Features
BASS LIFE BEGINS AFTER 60!
By Guest Contributor Nanker Phelge
“Youth is wasted on the young…” bellowed Bernard Shaw.
This a decidedly flawed quote oft-referenced by bassists, authors, web hosts, recording and performing artists, and co-hosts David C. Gross and Tom Semioli on their weekly radio show/podcast aptly titled Notes From An Artist.
Wherein early life is perpetually celebrated, Gross and Semioli are hitting their stride at a time when their peers are perceived to be headed out to pasture.
Former full-time working/touring musicians who nearly grabbed the brass ring of rock stardom in their respective 20s, Gross and Semioli parlayed their unpredictable music careers into more stable endeavors. It is a shared history with a decidedly D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) spirit that serves them well.
“We needed a lifetime of experience to do what we are doing now…” reveals Gross in his Upper West Side of Manhattan parlance. “We’ve pooled our ‘ya gotta do it yourself’ philosophy to the max. From the time we started out as musicians, we invented our own map – and geography. Along the way we’ve had to pivot – life is not static, it’s all about perpetual motion. By the time you read this, we’ll have already improved our work. We enjoy every minute of it. Every morning we have an hour-long conference ‘What can we do differently today, what can we do better!”
Adds Semioli, “We are enjoying the benefits of age, notwithstanding the occasional aches and pains. David and I draw influence from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in to the original cast of Saturday Night Live to the Joe Rogan Show. We’re not imitators, however, we learn from the masters, past and present. This is the perfect show for an AARP platform – we are living proof of the doctrine that life gets better with age even with all the bumps, bruises, and wrinkles along the way. We wear them as badges of honor!”
Gross, who has eighteen music theory, history, and transcription books to his credit, created an innovative music education platform for New York City schools entitled Empower Thru Music which places actual musicians in urban classrooms. Semioli migrated from the recording studio and the bandstand to the world of journalism as a writer / editor for Amplifier, Vh-1, Spin, Huffington Post, American Music Guide, and numerous other publications of renown.
When Napster presaged the record industry’s demise, Tom gravitated to public relations and television, representing and interviewing corporate executives, fashion designers, athletes, and celebrities for cable, digital, and broadcast media worldwide.
“I went from being the guy on stage to the man behind the curtain. Young artists loved working with me because I had been there and done that. They’d ask me how I knew so much – and my response was to keep breathing, keep exploring, and keep working…” When Covid stopped the world in early 2020 Gross and Semioli maintained their perpetual motion. Both their careers nosedived due to circumstances beyond their control, yet they managed to find each other by way of social media – in particular Facebook – the go-to destination for Boomers, Jones, and Gen X’ers. David was a fan of Tom’s Know Your Bass Player website/video series. Tom checked in regularly with David’s website/video series The Bass Guitar Channel.
“We had to work together,” says David. “We had these hours-long phone conversations which become the foundation of our show. And the fact that we’re both history buffs and voracious readers makes our research even easier. We know where to go. Knowledge is a powerful tool…”
The twosome found a home on the independent outlet Cygnus Radio – and began broadcasting as The Bass Guitar Channel.
Seeking to expand their scope beyond their beloved instrument, they remodeled their show as Notes From An Artist. Leveraging contacts from their professional lives, in less than a year on the air their roster of guests superseded what most broadcasters call a career.
“Zoom has been a boon for us” emphasizes Tom. “When I worked in the magazine biz, my interviews were mostly by phone which can be an impersonal platform especially when you’re speaking with someone for the first time – which was the usual case. In television, celebrities tend to act for the camera, however with Zoom people are relaxed in their homes and it’s a semi-controlled environment which makes for a more comfortable conversation.”
Notes From An Artist video viewers make note of the exercise equipment in David’s Zoom studio background. When bassist Tony Levin, known for his work with John Lennon, King Crimson, and Peter Gabriel appeared on the show via Zoom, his musical gear was positioned among his treadmill and weights as well. “Tony and I are both in our 70s. Physical fitness is one of the many keys to our longevity. Neither of us has any intentions of retiring. As we both said on the episode ‘retire to what!”
