BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013

BASS
Photo courtesy of mibba.com THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM ARTIST SPOLTLIGHT: RICKY PHILLIPS FENDER REINTRODUCES THE 1966 CORONADO BASS INTO IT’S MODERN PLAYER LINE BMM READERS SURVEY: HOW MANY BASS GUITARS IS ENOUGH? THE NEWEST SUPERGROUP -­‐ KINGS OF CHAOS -­‐ CAN YOU NAME THIS BASSIST? GNR MEETS DEEP PURPLE! =8-­‐) DID YOU ANSWER “No player is perfect. LAST MONTH’S No bass is perfect. SECRET COVER No rig is perfect. BASSIST AS: BMM ON LOCATION: No gig is perfect. MAMA THIRD RUDY SARZO?? Life isn’t perfect. THURSDAY OPEN JAM LEARN TO ADAPT!” NIGHT DEBUT 9/19/13 PRKNBNZ Photo courtesy of www.rudysarzo.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE TWO AUGUST 2013 SECRET BASSIST COVER: RUDY SARZO Rudy Sarzo's credenYals as a bass player are quite impressive. He has been a professional recording and performing arYst worldwide for over 20 years. His recordings with all of the numerous arYst he has performed with have sold over 30 million copies. Rudy Sarzo was born as Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont, in Havana, Cuba on November 18, 1950. He emigrated to the United States in 1951, and was raised in Florida. Sarzo joined Quiet Riot in December of 1978 and remained in the band unYl early 1981. Though he is pictured on the cover of the band's 1978 album Quiet Riot II, he does not perform on it. As a member of Quiet Riot, from September 1982 to January 1985, Rudy recorded the mulY-­‐
plaYnum albums "Metal Health", the first Heavy Metal debut to reach #1 on the Billboard charts. During this period Rudy headlined worldwide tours, appeared on numerous MTV videos and was voted #1 Bassist in Circus Magazine for 1983. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.ronniejamesdio.com www.rudysarzo.com www.facebook.com/rudy.sarzo Photo courtesy of www.rudysarzo.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE THREE AUGUST 2013 SECRET BASSIST COVER: RUDY SARZO cont’d From March 1981 to September 1982, Sarzo rose to fame as the bassist in ex-­‐
Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne's band. Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads, who had previously played with Sarzo in Quiet Riot. Sarzo's playing can be heard on Osbourne's Speak of the Devil and Tribute live albums, though he never appeared on a studio album with Osbourne. The liner notes of Osbourne's 1981 studio album Diary of a Madman list Sarzo as the bassist, although Bob Daisley actually played bass on the recordings. Following Rhoads' death in a plane crash in 1982, Sarzo became disillusioned and lek Osbourne's band. Aker Sarzo had lek Osbourne's band, a serious rik developed between the two, primarily the result of Quiet Riot vocalist Kevin DuBrow's persistent criYcism of Osbourne's vocal abiliYes. Osbourne later frequently claimed to have "punched out" Sarzo in a later meeYng. He rejoined Quiet Riot in the midst of the recording of Metal Health, which would go on to become a mulY-­‐plaYnum hit. Sarzo remained with Quiet Riot from September 1982 to January 1985, when fricYon between himself and vocalist Kevin DuBrow convinced him to leave the band. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.ronniejamesdio.com www.rudysarzo.com www.facebook.com/rudy.sarzo Photo courtesy of www.rudysarzo.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE FOUR AUGUST 2013 SECRET BASSIST COVER: RUDY SARZO cont’d Aker leaving Quiet Riot, Sarzo formed M.A.R.S. with former Ozzy Osbourne band mate Tommy Aldridge, who Sarzo maintained a close friendship with. From April 1987 to September 1994, both Sarzo and Aldridge were members of Whitesnake before lead singer David Coverdale put the band on indefinite hiatus. Rudy reunited with Quiet Riot, from May 1997 to August 2003. Sarzo would rejoin Quiet Riot on mulYple occasions, and recorded albums with them in 1999 and 2001. In February of 2004, Rudy joined Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force for the U.S. 30 city "Amack Tour”. In April of 2004 Rudy became a member of the mulY-­‐plaYnum Heavy Metal group DIO unYl recording their last album in 2004. In 2006, Sarzo wrote a book enYtled Off the Rails, a biographical account of his Yme in Ozzy Osbourne's band in the early 1980s, and centers mainly on his memories of guitarist Randy Rhoads, a close friend who died in a 1982 plane crash during the Diary of a Madman American tour. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.ronniejamesdio.com www.rudysarzo.com www.facebook.com/rudy.sarzo Photo courtesy of www.rudysarzo.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE FIVE AUGUST 2013 SECRET BASSIST COVER: RUDY SARZO cont’d In 2007, Sarzo joined Blue Öyster Cult, replacing Richie Castellano as the band's bassist, iniYally as a guest musician before officially taking the role. He remained with Blue Öyster Cult unYl 2012. He also serves as a counselor for Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp. On September 1, 2012, Sarzo was announced to be part of a new Queensrÿche lineup with Geoff Tate,[6] who was expelled from Queensrÿche on June 5, 2012.[7] Other band members include guitarist Kelly Gray, drummer Simon Wright, and keyboardist Randy Gane. Since January 25, 2013, Sarzo's brother, Robert, joined the band. This is the first Yme the Sarzo brothers have ever played together in a naYonal act, replacing Glen Drover, who lek two months earlier. In April of 2013 Rudy announced that he was joining the new theatrical metal band Animetal. A Japanese based heavy metal band that specializes in metal covers of theme songs from classic and modern anime television series. Animetal is now based in the United States with Sarzo on bass. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.ronniejamesdio.com www.rudysarzo.com www.facebook.com/rudy.sarzo Photo courtesy of www.rudysarzo.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE SIX AUGUST 2013 SECRET BASSIST COVER: RUDY SARZO cont’d Sarzo is also an avid computer digital animator. When not touring or recording, he is a 3D technical director and co-­‐
