Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What famous bassist have you been able to meet?
- Thread starter April Ethereal
- Start date
I was playing elec bass with a pianist who had recently jointed scientology.
we were in a trio,
almost directly under the george washington bridge, on the jersey side. For you historians “Tom Swifts” was the clubs name.
one night, in walks Chick Corea ( you can see the scientology connection ) and and he enthusiastically plays a set on drums.
he was surpassingly musical; though
he had zero technique. i mean ZERO, i kept feeling the sticks were going to fall out of his hands.
that’s about the biggest paradox in my career. that weak technically, yet so incredibly musical. I did not even wish to play with the regular drummer after that set .
it’s not so much technique as musicality that we have to develop .
Last edited:
I met Jonas Hellborg when he and John McLaughlin were performing in Georgetown DC as a duo. Sat six feet away for the show which was a real treat. The guys in Fishbone were always accessible and friendly at their shows so JN Fisher. Chatted with Will Lee in Manny's music.
Non-bassists: When I worked at D'addario I got a little involved with the endorsement stuff and hung at length with Kevin Eubanks, Ben Verdery at HQ and also met John Scofield and band at a show.
My drummer had studied with and was good friends with Joe Morello so I had a chance to hang with him when he played a gig with Marian McPartland.
The one time I avoided chatting up a star was with Vernon Reid... I was still in 'trying to make it' mode, my wife-to-be and I had just finished a dinner we couldn't really afford 'Dish of Salt' a fru-fru Chinese restaurant in NYC, around 48th street and we were waiting to get our car from the parking garage. Mr. Reid was right up behind us and I recognized him immediately, but pretended not to. Just the three of us standing around. I was concerned that wanna be famous me and my girl chatting with Mr. Famous himself might result in him getting into a bigger piece of sh!t than I was driving at the time
We got our car first so not sure how it would've turned out.
Non-bassists: When I worked at D'addario I got a little involved with the endorsement stuff and hung at length with Kevin Eubanks, Ben Verdery at HQ and also met John Scofield and band at a show.
My drummer had studied with and was good friends with Joe Morello so I had a chance to hang with him when he played a gig with Marian McPartland.
The one time I avoided chatting up a star was with Vernon Reid... I was still in 'trying to make it' mode, my wife-to-be and I had just finished a dinner we couldn't really afford 'Dish of Salt' a fru-fru Chinese restaurant in NYC, around 48th street and we were waiting to get our car from the parking garage. Mr. Reid was right up behind us and I recognized him immediately, but pretended not to. Just the three of us standing around. I was concerned that wanna be famous me and my girl chatting with Mr. Famous himself might result in him getting into a bigger piece of sh!t than I was driving at the time
We got our car first so not sure how it would've turned out.I've met:
Larry Graham after a gig.
Louis Johnson after a gig.
Mark King before a gig. Down to earth and easy to talk with. We talked about his preference for medium scale basses.
Rocco Prestia before a gig.
Alan Gorrie, Average White Band.
I've never met Geddy Lee, but he's on my bucket list.
Larry Graham after a gig.
Louis Johnson after a gig.
Mark King before a gig. Down to earth and easy to talk with. We talked about his preference for medium scale basses.
Rocco Prestia before a gig.
Alan Gorrie, Average White Band.
I've never met Geddy Lee, but he's on my bucket list.
Dan Berglund, Gary Willis, Doug Pinnick, Victor Wooten... all of them were super, down-to-earth nice guys.
Wish my paths would cross with Tony Levin. I've probably studied his career more than any other bassist. Hellborg being a close second but he's kind of on his own planet. I would expect a meaningful conversation with a guy like Tony.
Wish my paths would cross with Tony Levin. I've probably studied his career more than any other bassist. Hellborg being a close second but he's kind of on his own planet. I would expect a meaningful conversation with a guy like Tony.
I've met (and partied with) more than my fair share of rockers, and a few funk guys too. Only time I've ever been starstruck was by Stanley Clarke. Hands like shovels, and a smile that's bigger. Lovely bloke. Obviously took pity on me. Managed a weak, "thank you for the music." Pathetic.
I posted a long list here in ‘21, but since then I’ve met…
Derrick Anderson, whose current primary gig is with Marshall Crenshaw, but he has also played with the Smithereens, the Kinks’ Dave Davies, Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles, and the Cowsills, and I’ll be catching a Crenshaw show soon as well.