That sentiment is shared by their on-air invitees who span jazz, rock, classical, folk, country, and permutations thereof – and all of whom are active in their respective art. “And we hardly talk about the past – it’s all about what the artist is doing now and their future plans” boasts Tom. “Sure, history plays a big part in our show, but we put it in the context of the present. David and I are not nostalgic by nature. And our guests appreciate that – which is why they keep coming back on…”
For those of you keeping score: Select Guest List / Accreditation / Age
*Denotes bassist
Bob Gruen (Photographer – Kiss, John Lennon) 78 Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention) 74 Steve Hackett (Genesis) 73 *Ron Carter (Miles Davis) 86 Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) 75 John Altman (Monty Python, Amy Winehouse, James Bond, George Michael) 73 Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) 76 Ricky Byrd (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) 66 Colin Blunstone (The Zombies, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) 77 *Dave Swift (Later…with Jools Holland) 60 *Michael League (Snarky Puppy) 39 *Neil Jason (Bryan Ferry, Brecker Bros., Roxy Music, Diana Ross) 69 *Rick Wills (Peter Frampton, Foreigner, David Gilmour, Small Faces) 75 *Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Labelle, Rod Stewart) Joe Bonamassa) 70 *Freebo (Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur) 79 *Larry Grenadier (Brad Meldau, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny) 57 *John Regan (Peter Frampton, Rolling Stones, Ace Frehley, David Bowie) passed at 71 in 2023 *Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, The Pretenders) 74 *Michael Manring (Windham Hill Records) 63 *Jeff Berlin (Bruford)70 *Benny Rietveld (Sheila E, Miles Davis, Santana) 66 *Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osborne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake) 72 *George Porter Jr. (The Meters, Tori Amos, Dr. John, Robert Palmer) 75 *Gerry McAvoy (Rory Gallagher) 71 *Leo Lyons (Ten Years After) 79 *Jim Fielder (Blood Sweat & Tears, Tim Buckley, Frank Zappa) 76 *Harvey Brooks (Bob Dylan, Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors) 78 *Greg Chaisson (Badlands, Pat Travers) 65 *Sal Maida (Roxy Music, Sparks, Cracker, Edward Rogers) 71 *Percy Jones (Eno, Brand X) 75 Chris Parker (Stuff, Bob Dylan, Brecker Brothers) 72 *Mark Andes (Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, Ian MacLagen’s Bump Band) *Trey Gunn (King Crimson) 63 *Lee Sklar (James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Billy Cobham) 75 *Jerry Jemmott (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Roberta Flack) 77
All the Notes From An Artist episodes are archived on their podcast which is available on all streaming services including Spotify, BuzzSprout, Apple Music, and Amazon. “We’re battling the algorithms,” opines David. “We live in a world where twerking videos garner millions of views and social media shares but we don’t worry about stuff we cannot control. There is a need for intellectual content with depth and value and that’s what we deliver week after week after week.”
Gross continues “Our ethos is to be different. We don’t ask the usual questions – no gossip, no scandal though sometimes our subjects will make a few saucy revelations but we don’t encourage that. We follow the credo of our esteemed guest and music legend Ron Carter who has been on our show a few times to talk about his work with everyone from Miles Davis to A Tribe Called Quest and that is ‘it’s all about the Big M – music!’ We never lose sight of that! Plus we’re not fanboys – so many shows we hear on major platforms are mutual admiration affairs – not us!”
Among the duo’s running gags is the premise that David’s opinion is always right. Tom cedes to the older is wiser doctrine. Their differences stem from their slight generational divide. David is a child of the ‘60s – Tom came of age in the 70s. “David got here first…” stresses Tom, “so I understand how that tempers his views.” In one episode David and Tom debate which year in rock was superior – 1966 or 1971. David and guest author Mitchell Cohen reflexively chose’66, and Tom selected ’71 to which Cohen protested “How can you choose a year where there was no record from The Beatles or Bob Dylan!” To which Tom delivered the knockout punch “Mitch, there’s life after Dylan and The Beatles.” Among Tom’s Notes From An Artist side-projects is a video series entitled Defending The 1980s wherein he makes the case that the most maligned decade in rock/jazz / pop history was the most outstanding. Gross has yet to shoot holes through that theorem – stay tuned.
When Covid restrictions were relaxed in late 2021, Gross and Semioli took their radio/ podcast show to the concert stage. Once again, they called on their colleagues whose resumes include Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, the Rolling Stones, Joan Jett, Ian Hunter, Hall & Oates, J. Geils Band, Iggy Pop, and Late Night… with David Letterman to namedrop a few.
