Features
Jim Wilson Talks the Occupation of Rock and Roll
By Guest Contributor, Daniel Corey
Jim Wilson is one of the most skilled and versatile musicians operating in today’s L.A. music scene.
The Delaware native has spent the past two decades working full-time in music and is not only a great bass player but a top-rate vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and musicologist.
Jim currently has several working gigs, including the California country rock and roll band PEARL (a collaboration with namesake singer, Pearl Aday), hard rock quintet Motor Sister (a lineup that includes Anthrax’s Scott Ian and The Cult’s John Tempesta), and Heavy Sun, which is led by multi-Grammy-winning producer/musician Daniel Lanois.
Additionally, Jim has a thriving solo career, which has most recently yielded an album titled Now Playing, a collaboration with drummer Phil Jones. He also has his own radio show, The Vinyl Shelf, and Rothco Press will soon be releasing his book Occupation: Rock & Roll, in which Jim recounts stories from 30 years in the L.A. music scene.
I had a chance to ask Daniel Lanois a few questions about the day-in routine of working with Jim, who serves as bassist and vocalist in Lanois’ Heavy Sun band, which recently wrapped a well-attended weekly residence at Zebulon Café Concert in the Atwater Village area of Los Angeles. The intent of the successful tenure was to prep for a Heavy Sun West Coast tour, which kicks off May 5th in Sacramento and concludes May 14th at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
Lanois is well-known as the producer of albums such as U2’s The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby (in collaboration with Brian Eno), Peter Gabriel’s So and Us, Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind and Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball. In 2019, Lanois released the lauded and award-winning video game soundtrack The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2, a project that Wilson participated in as bassist.
“Well, he’s an all-around great musician,” Lanois said of Wilson. “When we first worked together, he played guitar. And then there was an opportunity that came up for him to play some bass. I think I was the first one to ask him to play bass. He’s just got a great feel all around, whether he’s on the bass or otherwise. He’s a mastermind, you know. He’s a musicologist. I just really appreciate his commitment, his honesty and devotion to what it is that I do. So, he’s just got the touch. And he’s always on time.”
After a busy few weeks of gigging with Heavy Sun and PEARL, I had a chance to chat with Jim about his musical life.
DC: Jim, you’ve been a working musician in L.A. for a number of years now. One of your many current gigs is playing bass for Daniel Lanois’ band, Heavy Sun. Give me some of the details on that venture: how you met Daniel and came to work with him, and the various incarnations his band/your role has taken over the years.
JW: Daniel came to see Rollins Band play at the Troubadour in 2002, and we met him backstage. I was playing guitar for Henry Rollins at the time and my band, Mother Superior, was active, as well, and making lots of records.
After the show, I ran into Daniel in the parking lot as he was getting on his motorcycle to leave. He told me I made him want to go home and practice! We exchanged numbers, and he invited us over the next week to play some music together. By the beginning of 2003, all three members of Mother Superior were traveling and doing shows with Daniel. After Mother Superior disbanded, Daniel wanted to tour as a trio and asked me if I was interested in playing bass with him. I never really played much bass, but I’m so glad that I’ve had the opportunity to become a prominent bass player. Our voices blend really well together, too. Anyway, 2020 makes 18 years of sharing music with Daniel Lanois. Wow!
DC: I had a chance to ask Daniel a few questions about you. I started by asking him about that night at the Troubadour, what it was he saw in your performance with Rollins. He said, “The band was really tight. They were providing a really good backing for Henry, and I was really touched by their commitment to Henry’s music. And they were really rock-solid and just bang-on, well-rehearsed. Just very, very tight performers. I was very impressed.”
Could you tell me a bit about working with Henry Rollins?
JW: It was kind of a dream come true. Henry used to shop at a record store I was working at in the mid-’90s called Aron’s Records. I gave him a demo CD by Mother Superior called Right in a Row that I recorded on my four-track, reel-to-reel tape recorder. I knew Henry loved Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath, so I thought he would dig our music. I LOVED Black Flag and knew all the music.
