DWBass · #16 03-27-2003, 08:00 AM

If I'm not mistaken, he is also a guitar player. I think he plays several instruments.

TNJ · #17 03-31-2003, 10:57 AM

There have been some great musicians in SNL's various bands:
A few off the top of my head:
Steve Jordan
Paul Shafer
T-Bone Wolk
Marcus Miller
GE Smith
Lenny Pickens
Blue Lou (last name?)

Others?

Donne Demarest · #18 03-31-2003, 11:31 AM

T-Bone Wolk also played on the Thompson Twins
Doctor! Doctor! Tour when I saw them in '84.

Bass Mule · #19 03-31-2003, 11:37 AM

I think Hall & Oates were the ones responsible for making him wear his hats all the time too, since he was balding. I guess it wasn't cool to be backing two mullets if you were balding.

TNJ · #20 03-31-2003, 12:55 PM

Yeah,
You got to hand it to H&O...they've still got great hair!
(although Daryl looks a little like an older Chuck Connors in the face...).

S.