Features
Interview with Bassist Mick Mahan, “No Excuses”
Photo, Meghan Gaucher
Interview with Bassist Mick Mahan, “No Excuses”…
How did you get started playing bass to where you are today?
At a really early age, around the age of four, I was paying attention to music and was able to recognize the feelings and emotions it could evoke. That’s what music is all about… a gift that can make you happy, or give you any number of different emotions and feelings. A song that had a big impact on me was Del Shannon’s “Runaway”. It’s a minor-ish kind of song, has a great vibe and it’s an emotional piece. That really struck a chord with me and I became interested in the effect music had on other people and what it would be like to do that kind of artistry. Once the Beatles hit, that was it, I was done. Everyone in the audience was crying, screaming and going crazy. Each of the guys had such a strong personality. They had their own thing and each was definitive. From that point on, I wanted to play guitar.
Photo, Meghan Gaucher
My Uncle Eddie had a country vibe, did a lot of Hank Williams songs and stuff like that. He would sit in the living room and sing and play on an old Gibson single cutaway guitar. I was young and it was the first time I had seen anyone performing live. It was so amazing and so cool to me. I didn’t have a guitar so he gave me his Gibson until I could buy my own guitar. It was a Vox Ace, sort of a Strat knock-off and it had three pickups on it. I think I probably paid two hundred dollars for it at Dusi Music, a local store. Years later when I met Chuck Rainey, he told me he bought his first bass at that same music store. Chuck Rainey is a bass hero to everyone, but particularly to me because we’re from the same side of our hometown. We have a lot of the same influences and I consider him a kindred spirit.
After I bought the Vox, I got in a band called the Illusions with guys older than I was. We started playing dances and private parties, and I made a little bit of money. Shortly before I got into high school, the band I was playing in lost our bass player and I ended up doing it because… well, somebody had to do it. I borrowed a bass from a friend and bought records, 45’s, to learn the bass lines. It was right around the time Led Zeppelin arrived on the scene and John Paul Jones was a highly influential bass player for me. What he was doing at the time was sort of a fusion of R&B, true R&B like James Jamerson, mixed in with a rock player. Bass lines like “Ramble On”, that’s like a Jamerson bass line. I had no formal education it was all learning by ear and emulating as closely as possible. When you learn bass lines, they’re so much about the feel. You can learn HOW to play the bass lines, but trying to get the FEEL of that into your playing, is a whole other thing. Winter in Ohio has pretty foul weather, and it lent itself to staying indoors a lot. It was easy to stay home and learn music. I wasn’t interested in learning how to read music, or approach it from an educational standpoint. During those days, people didn’t necessarily teach you what you wanted to play, so I taught myself. Bass is underrated, but it’s the heart and soul of the rhythm section. Bass and drums create the foundation for a band. I liked that role. You have to like repetition without becoming bored. Bands want a foundational kind of player to hold it down.
Photo, Meghan Gaucher
Ohio was a great place to grow up in the sixties and seventies. There were some amazing bands and a lot of the local musicians from Cleveland and Youngstown went on to have great careers. That whole pocket of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan was such a hotbed of great music to experience. How many kids grow up going to see Joe Walsh for 50 cents and are fortunate enough to be around that kind of musical power? You take a guy like Gregg Bissonette, who can play any style with authenticity and just bring it 100% all the time. He came from Detroit and had that kind of influence. Chad Smith is also from Detroit and had that same influence. The influence was pretty incredible and the bar was set really high. Once I moved to Los Angles, I realized in order to compete with that level of player, I needed to get my act together. To be a journeyman in Los Angles in the 80’s, you had to read music and you had to know how to speak the language. That’s when I got turned on to studying at The Grove School of Music. I found that something I thought was not effective became very effective, because I was able to communicate the language at an educated level. I was successful at learning the educational aspect of music at that point because I was older and ready to digest it, and also the way education was approached at The Grove School. Even now, I’m able to incorporate that same approach when I teach. I’ll volunteer to teach an elementary school, and because the kids understand their ABC’s and know how to count, they can grasp the notes and a scale. If you present music and music education to kids in a fun, simplistic way, they’re going to understand it and hopefully develop a life-long appreciation for it. At a young age when you’re really open and sensitive to these things, they’re able to bring it into their world and make it their own. As a kid, I had some great musicians to go see all the time who were able to influence me into doing what I do to this day.