He left a message on my answering machine the same night I gave him the CD, and he said he was totally digging it and to let him know if there’s anything he could do for us. He wrote liner notes for our first official release, The Heavy Soul Experience of Mother Superior, in 1996, and by 1998, he produced our third record, Deep. He liked how fast we worked and how much we rehearsed and loved to play. Originally, he asked if we’d help write songs for a solo album he was going to do, but we came up with so much material, we became the second incarnation of Rollins Band and immediately started touring the world together. We recorded about 100 songs in our five-year tenure.
In 2002, we got to record the Rise Above album to benefit the West Memphis Three. It was a collection of Black Flag songs with an all-star cast of vocalists like Iggy Pop, Lemmy, Exene, Keith Morris, Hank III, Chuck D, Corey Taylor, Ice T, Mike Patton and more. I played all the guitar. Again, dream come true. Henry’s still in my corner, and we talk all the time. He plays stuff from my solo albums on his KCRW radio show from time to time.
DC: One might say that Henry and Daniel create vastly different styles of music. Daniel must have seen a versatility and adaptability in you and your bandmates. What do you think about that? What did you do musically with Henry that translated over to working with Daniel?
JW: I take every gig seriously and always want to make sure it gets to those magical musical moments. And although the music was super-heavy, you could find James Brown references here and there. We were still a power trio playing behind Rollins, so each member had a lot of space to fill. Not to mention, with Rollins as the ringleader, we knew we had to be 200 percent. Daniel is a worker and loves people that want to work. That’s probably another thing he saw. Like he said, commitment. But, yes, it was a trip at the time, because Henry was wanting to focus on acting and spoken word and was winding down on the music, and we had the great chance immediately to start working with Daniel. Two different worlds, and I love them both!
DC: I’ve seen you play with Daniel many times in the past year. The Heavy Sun live shows have been concentrating on selections from the Red Dead Redemption 2 soundtrack, and you’re also playing a lot of traditional gospel tunes. What do you feel is the soul, or mission, of Heavy Sun?
JW: The reaction that we’ve been getting from our mostly vocal-based music has been exciting for all of us. The band consists of me, Daniel, Rocco DeLuca and the great Johnny Shepherd, who is from Shreveport, Louisiana. Johnny sang on Red Dead Redemption 2 and did shows with us, and we all realized his massive talent. He has a lot of experience playing with gospel bands in the church, and he’s a master at arranging harmonies. We started singing together around his organ at Daniel’s house, and it was clear that we had a different sound. It’s to the point now where we can just start singing together, and our voices fall into place automatically. The gospel influence is for sure there, but we do it in our own funky way.
DC: I asked Daniel about what he does to “bring you in” on a song. In the process of answering that question, he revealed a dark secret from your past.
Here’s exactly what Daniel said: “He usually gets in on the recording. We rehearse in the recording studio, so if we hit on something that sounds good, then we record. So, he’s always there, every step of the way. He responds very well to my spontaneous nature. When something seems to be happening, we’ll strike while the iron’s hot. He’s really good at keeping track of lyrics. He’s a master organizer, he’s a great typist. He was a master typist as a kid in school, so he’s really good with just the fundamentals of the language. He’s a linguist of sorts. He was the fastest typist in his school.”
JW: Ha-ha! You can’t hide from the truth! Yeah, I don’t know what it was, but I took to the typewriter like I did to playing guitar. It just came naturally. And I’m a good speller. I’m definitely the bookkeeper for Heavy Sun! I can’t believe anyone would prefer my handwriting on anything.
DC: Tell me a little about forming a song in the studio with Heavy Sun. Also, more importantly, how many words a minute can you type? Was there ever an award involved?
JW: Ha-ha, yes, two consecutive years of winning “best typist” and having to walk onstage to collect that beautiful certificate. I can’t remember how many words I could type at my peak, but it was fast, and I didn’t have to look.
Some of the Heavy Sun songs come out of just getting together every day and playing. We’ll get a groove going and maybe a melody to sing over top of it, and then we go outside and work on the lyrical concept and start developing the words. I write out everything we have on large pads of paper, and we tape ’em up and keep running the song. The next day may see a completely different set of words, and I have to keep it current until we start laying down the tracks.
We’ve been recording the vocals together at the mixing board instead of tracking each vocal separately. We go for the vocal blend right from the start. It sounds silly to say, but Daniel knows when it’s a magic take. And Johnny Shepherd arranges our vocal parts because he’s had so much experience in gospel choir singing. Oh, yeah, and I’m in charge of the set lists.