“I’d become friends with the sister in law of Roger Daltrey of The Who” recalls David. “Roger and Pete Townshend are the founders of the international charity Teen Cancer America which provides support for young cancer victims and include such activities as learning an instrument, recording, and performing before an audience. The power of music and healing is overwhelming – and we wanted to be a part of that. Tom had cancer, I lost friends to cancer – we had to do something.”
Gross and Semioli put together two Teen Cancer America fund-raisers in a matter of weeks. Daltrey and Townsend couldn’t make the trip due to travel restrictions however, they taped a message and sent a video that was played before the musicians took to the stage.
“Getting people out of their homes wasn’t easy” remembers Tom, “the media was scaring people, misinformation was rampant– but we managed to pull off successful shows at two of New York City’s signature venues – The Cutting Room and The City Winery. We even hosted a series of scaled-down performances at the hallowed Bitter End and The Stitch Bar and Blues in the old garment district for our following who couldn’t quite afford the prices at the other two venues.”
David chimes in “And we didn’t want our shows to be old-timers day. We mixed and matched artists from ages 21 to well over 70. Everybody rose to the occasion. We imparted our wisdom to the younger players and us old dogs learned a few new tricks too. The synergy was mutual.” And if that wasn’t enough to keep them busy – David and Tom put together an improvisatory bass, guitar, and percussion ensemble performing in venues in Harlem and the East Village of New York City. Gross found time to compose and lead a solo ensemble named Theorcolus which now performs at exclusive clubs in Manhattan.
Yet senior life is not without its down moments. Semioli experienced two major life changes for the worse. In March of 2021, Tom’s wife Leona became seriously ill. Her diagnosis after months of tests and hospitalizations was Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – a rare, incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Tom assumed the role of full-time caregiver.
“She was an incredible fan of the show – you could hear her laughter in the background on our podcasts. PSP is often misdiagnosed as Dementia or Alzheimer’s as the symptoms are nearly identical. The difference with PSP is that it progresses much, much faster. My mom passed away from Dementia in May of 2022 after years of being bedridden. The emotional and financial burden was tremendous. Leona’s illness doubled that burden.”
Though life expectancy is usually about four years, Leona passed suddenly in March of 2023. David and his wife Nancy were there just hours after she transitioned peacefully traveling from their Connecticut home to the Bronx.
“A lot of people are afraid of being a caregiver, but it is a rewarding experience. You need to do it for your loved one and yourself” Tom intones. “Her passing is further inspiration for David and me to do as much as we can while we’re stomping around on this mortal coil.”
David’s daughter is a star photography student at the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York City. “I am such a big fan of my daughter’s work and I’m not just saying that as a doting father. She inspires me. And apparently, I inspire her too. At one of our shows, she came on stage to introduce us and gave an impromptu speech about how cool it was to have a dad who is still a rock and roller! And this is coming from the Tik-Tok generation.
David’s wife Nancy, a former actress and model turned film producer helms her own production company Summer Girl Entertainment. Her most recent documentary We’re Still Here was inspired by David and Tom’s musical colleagues from the East Village of Manhattan. She also curates art shows featuring some of New York City’s most eclectic artists and poets.
David and Tom find the title of Nancy’s film amusing as it relates to their lives.
“Of course, we’re still here…bass players never go away. We’re always supportive, we’re always needed. Playing bass keeps us young – we’re still learning our instrument.” After years of experimentation, Tom returned to his trusty traditional four- string Fender Jazz. David plies his craft on a custom Ken Bebensee six-string with a pink hue complimented by neon pink coated strings.
“Our peers continue to argue about how many strings should a ‘real bass’ be” laughs Tom. “As we learned from Ron it’s about the ‘Big M’ music – and I’ll add to that the ‘Big L’ – life! Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re too old….”
Visit Online:
The Notes From An Artist Website
Notes From An Artist Radio Show
Notes From An Artist Podcast
Notes From An Artist YouTube Channel
If you are an electric bass player, this is an exciting time to be alive as this relatively new instrument evolves around us. Some creative individuals have taken an active role in this evolution and made giant leaps in their own direction. Lee Barker is one of these inventive people having created the Barker Bass.
Fortunately, Lee is also an excellent writer (among so many talents) and has recently released his book “Plausible Gumption, The Road Between a Christmas Toolbox and The Barker Bass”. This book is a very fun read for everyone and shares a ton of details about Lee’s life in general, his experiences as a musician, a radio host, and a luthier. Now I am fortunate to have the great opportunity to gain even more insights into this renaissance man with this video interview.