Tell us about some of the artists you have worked with.
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, I worked with artists like Lisa Hartman, Rick Springfield, Ambrosia, Philip Bailey and The 5th Dimension. That’s how it was back then. You got one or two gigs and then things started moving. I worked for songwriters and composers like Boyce and Hart, Henry Mancini, Prince, Bobby Caldwell, Jack Tempchin and dozens more. There was so much work going on that you could easily transition to several different musical situations: playing, songwriting, and getting into the publishers’ studios and cutting demos. Songwriting and composing became a passion. I wrote songs, film cues and TV music incessantly. In the 90’s and into 2000 I worked with artist such as Montrose, David Foster, Sheryl Crow, Alan Parsons, Sophie B. Hawkins, Barry Manilow, Dixie Chicks, Marc Bonilla and the Dragon Choir, Keith Emerson, Glenn Hughes (The Boys Club) and Martina McBride. Around 2005 I was involved as principle with the formation of California Transit Authority (CTA), Danny Seraphine’s project after a many-year hiatus. That was great being able to do those two records.
Photo, Lisa S. Johnson
The Woodland Hills Drum Club was an amazing experience I had through my association with Mark Craney. We would set up three drum sets and guys like Mark Craney, Gregg Bissonette, Doane Perry, Vinnie Colaiuta, Terry Bozio, Richie Hayward, Myron Grombacher, Tris Imboden, John Robinson and Will Kennedy would play with Larry Wilkens on guitar and me on bass. We played for ten years doing a Monday night jam thing, and a couple times a year we would throw a benefit. One night, in walks Tony Williams, and you just hear everyone go “Oh my God, Tony Williams is here”. Tony didn’t play with us, he just stood there and watched. The respect we all had for that guy was just amazing. The Drum Club introduced me to so many musical connections. Mark Craney once told me, “You don’t play the bass, you negotiate it”. That’s something I carry with me all the time. He had a profound impact on my life and I remember him saying “No Excuses” and he brought it every time. Every drummer has their own personality and where they place the beat, whether it’s in front, behind, or in the middle of the beat. I’m kind of a middle of the beat player. I loved those drum collaborations and the drum community, because it’s such a strong community. These guys are competitive, but they share their knowledge and they’re proud of it.
This whole thing with Pat Benatar came at probably one of the worst times in my life. It’s post-earthquake in Los Angeles in 1994 and I’m on my hands and knees in my kitchen, chipping up and replacing old tile and the phone rings… It’s Neil Giraldo and he said he got my name from Myron Grombacher and some others and would I “like to come audition for the band?”. We’re just talking, getting familiar with each other when call waiting clicks in and I say, “Would you mind holding for one sec, I got another call and I’ll get rid of it?”. At that same exact time that I’m on the phone with Neil, Doane Perry from Jethro Tull calls and says Ian is putting a band together, and asks if I would be interested in doing that. Well, there was no work in LA at the time because the earthquake had devastated everything, and here I am on my hands and knees in the kitchen, laying tile and all of a sudden, I get a call for TWO great gigs. I talked to both guys and thought about it a bit more. Pat and Neil were a family and a team. My wife at the time was pregnant and the whole family situation really appealed to me, so I chose the Benatar gig. First, I go play with just Myron and Neil. Then I went back and played with them a second time. Finally, it was time to meet Pat to ensure that I was the right choice for the band. She comes into the room and asks to see my socks, so I lift my pant leg up…she sees the white socks and says, “Ok, you ARE from Ohio, you’re in the band”. That was it and I’ve been with them ever since. It’s been great working with people of that caliber… she never sings a bad note, consistently great night after night and he’s an amazingly talented guitar player.