DC: Daniel also commented on your vocal prowess, saying, “He’s a great singer, and he’s really good at remembering parts. We both have a good background in harmony singing; I’ve been helping people do vocal arrangements all my life in the studio. So, he’s really good at remembering parts, and I rely on him to keep the vocal arrangements together.”
JW: Because of my role of keeping the arrangements straight, all eyes are on me when there’s a question. “How many choruses do we do here?” “What key did we decide on?” I love the music so much, it’s always on my mind, anyway, so it’s exciting to have such an important role in this band. And I get to come up with funky bass lines!
DC: Tell me a little about that process, the creation and maintaining of Heavy Sun’s vocal arrangements.
JW: We pretty much fall into our roles as soon as we start singing together. Rocco’s always on the top because he has such a beautiful high voice. Dan’s at the bottom because he has that richness in his voice. I’m usually in the middle, sometimes taking the lead melody on the choruses. Johnny’s the main lead singer, so he’s either improvising over top of our blend or singing lines in between our group harmony. Singing four-part harmony is something that I’ve never gotten to do before, so it’s incredibly fun to know what the four of us can do when we’re singing in a room together.
DC: At the Heavy Sun gigs, I’ve seen you play a very excellent-looking Epiphone hollow-body bass. Tell me a little about that instrument and the setup that you use.
JW: Daniel has a 1967 Epiphone Rivoli bass that we’ve traveled the world with a few times. It has a smooth, deep tone, and it sounds great on recordings. A few months ago, when we were about to do some Heavy Sun recording in Los Angeles, we realized the bass was still in storage in Toronto since the last performance we did in Canada. Daniel asked me to go to the Guitar Center in Hollywood and see if they had a similar bass that we could keep in L.A. The new one I’ve been playing with Heavy Sun is a similar 1968 Epiphone, and we’re very pleased with the purchase. When you work with Daniel, he loves it when you use the instruments that he already has at his studio. There are so many beautiful instruments to choose from, and they’ve all appeared on his recordings. I plug straight into an Ampeg, and that’s all I need.
DC: How would you describe your personal style as a bass player? Who are some of your favorite bassists?
JW: I just try to feel it. And make it funky with a groove. I would usually say I really pay attention to what the drummer’s doing, but, of course, Heavy Sun doesn’t have a drummer! I love Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman and all the bass from the great records of the ‘60s and ‘70s.
DC: I had a chance to ask Daniel if Heavy Sun was planning to record a gospel record, and he seemed pretty affirmative about that, but mentioned that he thought of it more as a “spirit record.” Are you able to comment on whether Heavy Sun will be putting out a spirit record sometime soon?
JW: Yes, there is lots of Heavy Sun music coming out this year. We’ve recorded more than an album’s worth. Daniel uses “spirit record” because although the music definitely has gospel roots, we don’t reference Jesus or religion. And Daniel’s stamp is all over the arranging and production. To get that feeling in the music is important, along with a positive message in the lyrics.
DC: Heavy Sun has a tour coming up. Will the band be focusing primarily on the Red Dead Redemption and spirit tunes? Will there be anything else in the mix?
JW: We’re going to do a big mix of new stuff from the upcoming record, Red Dead 2 stuff, Daniel’s classics from the past and some of Rocco’s songs that we like to play, too.
DC: In addition to Heavy Sun, you have a thriving solo career and several other band collaborations. Besides being a bassist, you are a songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. Tell me about some of your other projects.
JW: I have a killer rock band called Motor Sister, and we’re recording our second album in March for Metal Blade Records. We’re not metal, we’re just good old rock & roll with loud guitars and great players. I write the songs and sing and play lead guitar. Scott Ian from Anthrax is also on guitar, John Tempesta from The Cult is our drummer and Joey Vera from Armored Saint is the bassist. Pearl Aday sings with us, too, and she makes her own records, as well, that I co-write songs and play on. We’re like a family, and it’s quite a sound when we play together. The new album rocks! I’ve been lucky to get to make solo albums, too, because they’re most like my actual musical taste — all over the place! I’ve done two full albums and an EP, and the new one’s on the way. I feel very lucky to have all these musical outlets.
