Musician
Live performance is the lifeblood of music, and I'd rather be on stage at any given time.
With over 15 years of experience, I've honed my skills in a variety of genres and settings, making me a versatile and reliable musician for any gig.
Live and Session Work
Versatile Bassist and Guitarist
Bass is my main instrument, but I'm also skilled on the guitar. Whether it's chart hits, soul, folk, or extreme metal, I have the knowledge and experience to seamlessly fit into any band. I understand the nuances of different styles and know exactly how to bring everything together. My passion for music is contagious, and I'm always thrilled to be involved in any project. Let me bring that enthusiasm to your music.
(an aside: bass and guitar are not my only instruments! If you need something a little different, or a change in arrangement, I may well be able to help you!)
Adaptability and Experience
I've played in a wide range of settings, from dive bars to concert halls and cruise ships, so I can adapt to any performance environment. Super formal orchestral concert? No problem. Sweaty, blisteringly loud hardcore gig? Tell me what time doors are. Large outdoor festival in sideways rain? It's been too long!
With my diverse musical upbringing, I've performed with brass bands, pit orchestras, cruise ship bands, swing bands, extreme metal bands, jazz quartets, and even Bavarian-style drinking bands (university was an experience). There aren't many things I haven't seen or dealt with during a concert or a gig, and I'm ready for anything.
Remote Session Recording
In addition to live performances, I offer remote session recording. I can work from sheet music, charts, or by ear, delivering high-quality recordings tailored to your needs. Whether you need bass or guitar tracks, I've got you covered.
I pride myself on serving the song first. If you're looking for a specific vibe in your recordings, you can specify your needs and we can make as many revisions as necessary. Rule number one – it has to fit your artistic vision. I won't be happy with the resulting recording until you are.
Every Gig is Unique
I know every gig has its own vibe, and I'm here to understand what you need and deliver a performance that matches and enhances your vision. Let's chat about how I can help with your next project or show.
(OH HEY LOOK GUYS IT'S MY INSTAGRAM FEED)Photo Credit: Russ Grimmett, August 2023
Media
These Wicked Rivers – The Family (Old Cider Press Acoustic Sessions)
Gear/Amp Sims Used: 2016 Fender 'American Elite' Precision Bass; Ampeg SVT Suite Plugin
The Old Cider Press sessions were a series of live recordings of re-imagined songs, recorded and filmed between tours and festivals with These Wicked Rivers. In a way, they were good preparation for the upcoming 'Force of Nature' album tour we were set to do in December 2023.
I thoroughly enjoyed providing bass and backing vocals for this acoustic arrangement of fan favourite, 'The Family'. It was a good challenge to adapt the existing bass part for this stripped down version – while still keeping the song largely intact. The reduced drum kit/percussion (not to mention one less guitar than usual), meant that listening carefully was key to keeping things tasteful. This kind of situation can be tricky to manage – play too much or too little, and the moment can disappear instantly!
We'd been playing as a unit very regularly for almost a year at that point, so getting the arrangement tight, and all the vocal harmonies in place, seemed to materialise pretty quickly. Bringing the live performance together in as few takes as possible was surprisingly easy. We even had extra studio time by the time we finished!
Rob Thorpe – Slice of Lemon Wrapped Around A Large Gold Brick (Recording Sessions)
Gear/Amp Sims Used: Ibanez SR1206 Premium Bass; Avalon V5 Preamp; Darkglass B7K Microtubes Pedal
Recorded during the sessions for Rob Thorpe's EP, 'Is There Any Tea On This Spaceship', 'Slice of Lemon...' is the result of Rob rearranging (and applying his very singular twist to) one of my own demos.
Rob is a longtime friend, collaborator, and occasional bandmate of mine, and when he asked me to play bass on this project, I was thrilled. His music is always engaging and pushes all the musicians involved to their limits. What I got to take part in was a technical workout that spanned across prog, metal, jazz, and even contemporary classical music. I was doubly thrilled when he asked if he could use a work in progress of mine (at the time lovingly referred to as 'Harvey Djent') to base this song off of. I couldn't have predicted where the end result would go, and I'm certainly glad Rob chose to use it on the EP.
The recording sessions themselves, while hard work, were a great experience. All the parts were scored out – all musicians you see in this video are reading – so there was little uncertainty about what was needed out of us during these recordings. Everyone involved was something of a 'regular' in our circles, so mostly it just felt like catching up with friends!
Gentle Giant – Cogs In Cogs In Cogs (Bass Cover)
Gear/Amp Sims Used: 2016 Fender 'American Elite' Precision Bass; Neural DSP 'Parallax' Bass Plugin
I've always been a fan of 70's prog rock, and Gentle Giant, while not the most well-known band of their scene, always struck me as one of the most recognisable. They'd weave the blues-rock guitar-music language of their contemporaries in with renaissance style recorder breaks, deeply intricate polyphonic melodies and countermelodies, and beautiful cascading vocal harmonies. All while balancing reckless psychedelic abandon with note-perfect, rhythmically exact execution. Chef's kiss!
'Cogs In Cogs In Cogs' struck me as a good song for a case study. Sometimes the best way to get your head round what an artist is doing is just to have a go at it. This is the result. While as bass parts go, it's pretty active, the difficulty was found in getting the form of the song down. It's all written in fragments that get presented then changed at a moment's notice. Sometimes transitions between sections are changed, but only once within the song. A real mental and physical workout!
Shellac – Squirrel Song (Bass & Guitar Cover)
Gear/Amp Sims Used: Strandberg Boden Prog Bass; Yamaha Pacifica Guitar; Neural DSP 'Parallax' Bass Plugin; Neural DSP 'Archetype: Nolly' Plugin
I have no excuses for this one, really – I just really like Shellac!
This cover was a case study trying to find the right guitar and bass tones for the job. Steve Albini's guitar and recording work as always fascinated me, but most of all I've always been drawn to the abrasive, metallic 'scrape' of his guitar tones. The band (self-described as a 'minimalist rock trio') are a testament to the 'less is more' ethos – Albini makes sure you never hear anything more than is absolutely necessary. Coupled with strange, wonky time signatures and strange, wonky riffs, I just had to try and break it down.
Nothing too technical to deal with, but man, is it fun to play. One of those riffs that's rooted in catharsis. Structurally, the song is an exercise in patience and concentration; phrases are odd lengths, and the repetition requires you to hold focus and above all, count! After a while, it becomes meditative and hypnotic, which I think is a big part of the appeal of Shellac's music.