I met Pino Palladino last night!

[D Bopp]

He's always been one of my favorites. It's no secret here that he is one of the icons in music over the past 40 years. In my humble opinion, he's on the Mt Rushmore for bassists.
Anyways, he came to Atlanta last night, playing with Blake Mills in a quartet. All instrumental, and a masterclass of dynamics and space between notes. The entire band was just unbelieveable.

It was a smaller venue, and I thought that I may have a chance to meet him afterwards and get a picture, and possibly something signed.

Some people here may have seen my posts before, and know that I own a white Fender Custom Shop Pino bass. It was one of the first ever built, and made for Justin Meldal-Johnsen.
I briefly had it up for sale years ago, until I came to my senses and pulled the ad. That would've been a huge regret for me had I let it go. This one will stay with me forever, unless I'm about to lose my house or something.

No longer available - One-off Fender Custom Shop 62 Precision Olympic White Pino Palladino JMJ


Anyways, I decided to take my chance and bring the Pino bass w me last night.
The bass I have is a Pino bass, and matches all the specs, and even says it on the hang tags. However, the Pino signature is not on the back of the headstock.

I'm 43 years old, but felt like a little fanboy, standing there after the gig with my gig bag in hand, waiting for him to walk out.
Sure enough, he came out about 15 minutes after the show. I was waiting right by the entry. Introduced myself and told him I had a Pino bass here in my gig bag and asked if he'd please sign it for me.

He said "well, it should already have the signature on it if it is." I told him that this was one actually didn't, it was one of the first, and originally owned by JMJ, blah blah. He said "Ok, well, as long as I don't have to sign a bunch of basses tonight, then that's fine"

So I pulled it out and handed him my sharpie. And he signed the back of the headstock!
I thanked him and just let him know in the 30 seconds we talked how much I appreciated all he's done. Didn't want to give him my life story, and when I discovered him, etc. I just wanted to be sincere and just say thank you. Words in that moment could never express the impact he's had on my life. I'm sure he gets that all the time.
He was super nice and I just appreciate the moment.

Here are a few pics, and a youtube video I made from the show.

 

[Les Fret]

Cool story! Do they play with a backing track? I hear these woodwind sounds.

What pedals is Pino using these days? Thanks for the pictures.

 

[WG Plum]

The sax player generates a ton of tones, as does Blake Mills. I saw this show at Big Ears in Knoxville and it was one of the highlights of the festival for me.

 

[bassist4dalord]

We've all heard what's been said about meeting your heroes, but I'm so glad it was such a positive experience for you. Pino is a mountain of a bass player, and seems like a genuinely cool guy. Congrats!

 

[Les Fret]

The sax player generates a ton of tones, as does Blake Mills. I saw this show at Big Ears in Knoxville and it was one of the highlights of the festival for me.

I don't see a sax player in the above video?
Edit: Ah, he is all the way to the right out of the camera sight, that explains it!

 

[SteveCS]

It was a smaller venue
...
I'm 43 years old, but felt like a little fanboy,
...
I thanked him and just let him know in the 30 seconds we talked how much I appreciated all he's done.
...

I met him at what was Rod Argent's store in Denmark street way back in 1987, I think it was. I was only early 20's and very much a 'fanboy' at the time. Paul Young was still a major 'pop star' and Pino had been on everyone's records and all over the TV for a couple of years. I was there for a Stick lesson with Jim Lampi, who was scheduled to do a Stick demo before taking lessons. I said hello and asked if he was there for the Stick demo - he is credited with Chapman Stick on 'No Parlez' ("Come Back and Stay" and "Broken Man") so it was a good conversation starter. He said he was just mooching around the 'tin pan alley' music shops. He talked a bit about the Stick and how it was a minor 'doubled' part on the record (ever wonder why you can't quite get that 'Come Back and Stay' slap tone from just your fretless bass?) and that for him the Stick was interesting but not a major draw. But he did hang around for the demo. Jim is a monster Stick player and we were both a bit blown away by what he did that day. We shook hands, I went off for my lesson and Pino went on his way. But he was a very pleasant bloke, not especially chatty but very friendly. And his hands are huge!!

 

[SteveC]

I met him in a little restaurant in St. Paul the afternoon before a John Mayer show. We were in the same hotel actually. Anyway, I waited till he was done eating and put his phone down. Approached, said hi. We chatted for a couple minutes, how my wife liked John Mayer, etc, and he asked if I wanted to have her take a picture. He was so kind, very modest. It was a thrill.