Plausible Gumption, The Road Between a Christmas Toolbox and The Barker Bass is available online at Amazon.com
Interview and photo courtesy of Holly Bergantino of Bergantino Audio Systems
With an expansive live show and touring, Mt. Joy bassist Michael Byrnes shares his experiences with the joyful, high-energy band!
Michael Byrnes has kept quite a busy touring schedule for the past few years with his band, Mt. Joy. With a philosophy of trial and error, he’s developed quite the routines for touring, learning musical instruments, and finding the right sound. While on the road, we were fortunate to have him share his thoughts on his music, history, and path as a musician/composer.
Let’s start from the very beginning, like all good stories. What first drew
you to music as well as the bass?
My parents required my sister and I to play an instrument. I started on piano and really didn’t like it so when I wanted to quit my parents made me switch to another instrument and I chose drums. Then as I got older and started forming bands there were never any bass players. When I turned 17 I bought a bass and started getting lessons. I think with drums I loved music and I loved the idea of playing music but when I started playing bass I really got lost in it. I was completely hooked.
Can you tell us where you learned about music, singing, and composing?
A bit from teachers and school but honestly I learned the most from just going out and trying it. I still feel like most of the time I don’t know what I am doing but I do know that if I try things I will learn.
What other instruments do you play?
A bit of drums but that’s it. For composing I play a lot of things but I fake it till I make and what I can’t fake I will ask a friend!
I know you are also a composer for film and video. Can you share more
about this with us?
Pretty new to it at the moment. It is weirdly similar to the role of a bass player in the band. You are using music to emphasize and lift up the storyline. Which I feel I do with the bass in a band setting. Kind of putting my efforts into lifting the song and the other musicians on it.
Everybody loves talking about gear. How do you achieve your “fat” sound?
I just tinker till it’s fat lol. Right now solid-state amps have been helping me get there a little quicker than tube amps. That’s why I have been using the Bergantino Forté HP2 – Otherwise I have to say the cliche because it is true…. It’s in the hands.
Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that you’d like
to explore on the bass.
I like to think of myself as a pretty catchy bass player. I need to ask my bandmates to confirm! But I think when improvising and writing bass parts I always am trying to sneak little earworms into the music. I want to explore 5-string more!
Who are your influences?
I can’t not mention James Jamerson. Where would any of us be if it wasn’t for him? A lesser-known bassist who had a huge effect on me is Ben Kenney. He is the second bassist in the band Incubus and his playing on the Crow Left the Murder album completely opened me up to the type of bass playing I aspire towards. When I first started playing I was really just listening to a lot of virtuosic bassists. I was loving that but I couldn’t see myself realistically playing like that. It wasn’t from a place of self-doubt I just deep down knew that wasn’t me. Ben has no problem shredding but I was struck by how much he would influence the song through smaller movements and reharmonizing underneath the band. His playing isn’t really in your face but from within the music, he could move mountains. That’s how I want to play.
What was the first bass you had? Do you still have it?
A MIM Fender Jazz and I do still have it. It’s in my studio as we speak. I rarely use it these days but I would never get rid of it.
(Every bass player’s favorite part of an interview and a read!) Tell us about
your favorite bass or basses. 🙂
I guess I would need to say that MIM Jazz bass even though I don’t play it much. I feel connected to that one. Otherwise, I have been playing lots of great amazing basses through the years. I have a Serek that I always have with me on the road (shout out Jake). Also have a 70’s Mustang that 8 times out of 10 times is what I use on recordings. Otherwise, I am always switching it up. I find that after a while the road I just cycle basses in and out. Even if I cycle out a P bass for another P bass.
What led you to Bergantino Audio Systems?
My friend and former roommate Edison is a monster bassist and he would gig with a cab of yours all the time years ago. Then when I was shopping for a solid state amp the Bergantino Forté HP2 kept popping up. Then I saw Justin Meldal Johnsen using it on tour with St. Vincent and I thought alright I’ll give it a try!
Can you share a little bit with us about your experience with the Bergantino
forte HP amplifier? I know you had this out on tour in 2023 and I am pretty
certain the forte HP has been to more countries than I have.