Photo, Lisa S. Johnson
What gear do you use when on the road?
I’m using two TC Blacksmith amplifiers. These are 1600watt amps, and I’m using them bridged into four 4×10 cabinets. That’s a firm sound, and it doesn’t even have to be loud. I play a lot of Fender basses these days. I really like the product that comes from Fender right off the line. Even as a manufactured bass, it’s the first electric bass and provides a solid classic sound. Their quality control is so high and so good. Another one of my favorites that I use for almost all recordings are my Tobias basses. I have several Tobias basses that I absolutely love and believe that Michael Tobias is just one of the best luthiers on the planet. He has a design that fits my hand, my personality and unbeatable playability. It’s just a well-designed instrument. Bartolini pickups have always been my favorite sound. The growl is what I love about them. You still get plenty of clarity with the right amount of grit. Lately, I’ve been checking out the Vintage and Fret King basses and really impressed with their basses. I have a Vintage Jaco fretless jazz and a Fret King Perception 5 string and they’re great instruments. As far as the acoustic basses, I use Boulder Creek. You just plug it in and you’re off to the races. There is no feedback making a bunch of noise with the Boulder Creek acoustic basses. The Boulder Creek products are very high quality and sound amazing.
Any advice for aspiring bassists?
Yes, it’s actually an obvious answer: Practice! Practice! Practice! Keep your hands on the bass as much as possible. Make friends with your instrument. When you work on things that challenge you, it ultimately makes you play better. Rehearsing the same licks will not get you to a new level, but playing things out of your comfort zone will. That’s not to say that you don’t practice your normal warm up exercises, scales, etc., but constantly push yourself.
So what’s happening for you currently?
The Pat Benatar summer tour will be starting up soon, along with the usual gigs and sessions in Los Angeles. Writing and recording are a constant in my world. And after many years of research and planning, I’m finally realizing a dream of mine this year and opening a pizzeria called “Parma Pizzeria Napoletana”. As one famous pizziola said to me “You should make great pizza because you’re a bass player and you understand feel”. It’s an interesting comparison between music and pizza, because I consider them both to be an art. I’m a foodie… so it makes sense.
Visit online at:
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
Featured Videos
Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
FB @lettucefunk
Bass Videos
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Ian Allison Bassist extreme…
Most recently Ian has spent the last seven years touring nationally as part of Eric Hutchinson and The Believers, sharing stages with acts like Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Matt Nathanson, Phillip Phillips, and Cory Wong playing venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Staples Center and The Xcel Center in St. Paul, MN.
I had a chance to meet up with him at the Sellersville Theater in Eastern Pennsylvania to catch up on everything bass. Visit online at ianmartinallison.com/
Features
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
Checking in with Bergantino Artist James Tobias
James Tobias, Bassist for psychedelic, Reggae-Rock titans Audic Empire shares his history as a musician and how he came to find Bergantino…
Interview by Holly Bergantino
James Tobias, a multi-talented musician and jack-of-all-trades shares his story of coming up as a musician in Texas, his journey with his band Audic Empire, and his approach to life and music. With a busy tour schedule each year, we were fortunate to catch up with him while he was out and about touring the US.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Dallas, Texas and lived in the Dallas area most of my life with the exception of 1 year in Colorado. I moved to the Austin area at age 18.
What makes the bass so special to you particularly, and how did you gravitate to it?
I honestly started playing bass because we needed a bass player and I was the one with access to a bass amp and bass. I played rhythm guitar and sang up until I met Ronnie, who I would later start “Audic Empire” with. He also played rhythm guitar and sang and we didn’t know any bass players, so we had to figure something out. I still write most of my songs on guitar, but I’ve grown to love playing the bass.