DC: When you’re gigging as a guitarist, what gear do you prefer?
JW: I just use a Les Paul or a Strat and a Marshall.
DC: How would you describe your style as a guitarist, and who are your influences?
JW: Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix. Mick Taylor and Ace Frehley show up in every solo I do.
DC: I had a chance to listen to your latest solo record, Now Playing, a collaboration with drummer-percussionist Phil Jones. What a great album; I absolutely love it. Let the readers know who Phil is, how the collaboration started, and the mission of that record.
JW: I was a big fan of Phil Jones before I had ever met him. He played drums on Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever (that’s him on Free Fallin’) and he also plays on Roy Orbison’s You Got It. He had seen me play with Daniel and Emmylou Harris and invited me to his studio. I brought four songs, and we recorded all four of them that first day. It’s so much fun bringing songs to Phil’s studio. As a producer, Phil understands where the music’s all coming from, and he gets amazing sounds. He’s brought a lot of great players in, like Mike Campbell from The Heartbreakers and Fleetwood Mac and Marc Ford from The Black Crowes, guys I would happily give up the guitar spotlight to! I can’t believe it sometimes. Phil knows what the song needs, and he makes it happen. He’s got a studio in his garage, and the drums are always set up and ready to record. We’re finishing up the next album now, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear the new songs.
DC: What are some of the daily obstacles you face working as a musician in Los Angeles? How has the landscape changed in recent years?
JW: It’s really the same as it’s always been, except the gigs might be a little nicer and more people show up. But the music business has always been about survival, and I really think one of the reasons I keep writing and playing so much is thanks to never really getting a “big break.” I’m still hungry and feel I still have lots to say. It’s never easy. But the more people listen, the more music I want to make. You have to pay your rent, and that makes a musician hustle. You make it work. But the music knows when you’re being true to it, when it’s real and when it’s not. There’s got to be soul in the music.
DC: You have your own radio show, The Vinyl Shelf. Tell me more about that, and where people can find it.
JW: Yes! It’s on Saturday and Sunday at midnight PST on KONG Monsterrock.net (rdsn.net/kong/; you can listen on your phone with the TuneIn Radio App). A few years ago, I was on the air with a different station, and one of the guys at Kong wanted me to start it up again, and I couldn’t say no. It’s fun picking out two hours of vinyl records to share with listeners. I’ve collected records my whole life and have over 10,000 LPs now. I’ve been in love with music my whole life, and I’m fascinated with vinyl. Mostly ’50s to ’80s, but as long as it’s groovin’, I’m in. On The Vinyl Shelf, I play a variety of stuff. Anything goes. I also play a lot of rare radio show broadcast LPs with original commercials. My show is based on listening to the radio growing up and how free it was. And there’s always humor on it, too, because I love Stan Freberg, Peter Sellers, Kenny Everett and all the old radio greats.
DC: Finally, I’m curious about what your dream job is. Is there a particular artist collaboration on your bucket list?
JW: I had a dream last night that I finally met Paul McCartney. I’m not saying I’ll ever get the pleasure to play music with him, but I’m still looking forward to meeting a Beatle, or any of the Stones. I’ve been writing and jamming with Bernard Fowler, who sings background vocals with the Stones, and we hope to do some shows together in the future. Bernard has been supporting my music for a few years now, and we have a duet called Hott on my Rockers Delight EP. I would LOVE to get to do something/anything with Todd Rundgren, Elton, Cheap Trick, Barry Gibb…but those are all extreme wishes.
DC: Let the readers know where to find you online, and tell us about any upcoming live shows.
JW: I have a new website we’re about to launch, which is jimwilsonrocks.com. In the meantime, you can get news and buy vinyl at jimwilsonmusic.blogspot.com.
Lots of shows coming up from Heavy Sun and Motor Sister this year, so stay tuned. Thanks!
Daniel Corey is a writer and comic book creator based in Los Angeles, CA. His graphic novels have been distributed worldwide, and he has been recognized as a noted influencer in VR and new media. Daniel is also a singer/songwriter, has worked in broadcast news, serves on the Creative Writing Program Advisory Committee at Full Sail University, and speaks at pop culture conventions around the country.
Learn more about Daniel’s work and contact him through his homepage, DangerKatt.com.
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
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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
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