It has been great! I had been touring with a 70’s SVT which was great but from room to room, it was a little inconsistent. I really was picky with the type of power that we had on stage. After a while, I thought maybe it is time to just retire this to the studio. So I got that Forte because I had heard that it isn’t too far of a leap from a tube amp tone-wise. Plus I knew our crew would be much happier loading a small solid state amp over against the 60 lbs of SVT. It has sounded great and has really remained pretty much the same from night to night. Sometimes I catch myself hitting the bright switch depending on the room and occasionally I will use the drive on it.
You have recently added the new Berg NXT410-C speaker cabinet to your
arsenal. Thoughts so far?
It has sounded great in the studio. I haven’t gotten a chance to take it on the road with us but I am excited to put it through the paces!
You have been touring like a madman all over the world for the past few
years. Any touring advice for other musicians/bass players? And can I go to Dublin, Ireland with you all??
Exercise! That’s probably the number one thing I can say. Exercise is what keeps me sane on the road and helps me regulate the ups and downs of it. Please come to Dublin! I can put you on the guest list!
It’s a cool story on how the Mt. Joy band has grown so quickly! Tell us
more about Mt. Joy, how it started, where the name comes from, who the
members are and a little bit about this great group?
Our singer and guitarist knew each other in high school and have made music together off and on since. Once they both found themselves living in LA they decided to record a couple songs and put out a Craigslist ad looking for a bassist. At the time I had just moved to LA and was looking for anyone to play with. We linked up and we recorded what would become the first Mt. Joy songs in my house with my friend Caleb producing. Caleb has since produced our third album and is working on our fourth with us now. Once those songs came out we needed to form a full band to be able to do live shows. I knew our drummer from gigging around LA and a mutual friend of all of us recommended Jackie. From then on we’ve been on the road and in the studio. Even through Covid.
Describe the music style of Mt. Joy for me.
Folk Rock with Jam influences
What are your favorite songs to perform?
Always changing but right now it is ‘Let Loose’
What else do you love to do besides bass?
Exercise!
I always throw in a question about food. What is your favorite food?
I love a good chocolate croissant.
Follow Michael Byrnes:
Instagram: @mikeyblaster
Follow Mt. Joy Band:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mtjoyband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtjoyband
I am sure many of you are very familiar with Mark Egan as we have been following him and his music for many years now. The last time we chatted was in 2020.
Mark teamed up with drummer Shawn Pelton and guitarist Shane Theriot to produce a new album, “Cross Currents” released on March 8th, 2024. I have been listening to this album in its entirety and it is simply superb (See my review).
Now, I am excited to hear about this project from Mark himself and share this conversation with our bass community in Bass Musician Magazine.
Photo courtesy of Mark Egan
Visit Online:
markegan.com
markegan.bandcamp.com
Apple Music
Amazon Music
Bassist Adam Sullivan…
Hailing from Minnesota since 2012, By the Thousands has produced some serious Technical Metal/Deathcore music. Following their recent EP “The Decent”s release, I have the great opportunity to chat with bassist Adam Sullivan.
Join me as we hear about Adam’s musical Journey, his Influences, how he gets his sound, and the band’s plans for the future
Photo, Laura Baker
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Bergantino Welcomes Marc Brownstein to Their Family of Artists
Bergantino Shares: The innovative bassist/sonic explorer/DJ Marc Brownstein discusses his life of touring with Disco Biscuits, the current tour with the new album “Revolution in Motion, and more!
By Holly Bergantino
Marc Brownstein is the king of “Trance-Fusion” – a subgenre that his band Disco Biscuits has been in the center of for the past two decades. As a founding member of the band from their days at UPenn, Marc has quite the experience under his belt, and each tour has gotten more and more exciting. Disco Biscuits is currently on tour with their new album Revolution in Motion, a full multimedia experience accompanied by a 25-minute animated film that tells a story of intergalactic travelers finding their way on Earth.
D. J. Brownie! What made you want to be a musician and start playing bass and who drew you to it?
I was drawn to music after John Lennon was assassinated. I was raised in NYC and the city was just going crazy. I was 7 years old at the time and my thought was, wow why is everyone freaking out so much, this guy must be really special. And so I started to check the Beatles out and that was the beginning of my journey with music.
A question from one of your fans and fellow bass players Karina Rykman: “How do you keep your bubble of positivity intact and thriving”?