How did you learn to play, James?
I took guitar lessons growing up and spent a lot of time just learning tabs or playing by ear and kicked around as a frontman in a handful of bands playing at the local coffee shops or rec centers. Once I transitioned to bass, I really just tried to apply what I knew about guitar and stumbled through it till it sounded right. I’m still learning every time I pick it up, honestly.
You are also a songwriter, recording engineer, and a fantastic singer, did you get formal training for this?
Thank you, that means a lot! I had a couple of voice lessons when I was in my early teens, but didn’t really like the instructor. I did however take a few lessons recently through ACC that I enjoyed and think really helped my technique (Shout out to Adam Roberts!) I was not a naturally gifted singer, which is a nice way of saying I was pretty awful, but I just kept at it.
As far as recording and producing, I just watched a lot of YouTube videos and asked people who know more than me when I had a question. Whenever I feel like I’m not progressing, I just pull up tracks from a couple of years ago, cringe, and feel better about where I’m at but I’ve got a long way to go. Fortunately, we’ve got some amazing producers I can pass everything over to once I get the songs as close to finalized as I can.
Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that can be improved on the bass.
I honestly don’t know what my style would be considered. We’ve got so many styles that we play and fuse together that I just try to do what works song by song. I don’t have too many tricks in the bag and just keep it simple and focus on what’s going to sound good in the overall mix. I think my strength lies in thinking about the song as a whole and what each instrument is doing, so I can compliment everything else that’s going on. What could be improved is absolutely everything, but that’s the great thing about music (and kind of anything really).
Who were your influencers in terms of other musicians earlier on or now that have made a difference and inspired you?
My dad exposed me to a lot of music early. I was playing a toy guitar while watching a VHS of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live at SXSW on repeat at 4 years old saying I wanted to “do that” when I grew up. I was the only kid in daycare that had his own CDs that weren’t kid’s songs. I was listening to Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and The Doors when I could barely talk. I would make up songs and sing them into my Panasonic slimline tape recorder and take it to my preschool to show my friends. As I got older went through a bunch of music phases. Metal, grunge, rock, punk, hip hop, reggae, ska, etc. Whatever I heard that I connected to I’d dive in and learn as much as I could about it. I was always in bands and I think I kept picking up different styles along the way and kept combining my different elements and I think that’s evident in Audic’s diverse sound.
Tell me about Audic Empire and your new release Take Over! Can you share some of the highlights you and the band are most proud of?
Takeover was an interesting one. I basically built that song on keyboard and drum loops and wrote and tracked all my vocals in one long session in my bedroom studio kind of in a stream-of-consciousness type of approach. I kind of thought nothing would come of it and I’d toss it out, but we slowly went back and tracked over everything with instruments and made it our own sound. I got it as far as I could with production and handed it off to Chad Wrong to work his magic and really bring it to life. Once I got Snow Owl Media involved and we started brainstorming about a music video, it quickly turned into a considerably larger production than anything we’ve done before and it was such a cool experience. I’m really excited about the final product, especially considering I initially thought it was a throwaway track.
Describe the music style of Audic Empire for us.
It’s all over the place… we advertise it as “blues, rock, reggae.” Blues because of our lead guitarist, Travis Brown’s playing style, rock because I think at the heart we’re a rock band, and reggae because we flavor everything with a little (or a lot) of reggae or ska.
How did you find Bergantino Audio Systems?
Well, my Ampeg SVT7 caught fire at a show… We were playing Stubbs in Austin and everyone kept saying they smelled something burning, and I looked back in time to see my head, perched on top of its 8×10 cab, begin billowing smoke. We had a tour coming up, so I started researching and pricing everything to try and find a new amp. I was also fronting a metal band at the time, and my bass player’s dad was a big-time country bass player and said he had this really high-end bass amp just sitting in a closet he’d sell me. I was apprehensive since I really didn’t know much about it and “just a little 4×10” probably wasn’t going to cut it compared to my previous setup. He said I could come over and give it a test drive, but he said he knew I was going to buy it. He was right. I immediately fell in love. I couldn’t believe the power it put out compared to this heavy head and cumbersome cab I had been breaking my back hauling all over the country and up countless staircases.
