Currently Funkin' it up with
And now, an original project called FREEWILL
In The Beginning...
It all started when I was about fifteen or sixteen. There was this hotel bar in Surrey, British Columbia, that was infamous for giving under-aged kids beer and it was my turn to buy. I was pretty nervous when I stepped into the dark abyss that was the bar. The jazz that ignited the smoky air made my heart beat faster. I looked up at the brightest point in the room, the stage, and saw three black musicians just giving it everything they had. The image is burned into my brain to this day. There was the guitar player, playing a cherry red semi-acoustic, laying down colour chords that were hot enough to melt paint. There was the drummer with his straight ahead groove. He was playing only a kick and snare with a hi-hat and one cymbal. What he did with so little was incredible.
Then there he was. I have no idea who he was, but he changed my life forever. He was shaved bald, tall and skinny, wearing an un-tucked white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His face was all scrunched up into a featureless raisin. Sweat poured off his forehead. He was playing a stand-up bass like he was punishing it. Spanking it like it was a very bad bass indeed.
I stood there with my mouth open until I was ushered out, sans beer, by the waitress. Bummer. But I knew then I had to learn to play like that guy. So I started taking the hour-and-a-half bus ride downtown to Long & McQuade once a week and pretended I was going to buy a bass. I'd play, or at least try to, until they'd kick me out. Looking back, I'd say they were extremely tolerant. Probably a good thing because I've spent a fortune there over the years. I got a job at McDonald's to get my first National bass guitar. It was a very cheap B.C. Rich copy that must have cost me $250.00 brand new. Cheap, even back then. I traded my stereo tape deck to a friend for his 100 watt 1X15 Randall amp, and I was set. Ready for my first band.
Previous Bands...
Leather Messiah - Original heavy metal
Ricochet Rabbit - Classic Rock & Modern Country
Tokyo Rose - Duo playing Classic Rock & Top Forty
Ground Control - Top Forty Rock
Intensive Care - Top Forty Progressive Rock (With Zeke)
Plus way too many more to list.
Gear...
I play an original Steinberger XL-2, Graphite Neck & Active EMGs. I also have a Larrivee bass with a drop D tuner.
For an Amp, I have a Gallien-Kruger 800RB through a GK 4 X 10 cab. Killer tone!
Influences...
Some of the players that have inspired me and why (in no particular order):
John Entwhistle for his incredible ability to jam. Here's this guy who just sort of stood there, with his fingers crawling up and down the neck at lightning speed, never missing a note. To top it off, he looked like he made it up as he went.
Sting for his sense of timing. Over the years he's gone a tad jazzy for me, but when his was with The Police, his off-beat weird count with the odd chord was way under-rated. Very tasty player.
Chris Squire for his sound and his technique.
Geddy Lee just because he's amazing.
Graham Maby (Joe Jackson) is probably the player that influenced me the most. His lines and licks were incredibly cool in the early JJ days. Without Graham, Green Day would be a very different band.
Of course, none of this sounds very funky, but lately I've been listening to a lot of Bootsy Collins' work.Wow. I'm surprised it took me so long. The guy's pretty amazing. Snappy dresser, too!