Well it’s funny she should ask. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the run of positivity we are experiencing now began right at the beginning of tour at the beginning of January 2023 when we had Karina opening for us for a week. I can say that her positive energy on tour definitely left its mark on the rest of our tour. Some people are so naturally happy and positive that it leaves you feeling that way, sometimes permanently!
Besides the bass guitar, what other instruments do you play?
I dabble with piano, guitar, and I can make my way around a drum kit if I get into it for a few weeks. I’ve played flute and saxophone as well at different times. I also play the double bass. But I would say Piano is my second instrument at this point. I play everyday.
What is your favorite (and least favorite) thing about touring?
The best part of touring is the 4 hours on stage with the band. But also getting to visit so many great places all of the time. That’s the silver lining. The only thing I don’t love about touring is missing my family.
Tell us about your first music teacher. What lesson did you learn from this person and still use today?
My first music teacher, Mrs. Koslov, 2nd grade, I just was at her funeral a few weeks ago. I eventually became best friends with Mrs Koslov’s son and we stayed in touch for my whole life. She taught me a lot but really she was the one who gave me the courage to perform. My first public performance ever was a piano version of Eleanor Rigby.
What was the first bass you had?
This is tough. I think I had a standard Ibanez jazz style bass first. Within a year or two I got an American Fender Jazz bass.
What are the basses you have and use now?
My main bass is an Elrick 5 string by Rob Elrick. I also have a Q5 Modulus and an Alembic 5 as well. Oteil (Burbridge) sent me a Roscoe custom 6 during the Pandemic that I like to play. I also have a Sire Marcus Miller, a newer American Fender Jazz bass, a custom Ibanez SDGR, an Ibanez BTB and an Elrick 5 string Fretless bass which is my main bass at home.
Who were the musicians who inspired you and what qualities do you admire about them?
I was deeply influenced by Phish when I discovered them in college. I admired their ability to mesh jazz, classical and rock Improvisational styles. I was very inspired by classic jazz musicians. Miles. Monk. Coltrane. Dexter Gordon. Cannonball Adderly. Mingus. This is the generation of musicians that laid the groundwork for what we do now.
You studied and started the band Disco Biscuits at UPenn. Tell us more about the origins.
The band just sort of linked up in the quad (dormitory) and we started to set up our gear and jam for fun. Within a short time I realized the guys I was playing with were really talented and so I applied to the New School for jazz and went and spent a year crash coursing music at a high level so I could return to Penn and start a band with them.
You have a new album “Revolution in Motion,” that you’re currently touring on. How is it going?
The tour has been amazing. It’s one of the best tours we ever had in our career. We sold out more than half of the shows and are receiving really great feedback across the country.
I watched the video on YT for Revolution in Motion. The Choreography, production, color, cartoon characters, and theme were so much fun. Space aliens and psychedelic art, pop ups like a comic book, and you in your alien jump suit with your baseball cap were amazing. Loved! How was this collaborated?
We have a co-writer on this project named Joey friedman. He conceived of the concept for the album and he had a very specific vision for what the visuals would look like. He spent hours and hours with the animators (Blunt Action) and the AI animator (Todd Kushnir) working through each iteration to make it come to life in the way that it was conceived.
How would you describe the music you create for Disco Biscuits?
We always hoped that the music we created would be the weirdest and craziest music of all time but we describe it as Trance-Fusion, which was a name that was drawn from jazz-fusion, the mixing of jazz with rock and roll instruments. We found our own sound by mixing trance music with rock and roll instruments, hence the genre title. It was renamed jamtronica many years later by the folks over at SiriusXM who started a radio show called the Jamtronica show to highlight acts from our scene. I was the host of that show for the first 3 years.
Describe the creative process when you write new music.
These days the creative process is a team effort. Usually we start by combing through improvisational sections of music from the tours to see if we can find any melodies or chord structures that are song worthy. When we find it we bring it into our DAW (ableton) and creating a grid. This is easy for us because we often play to a time clock on stage. From there we start building out the structures of the new piece of music while Joey and maybe me or Aron or Jon will start working on some lyrical concepts. Within an hour or two we start to record some of these initial lyrics and melodies and Jon usually starts to adapt them and tweak them to make them comfortable for him to sing. Usually within a few hours we are able to walk away with a very advanced demo of a new song. It’s been an extremely fruitful experience that has left us with albums worth of the best material we’ve had in decades.