Tell us about your experience with the forte D amp and the AE 410 Speaker cabinet.
It’s been a game-changer in every sense. It’s lightweight and compact. Amazing tone. And LOUD. It’s just a fantastic amp. Not to mention the customer service being top-notch! You’ll be hard-pressed to find another product that, if you have an issue, you can get in touch with the owner, himself. How cool is that?
Tell us about some of your favorite basses.
I was always broke and usually working part-time delivering pizzas, so I just played what I could get my hands on. I went through a few pawn shop basses, swapped in new pickups, and fought with the action on them constantly. I played them through an Ampeg be115 combo amp. All the electronics in it had fried at some point, so I gutted it out and turned it into a cab that I powered with a rusted-up little head I bought off someone for a hundred bucks. My gear was often DIY’d and held together by electrical tape and usually had a few coats of spray paint to attempt to hide the wear and tear. I never really fell in love with any piece of gear I had till I had a supporter of our band give me an Ibanez Premium Series SDGR. I absolutely love that bass and still travel with it. I’ve since gotten another Ibanez Premium Series, but went with the 5-string BTB. It’s a fantastic-sounding bass, my only complaint is it’s pretty heavy.
Love your new video Take Over! Let us know what you’re currently working on (studio, tour, side projects, etc.)
Thank you!! We’ve got a LOT of stuff we’re working on right now actually. Having 2 writers in the band means we never have a shortage of material. It’s more about getting everything tracked and ready for release and all that goes into that. We just got through filming videos for 2 new unreleased tracks with Snow Owl Media, who did the videos for both Love Hate and Pain and Takeover. Both of these songs have surprise features which I’m really excited about since these will be the first singles since our last album we have other artists on. We’ve also got a lot of shows coming up and I’ve also just launched my solo project as well. The debut single, “Raisin’ Hell” is available now everywhere. You can go here to find all the links distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jamestobias/raisin-hell
What else do you do besides music?
For work, I own a handyman service here in Austin doing a lot of drywall, painting, etc. I have a lot of hobbies and side hustles as well. I make custom guitar straps and other leather work. I do a lot of artwork and have done most of our merch designs and a lot of our cover art. I’m really into (and borderline obsessed) with health, fitness, and sober living. I have a hard time sitting still, but fortunately, there’s always a lot to do when you’re self-employed and running a band!
Follow James Tobias:
jamestobiasmusic.com
Facebook.com/james.tobias1
Instagram.com/ru4badfish2
TikTok.com/@jamestobiasmusic
audicempire.com
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Edmond Gilmore
Interview With Bassist Edmond Gilmore…
I am always impressed by the few members of our bass family who are equally proficient on upright as well as electric bass… Edmond Gilmore is one of those special individuals.
While he compartmentalizes his upright playing for mostly classical music and his electric for all the rest, Edmond has a diverse musical background and life experiences that have given him a unique perspective.
Join me as we hear about Edmond’s musical journey, how he gets his sound and his plans for the future.
Photo, Sandrice Lee
Featured Videos
Follow Online
facebook.com/EdmondGilmoreBass
instagram.com/edmond_gilmore/
youtube.com/channel/UCCYoVZBLXL5nnaKS7XXivCQ
Bass Videos
Checking in with Bergantino Artist Ricky Bonazza
Holly Bergantino talks with LA-based bassist/producer Ricky Bonazza about his path from Vicenza to Los Angeles to keep the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll alive!
Photo provided by Bergantino Audio Systems.