Recently I caught a older indie rock sort-of all-star band, the Minus 5, and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck plays bass as needed, if that counts…I spoke briefly with him.
Most of you probably don’t know of guitarist/vocalist Geordie Greep, formerly of the band Black MIDI, but I think he(and they)are/were brilliant. The band was manic Crimson meets Beefheart stuff, his solo work has almost a Steely Dan vibe, but goes off on weird tangents. Chatted a bit with his current bass player, Dave Strawn at a show.
Coming up in the new year, I’m looking forward to small club performances by Johnny Marr and one of my fave new bands, Dry Cleaning. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get in anyone’s face, but if it happens, it happens. I don’t know who’s playing with Marr, but I’m enjoying what DC’s Lewis Maynard is doing, and would like give him a compliment.
Derrick Anderson, whose current primary gig is with Marshall Crenshaw, but he has also played with the Smithereens, the Kinks’ Dave Davies, Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles, and the Cowsills, and I’ll be catching a Crenshaw show soon as well.
Recently I caught a older indie rock sort-of all-star band, the Minus 5, and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck plays bass as needed, if that counts…I spoke briefly with him.
Most of you probably don’t know of guitarist/vocalist Geordie Greep, formerly of the band Black MIDI, but I think he(and they)are/were brilliant. The band was manic Crimson meets Beefheart stuff, his solo work has almost a Steely Dan vibe, but goes off on weird tangents. Chatted a bit with his current bass player, Dave Strawn at a show.
Coming up in the new year, I’m looking forward to small club performances by Johnny Marr and one of my fave new bands, Dry Cleaning. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get in anyone’s face, but if it happens, it happens. I don’t know who’s playing with Marr, but I’m enjoying what DC’s Lewis Maynard is doing, and would like give him a compliment.
Last edited:
Rufus Reid came to town for high school band jazz clinic. The band director was giving my daughter bass lessons so he invited us to the band performance as well as the afterparty at his house.
Does Ed Friedland count as famous? I took lessons from him and he engineered an album that I played on.
When playing with an opening act, I've met bassists who were playing in famous bands but themselves have never been well known. In fact, I can’t even remember most of their names
Does Ed Friedland count as famous? I took lessons from him and he engineered an album that I played on.
When playing with an opening act, I've met bassists who were playing in famous bands but themselves have never been well known. In fact, I can’t even remember most of their names
I'm not sure how famous I would count those I met who played in many of the bands we gigged with in the mid to late '60s. Some had more national popularity others more regional popularity but they all played on the hit records of that era; The Buckinghams, The Cryan Shames, The Royal Guardsmen, The Foundations, The American Breed and a few with more regional success.
Later on in the '80s and beyond I met Randy Meisner (POCO, Eagles), Mark Andes (Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart), and John Avila (Oingo Boingo) who actually sat in for me at a wedding gig we were playing. He was the bride's cousin. She asked me if it was OK and when I found out who her cousin was I said sure. I just asked him not to embarrass me too badly. He just laughed. Great guy. Very friendly.
Later on in the '80s and beyond I met Randy Meisner (POCO, Eagles), Mark Andes (Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart), and John Avila (Oingo Boingo) who actually sat in for me at a wedding gig we were playing. He was the bride's cousin. She asked me if it was OK and when I found out who her cousin was I said sure. I just asked him not to embarrass me too badly. He just laughed. Great guy. Very friendly.
Andes’ major gig(for me at least)was with the original line-up of Spirit…
Those other 60’s guys, sure, maybe not household names, but those bands were on the radio, and potentially heard ‘round the world.
Last edited:
John Entwistle, Dee Dee Ramone, Gene Simmons, Kenny Aaronson, Jeff Ament, Tom Petersson, others.
Oh yeah, I'd forgotten Spirit and yet we used to play "I Gotta Line On You". I met Mark long after that and post Heart when he was back with Firefall and cutting some bass tracks for a friend of mine's CD. As best I know he's still doing Firefall gigs these days although it's been awhile since I've seen them.
My era with them goes back 20 years ago and more when I was playing gigs with one of their members in his band and with Jim Mason their first producer. Most of the original members were gone at that time save for Jock. Mark and David Muse eventually returned but I believe David passed away a short time ago.