The lighting for your shows is amazing. Who does the lighting design work and choreography for the tours?
Our new LD is known as Herm, but his name is Alex. We know him as Herm though. He came to us from the band Twiddle at the beginning of this year and has totally revitalized the visual elements of the stage show. He’s a really great fit and we feel grateful to have been linked up with such a massive talent. It was luck and timing and some might call it fate.
How would your bandmates describe you?
My bandmates would probably describe me as energetic and talkative and headstrong but also they might notice that I’ve become really good at going with the flow and backing their creative instincts. They may further describe me as anxious and nervous but may also notice that these elements have been remediated of recent. Mostly I think they would describe me as loyal and dedicated.
How did you find Bergantino Audio systems?
I was first introduced to it by Ed Grasmeyer who I know as Mike Gordon’s tech in Burlington. I was playing a show at Nectars and needed a backline and Ed came and set me up with the ForteHP2 and I was blown away by the tone. I then noticed Karina Rykman was using Bergantino as well and that’s when I started to think I needed to get in contact with the company. Karina was opening for the Biscuits on Boston and that’s where I had the chance to demo the forte hp2 in the context of the biscuits stage show. I haven’t looked back since that night.
Tell us about your experience with the Forté HP2 on the tour?
There are so many things that I can say about it but the most notable is that I’m not struggling to hear the frequencies that I want to hear on stage anymore. I used to have to boost the bass everywhere. In an EQ pedal, on the preamp on the actual bass. But every time you add a little of those low frequencies in those other places you risk degrading the tone of the signal. With the Forte HP2 there is a punch button that gives me exactly the frequency I’m looking for. 100 hz. 4 db. It’s perfect.
Did you think Jim talked too much when you met him in Boston?
I will never notice when someone talks too much because chances are I’m out talking them.
What’s your process for dealing with performance anxiety?
I used to self-medicate for this purpose but I was recently in touch with a psychiatrist who has helped me regulate my own chemical imbalances and I have found that my performance anxiety isn’t really an issue when I have the proper amount of dopamine in the system!
Imagine that you’re at a party and it’s a little stale. What’s the “party trick” (or hidden talent) that you’d bust out to liven the place up?
Before the app existed I was known as a real life fruit ninja. I take a big knife and people throw fruit from across the room and I chop it in half in mid-air. It’s not the safest party trick anymore because I lost vision in my right eye a few years ago and I’m not as accurate as I used to be!
What hobbies do you have outside of music?
I love sports. I love reading. I love word games. I love gardening. I love hiking/running/moving. My biggest hobby was snowboarding for many years but I’ve grown injury prone and stay off the mountain these days.
What is the most trouble you ever got into?
Well, I managed to stay out of trouble until college. But before weed was legalized I had a series of run-ins with the law and spent a night in the clink in Amherst Mass during my freshman year fraternity pledge trip. Luckily this isn’t an issue anymore for those of us who don’t drink or smoke cigarettes but prefer a little of the wacky tabacky to cool down.
What is the message you would give to your fans?
Well I give them so many messages all the time but the most important one that I try to remember to keep constant is a message of gratitude. Thank you so much for sticking with us through thick and thin, through ups and downs, for decades now you have allowed us to live our dreams and have the most blessed lives possible.
How do you feel social media has impacted your music?
Social media is a double edged sword. It has allowed us to create a strong community where everyone feels like a family but for someone like me who gets addicted to things easily, I really have to be vigilant with practice and writing and other aspects of my life not to spend the whole day scrolling and wasting the time away.
What is your favorite song of all time?
Right now my favorite song of all time is probably a short and beautiful little ditty by Labi Siffre called Bless the Telephone. I would suggest everyone take the 1:29 to listen to it and feel the bliss.
What did I miss for a question that you would like to share?
Bass players don’t really get to play solo shows, at least not my style of bass, so I’ve had to learn how to DJ in order to perform by myself at times and I would suggest coming out to see a DJ Brownie show at some point.
Last one! Describe your perfect meal!
I love to eat great meals. I’m partial to Asian foods but the perfect meal to me is one slice of pizza from Freddie and Peppers on 72nd and Amsterdam in NYC. PERFECTION.
Follow Marc Brownstein:
Instagram: @marcbrownstein
X (formerly Twitter): @marc_brownstein
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcbrownstein4
www.discobiscuits.com
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