Ricky Bonazza has been chasing his dream from a young age. Growing up in Vicenza, Italy and now living in Los Angeles, he’s the embodiment of the hard-working, never-say-die rock and roll spirit. Ricky relocated to Los Angeles to pursue his dream as a professional musician and artist and he’s been going strong ever since!
You have been touring like a madman, playing arenas and some of the biggest music festivals in rock and metal. Tell us about this experience and how it feels going from small clubs onto the big stage.
It‘s surreal! Wacken is one! I have never seen a festival of that size holding like 70,000 people. My first tour with the Butcher Babies, we played Rocklahoma and due to a storm, the band got moved to play as the closing act right after “Slipknot”. Both stages were right across from each other so when Slipknot finished, the crowd basically just turned around and watched our set. It was a big party and people as far as the eye could see. I will say this about clubs though, there is just an unbelievable energy playing smaller venues. A packed club with 200 people can be just as crazy and energetic as a crowd of 20,000 in my opinion. So I really enjoy both.
Would you share some of the highlights of your career over the past four years that you are most proud of?
I am really proud to have this great opportunity to tour the world as a professional musician. It’s surreal sometimes the places music and tours are taking me. I think to myself that so many people are actually paying a lot of money to see the world. I get to travel as part of my job and in doing so I get to explore and see many different countries and cultures. It’s something I am extremely proud of. Playing these massive festivals all over the world such as Graspop, Aftershock and obviously Wacken, which is every rock and metal musician’s dream to play, is huge for me.
Becoming a voting member of the recording academy and with that helping to shape the future of music is also a big achievement for me.
You are also deeply involved behind the scenes in the music industry, especially as a voting member of the Grammys Recording Academy. Could you share a particularly memorable moment where you felt your contributions had a significant impact on an artist’s career or on the broader music community?”
Yes, this year a fairly newer metal band called “Spiritbox” got nominated for a Grammy. They competed against titans like Metallica and Disturbed. The fact that a new band like that made it to the final nomination, and the fact that new generations bands like “Architects”, “Sleep Token” etc. were in the run too, I feel like we were instrumental and shaped the pavement for new bands in rock to have a shot at the Grammys.
Throughout your career, you have earned the respect and endorsement of prominent guitar and accessory companies like Bergantino, EMG Pickups and D’Addario strings. Could you tell us more about these partnerships and how they came about?
Yeah for sure. I was introduced to Jim Bergantino by my good friend Matthew Denis who also uses Bergantino gear at a NAMM show. We have accomplished a lot in spreading the word and showcasing what the Bergantino Forte HP amp can do in various styles of music. All of us complimented and supported each other. With EMG my friend Jason Klein and Luis Kalil put me in touch with Tommy from EMG Pickups. We produced a series of videos together highlighting some of their signature pickups, we have an amazing relationship and they have been great to me. I am stoked to have earned this kind of respect and trust from these companies.
How has your playing evolved over the years, and have you made changes from your start until now? If so, can you describe the changes?
Yes, I started incorporating a lot of slap. I honestly couldn’t really slap before the pandemic haha. When I started doing a lot of video covers during covid, I studied bass players like Les Claypool, Marcus Miller and Flea. Also in the very beginning, I was mainly a finger player. Over the last years I really developed my picking technique and love to incorporate that way more in my playing, especially if the song dictates it.
What are you working on now?
I am working on my solo project, where I am planning to release music very soon. I have a single ready to go, featuring some incredible guests and just recently signed a distribution deal with Bloodblast. I am also writing new stuff with the Butcher Babies and that’s pretty exciting too.
When you are not playing shows around the world you are very active in the studio as a producer and writer, can you tell us about some of the collaborations and projects you have been involved in?
Yes, one thing I am really proud of is the recent Butcher Babies albums, which I had the pleasure to help write and record. Songs like “Red Thunder” had an amazing response and actually even made it into rotation at Sirius XM Liquid Metal” and peaked at number 10 of the iTunes Metal charts. I wrote a lot for music libraries here in Los Angeles and recently got a song placement with NBC Sports, which was for the 2022 “Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship”. So that was a cool collaboration I did with “Megatrax”.
