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what made you...

#21
Bachman Turner Overdrive, the album was "Not Fragile." There was an instrumental tune called "Free Wheelin'" that had a bass solo. I just dug the sound of that instrument...that's when I learned what a bass guitar was and what the function of it was. I was about 14. I knew that was the sound I wanted to make - big, dark, deep and edgy.
 
#22
I began playing drums when I was 8...took private lessons 'til I was 14...got my first kit at 16 and played the heck out of it until I was about 24...

I was really focused on being a good pocket drummer. I knew in order to do this that I had to learn what the bassist was doing...

so I put together my own P-bass with quality parts for about $470 (yes, parts were a LOT cheaper in 1991).

First thing I learned was a Bad Company 10-4 greatest hits album...then onto the Doobies' Greatest Hits album...

It was soo much fun...I was hooked...15 years, 4 amps, and 4 basses later, I still have the original bass (it's at my folk's house in Pennsylvania)...and I absolutely LOVE playing bass...

I still drum from time to time, but I sold my set when I moved to Australia, and don't really have the $$$ or room for a new set just yet...so I'll keep on playing my budget basses and loving every minute of it!
 
#25
One of my closest friends (when I was 13 or so) was a great drummer, and his brother was a pretty good guitarist. I wanted to play music with them (mostly Rush stuff), so I told my dad, and he ended up surprising me with a MIJ Fender Squire 2 and a little practice amp. Of course, he surprised me with them right AFTER we moved out of town. I only really got to play with them once, but we played Xanadu, and it was pretty damn cool. His other brother (college age) was blown away, so that did it for me...I was going to be a rock star!

And, 27 years later, here I am! A TEACHER!!!:confused:
 
#27
For some reason, when I was a little kid (early 70s), I became fascinated with the sound of the bass. I used to play my brother's record albums with the stereo set to isolate as much of the bass as possible, and sit there as close to the speaker as possible taking in the bass parts of all the songs. "Highway Lady" by UFO sticks in my head - I'd play that song over and over. Many years later (mid 80s) one of my college buddies said "Let's start up a band." three hours later, I was thrashing away on a cheap plywood Empro P-knockoff trying to cover "Durango 95" by the Ramones. :bassist:
 
#28
In 7th grade my "Music Appreciation" class teacher recognized that I had a musical bent (had played some piano and trumpet by then and sang fairly well) and asked if I would join the orchestra. Originally she asked if I would play the violin. I looked around the room and saw a big double bass in the back and asked "What's that?". My testosterone kicked in and I told myself and the teacher I didn't want to play that pint size violin - I wanted to play that big thing in the back of the room. That was it.

I guess size did matter!!!!;)
 
#29
I'll try to keep this short, sort of...

Played a few instruments as a kid. Raised on classical music. Started trumpet in 3rd grade and played that through HS and then in the university jazz band and orchestra.

Got an old Gretch "New Yorker" guitar at a pawn shop at 12 years old and learned some folk songs on it. During HS I met a kid that also played guitar but he finger picked and used a pick and really played stuff! James Taylor to Traffic... so I started learning that stuff. When I was 21 I heard Doc Watson and I was blown away by his playing (and singing), so I spent the next year or so practicing guitar for 5+ hours a day. I improved a lot!

I was hired in a shmultzie lounge band as the trumpet player. Keys, drums and trumpet (bass was on keys)(gasp). Then after some personnel changes the other guy that played trumpet was freed up to do just that. The guy had a really cheap bass and a Randall amp/cabinet combo so I started playing bass (with a pick) on a couple of songs. The band grew to Keys/singer (she was amazing btw, but a psycho), drums, guitar, sax, trumpet and soon I got to play a whole night on bass. After the gig I couldn't believe how refreshed I fealt. Playing trumpet for four hours was very physically demanding, playing bass all night was fun! We were doing disco covers so the bass lines were up front and fun for me.

Here I am some 30 years later, I couldn't make a sound out of a trumpet anymore on a bet, but I play bass mostly and acoustic guitar in a church gig and bass in a fun cover band.

I love the bass! Just ordered an FBass!

My band: Link Removed

We have a lot of fun and play pretty much whatever we want.
 

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