Mark Adams ( Stone Jam aka Grung Funk !!

[Woodchuck]

Listen to the Arrington record again. The vibe is similar to Slave, but the bass tone is very different. The Arrington Hall of Fame was Stingray heaven! That whole album is full of two band Stingrays with the treble knob maxed out! As the owner of a SR5 HH, the sound of that album really warms my heart!

One thing I've learned is P Bassers, Jazzers, and 'Rayheads can spot their own!

 

[DWBass]

Man, wouldn't it be great if Mark would show up here and enlighten us to all that went on back then! I'm sure he'd have some killer stories!!

 

[terrelli721]

That would be great DW. I tell you what I found the other day in the attic at my mother's house. Some crazy old right on magazines for 77,78,79,. It is hilarious looking at slaves gold skin tight bell-bottom suits. I would love to see them perform. Are they still together???? I'm thinking about scanning some pics and putting them up for all the true funkateers!!!

 

[Woodchuck]

That would be great DW. I tell you what I found the other day in the attic at my mother's house. Some crazy old right on magazines for 77,78,79,. It is hilarious looking at slaves gold skin tight bell-bottom suits. I would love to see them perform. Are they still together???? I'm thinking about scanning some pics and putting them up for all the true funkateers!!!

They're still touring. TB's own Slavebass is filling the bass chair now.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

They're still touring. TB's own Slavebass is filling the bass chair now.

He's been doing it for over 5 years now.

 

[DWBass]

Hmmm.........[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] is interesting!

 

[hands5]

I too have mentioned him as have quite a few others here (mostly the old school funk cats)! I consider him one of my teachers (indirectly of course)! The cat is a monster and I also consider him an innovator on the instrument! His use of double stops and chorus/flanger effects are unique and I've not heard another player who played like him!

Fa Sho. If it's any player that has some Larry Graham in him it would certainly be this cat. I mean his tone had a killing 'snarl to it like you wouldn't believe

 

[hands5]

It was a chorus pedal on "Snapshot". My favorite line BY FAR is "Stone Jam". He killed that song. Btw, he was 17 when he wrote the bassline to "Slide". Mark has gotten alot of mentions here, mostly from us older funkheads, but it's all part of the education process for us all. Younger cats here have turned me on to some killer bassists as well. TB member Slavebass now plays for Slave.

Wood, I've been listening to that Stone Jam cd for the past week 1/2

 

[hands5]

You remember Drac's band, The Drac Pack?

Absolutely !!!. Just real real cold hard funk

 

[hands5]

Yes, he was the youngest member and his age actually delayed them from gigging at certain venues so they had to wait until he turned 18 and then it was on!! Cats in the know here have said most of the recordings were done using a Fender Jazz. Most pictures show him playing an Alembic!

DW Mark only use that bass only on a couple of tunes when I saw them on the Hardness of the World tour ( 78 ) because his technique wasn't that refined to play that type of bass at that time in his young career,but after those couple of tunes he immediatley picked back up a White Fender Jazz.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

his technique wasn't that refined to play that type of bass at that time in his young career,but after those couple of tunes he immediatley picked back up a White Fender Jazz.

I'm not asking to be funny but could you be more specif ?

 

[DWBass]

I'm not asking to be funny but could you be more specif ?

I think he's alluding to the Alembic not able to handle his aggresive style of play but I'd rather hear his take on it!! By the way, I've never played any Alembic bass so I can't corraborate my opinion!

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I think he's alluding to the Alembic not able to handle his aggresive style of play but I'd rather hear his take on it!! By the way, I've never played any Alembic bass so I can't corraborate my opinion!

I own a 76 Omega Series 4 string that I haven't looked at in over 12 years.I've owned a total of 4 Alembics over the years.

 

[BuffaloBass]

Ant Wellington turned me onto Mark. Having never heard him, I was floored. Great player. Sure sounds like a maple neck jazz tone to me.

 

[hands5]

I'm not asking to be funny but could you be more specif ?

My cousin use to date one of the members of the band ( Floyd Miller) who in his own right was a brilliant musician who played just about anything and everything well including bass and I aked him about Marks use of the Alembic bass,and what he was saying that Marks tone was cleaner with the Jazz bass however when I did see him on the Hardness of the World tour he seemed real sharp on both of them,but as I said earlier he played the Jazz pretty much thru out the set except for a couple of tunes
When I got to see him again ( this time on the Snapshot tour) he was using a Jazz with 3 pickups in it,but yet he still had his same signature sound.

 

[BassSlave]

Actually the handle is BassSlave.........and I've been doing Mark's gig for almost 10 years now. Just came back from the Bahamas with Slave about three weeks ago. Drac is the only original member left although Floyd Miller will come back from time to time. Mark is a very nice person and it's been awhile since we last talked. I can ask Drac to get in touch with him and see what he's up to these days.

They're still touring. TB's own Slavebass is filling the bass chair now.

 

[Woodchuck]

My bad on the handle. Btw, one of Mark's most underrated lines is "Love Me" from the first album.

 

[BuffaloBass]

BassSlave, we'd like to hear what he's up to these days!

 

[Murf]

WOW!...Mark Adams is an absolute ANIMAL on the bass...I was turned on to him by Low End Punch (thanks dude)...now personally and I know I'm in the minority here so apologies I dont particularly like his tone (yes he has a seriously "Growly" in your face tone...I'm more of a Bernard Edwards/Rocco type dude..I like serious low end to my funk) I love his groove and note choice though..the dude has some serious funk in his blood

(Hey I'm also the guy who hates Stu Zenders tone but loves his playing...there's something wrong with me )

 

[Sounbwoy]

Actually the handle is BassSlave.........and I've been doing Mark's gig for almost 10 years now. Just came back from the Bahamas with Slave about three weeks ago. Drac is the only original member left although Floyd Miller will come back from time to time. Mark is a very nice person and it's been awhile since we last talked. I can ask Drac to get in touch with him and see what he's up to these days.

Man, you don't know how LONG I've been looking for SOME kind of info on Mark Adams. Along with Randy Jackson, he is a MAJOR influence for ME. Stone Jam is a masterpiece, but I also love "Feel My Love" and of course "Just a Touch". I remember how different his bass sounded on "Wait for Me" and "Party Lites". Almost like there was some distortion in there as well. To me it was quite a different sound from anything on the previous albums.
I saw them live in Greensboro WAAAY back in '92 or '93 I believe. Loved it.