Tell us about the Butcher Babies, Lots of good things have happened here.
Yeah totally! It’s been quite busy over the last 2 years. Lots of writing and even more shows. I think last year we did close to 90 shows. We toured with some incredible bands like Fear Factory, Amaranthe, Lacuna Coil, Mudvayne and Coal Chamber. We also did all of these awesome festivals in Europe and the US like Wacken, Graspop all that fun stuff haha. We released 2 albums “Eye For An Eye” and “Til The World Is Blind” which I am really proud of. This year it’s gonna be more or less the same show-wise.
Tell us about the Bergantino Forte HP bass amplifier.
I have had this amp for four years now and was just blown away by it. The sound, the features, everything. It has pretty much has all of the components I want from a bass amp. It is very versatile, clean, thick and powerful. It really just sounds so organic and real. I use it for everything from Metal to Funk and Pop.
What settings do you use the most on the forte HP? What are your favorites and why?
Honestly, all the EQ’s are on 5 o’clock, punch mode enabled, and a bit of compression.
On the drives there are different firmware downloads Bergantino offers. I use Matts tube screamer and another one called the MF360 fuzz that Jim sent me back in the day, it sounds sick.
Tell us about your favorite bass or basses.
Fender and Fender. I have been playing Fender all my life! At the moment, there’s really nothing else for me. I have tried all kinds of basses. I dig the Dingwall stuff a lot, but at the end of the day, Fender just does it for me. I just wished they did long or multi-scale basses! Haha
How did you learn to play the bass guitar, Ricky?
I honestly just started by playing along to Iron Maiden songs. I would also put on the metronome and just start playing the parts and then unintentionally developed a technique. I remember one person telling me that Steve Harris was playing with 3 fingers, so I started practicing with 3 fingers only to find out years later that Steve only plays with two haha.
Are there any other instruments you play?
Yes, the drums. I never gave up on my dream of playing drums haha, so I learned that a little bit along the way. I also play guitar. I play both of those instruments well enough to write and record my own songs, but not sure if I would ever dare to go out and do it live.
Who are your influencers?
Steve Harris is definitely my biggest influence. Duff McKagan has always been one of my favorites. Jason Newsted, Rob Trujillo, Geezer Butler, Frank Bello, Geddy Lee and many more.
Favorite thing to do besides play bass?
It’s honestly writing and producing music. The studio is my happy place when not on the road. It’s definitely a dream to do that full time at some point. We’ll see what happens.
We see Instagram stories of you when you visit your grandmother in Italy cooking up a storm for you. What is your favorite dish that she makes for you?
Haha, that’s amazing you ask this question! Yeah she’s 86 and kick butts like it’s no big deal. Her Spaghetti’s are definitely my favorite, followed by her homemade (obviously) Ravioli. The funniest thing is every time I post her on my IG stories. she gets the most views of all, I could post me playing the craziest shred video of all time and she would still get more views!
Your story and dedication to your craft inspires a lot of people, especially the younger generation of musicians. Do you have any words of advice for them?
As Arnie would say, don’t listen to the naysayers. If you are serious about becoming a professional musician you should pursue it. It’s not going to be the easiest route but it’s going to be the one that fulfills you, and something that always helped me out was a quote from Denzel Washington saying, without commitment, you’ll never start and without consistency, you’ll never finish.
Follow Ricky Bonazza:
Instagram: @rickybonazza
Facebook: /ricky.bonazza
YouTube: @rickybonazza8011
Preparing for Performance with Dr. Randy Kertz
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
Preparing for Performance with Dr. Randy Kertz
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Guy Pratt, Not Your Average Guy – May 2024 Issue
The Frank Brocklehurst 6-String Fretless Bass Build
