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BASS2BASS with FREEKBASS – Marc Brownstein from The Disco Biscuits
Marc “Brownie” Brownstein created what so many of us bassists aspire to: an original world where being a musician is not only an art but a lifestyle.
His name was put into the universe by way of his groundbreaking Jamtronica act, The Disco Biscuits. Stalwarts of the festival scene, the band also founded the very successful music festival, Camp Bisco. In the midst of a dramatically changed music environment, Brownstein has now founded the online portal, livelessonmasters.com, a timely connector for music artists to share their craft. Patrons have direct access to the artists for everything from bass lessons, producing, yoga instruction, and almost every musical or artistic discipline imaginable. Brownie and I are both instructors for this amazing online platform. I’m excited and honored to have Marc Brownstein in this month’s BASS2BASS with Freekbass.
If you had a bass with a built-in effect, what would it be, why that option, and where would the on/off switch be?
Without question, I would want the Bass to have the Mutron 3 pedal effect built it and I wouldn’t need an on/off switch, I would just leave it on all the time. The Mutron 3 bass.
As a bass instructor, what is your essential, go-to song to help a student get an overall feel for the instrument?
I like to use “Song for my Father” by Horace Silver. I find that the Bossanova is easy to learn for beginners but also great to teach for more advanced players who may not understand the role of the bass player, to stay in the pocket, wherever that may be.
If you had to choose a bassist to sub for you in the Disco Biscuits, and they had to be from the pre-1980 era, who would it be?
Chris Squire, my dude.
If you were asked to create a Netflix fictional series about a touring bassist who was suddenly quarantined at home, what flashbacks would your main character be having?
You can’t handle this flashback on strong acid, man… but for real, the whole thing would be flashbacks, because this home life thing isn’t that exciting and every episode is exactly the same.
What superhero would make the best bassist and why?
Definitely “the Thing” because you need to be solid as a rock to play the bass.