execuYve producer at Ocean Visual FX in Southern California. Sarzo has demonstrated computer animaYon sokware at major tradeshows, such as demonstraYng Acid, Sony Vegas and DVD Architect sokware at the Sony Pictures booth during the 2004 Winter NAMM Show. He released the Acid for Non Linear Editors training DVD, directed by Douglas Spomed Eagle, for the VASST training series, and created the “Working Man’s Bass” loop library exclusively for Sony Pictures’ Acid Sokware. He created the concert 3D animated opening for the video wall used during a European tour by Dio. You can visit Rudy on his Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/officalrudysarzo References www.en.wikipedia.org www.ronniejamesdio.com www.rudysarzo.com www.facebook.com/rudy.sarzo Photo courtesy of www.rickyphillips.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE SEVEN AUGUST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RICKY PHILLIPS Ricky Lynn Phillips was born on October 7, 1953. He is the current bass player for the rock band Styx. He has also played in Nasty Habit, The Babys, Bad English, and Coverdale-­‐Page. Phillips and his former Bad English band mate, Neal Schon, also played with former Montrose members Sammy Hagar and Denny Carmassi on a live version of the Montrose song "Rock Candy". Ricky has oken stated that he played every zip code starYng with EiEiO before ever gewng a major gig. Although known as the bass player for Bad English and The Babys, some of the other arYsts he has been invited to perform on stage and/or in the studio with include: Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger, Sammy Haggar, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Julian Lennon, Ted Nugent, Eddie Money, Steve Stevens, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Joe Lynn Turner, Steve Lukather, Vinnie Caliuta, Alan White, Jeff Porcarro and Terri Bozzio. He has wrimen, performed, sung, produced, and engineered music for various arYsts as well as for film and television. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.rickyphillips.com Photo courtesy of www.rickyphillips.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE EIGHT AUGUST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RICKY PHILLIPS….cont’d His styles of wriYng range from the rock genre he's known for, to children's music for Nickelodeon, jazz themes for CNN, Be Bop, Flamenco, blues and contemporary pop. He started piano at the age of 6. “I think I had 7 piano teachers over the years and I hated them all." A few years later, he began sneaking out his dad's MarYn guitar. He taught himself Beatles, Stones and whatever else he could lik off the radio. By the age of twelve, he began forming his first band with childhood friend Steve Gunner. For a few years, Phillips was consumed by the guitar unYl one week his bass player decided to leave his bass at Rick's house where they were rehearsing. "I was beginning to noYce (Paul) McCartney's melodic lines were my favorite parts of the songs and was blown away by the aggressive style of John Entwhistle...so I played this guys bass...like...all week end. My hands were shot and the blisters were premy bad, but I was hooked." Phillips conYnued pursuing his love of the guitar through school but eventually quit in his senior year at San Francisco State to play full Yme. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.rickyphillips.com Photo courtesy of www.rickyphillips.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE NINE AUGUST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RICKY PHILLIPS….cont’d He spent the next few years playing 4 and 5 sets a night in rock clubs around the US and Canada. At a certain point, he knew he had to make his move to either New York or Los Angeles. He ended up in Los Angeles with a suitcase, a bass, a guitar and 20 borrowed dollars in his pocket. He audiYoned for a high profile LA band and got the gig. That gig got him the exposure he needed. Marc Salter, who was working for the BriYsh band The Babys, saw Ricky play. John Waite was replacing himself as The Babys' bass player so he could concentrate purely on fronYng the band. Salter tracked Ricky down and brought Waite to meet him in a Hollywood music store where Ricky had begun working for $100 a week. Aker 3 years, and three great albums, The Babys all went their separate ways and Ricky began wriYng, doing sessions and extensive touring as a sideman. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.rickyphillips.com Photo courtesy of www.rickyphillips.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE TEN AUGUST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RICKY PHILLIPS….cont’d He landed some of his music in the film, The Terminator, which opened the door to more film and television work. Eventually, at a vineyard in Saratoga California, he and Jonathan Cain would decide to put another band together, which would become Bad English. In essence it was the merging of The Babys and Journey, with a plaYnum selling debut album garnishing #1 and #3 CHR hits, a #1 Rock Chart hit, and 3 other top 40 hits. Rick's next venture was with Jimmy Page and David Coverdale. Another plaYnum release called was Coverdale/Page. During the recording of this record, Ricky was building a studio in North Hollywood for his wriYng and producYon projects. The first CD he produced and engineered in this studio was the criYcally acclaimed Frederiksen/Phillips CD. A duo with ex-­‐Toto singer Fergie Frederiksen which featured guests from YES, Chicago, Journey, Mr. Mister, Tower of Power, Mr. Big, CCR, and an array of fellow session players. Ricky joined Styx in 2003 and remains their current bass player. References www.en.wikipedia.org www.rickyphillips.com Photo courtesy of www.kingsofchaosband.com BASS THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM =8-­‐) PAGE ELEVEN ROCK N ROLL ALL STARS BECOME KINGS OF CHAOS IN 2012 A HUGE GATHERING OF RECOGNIZED PLAYERS TOURED AS THE ROCK N ROLL ALL STARS. THE GROUP HAS NOW DOWNSIZED TO BECOME KINGS OF CHAOS. THE NEW GROUP CONSISTS OF SUPER STAR MUSICIANS FROM GUNS N ROSES, DEEP PURPLE, VELVET REVOLVER, DEF LEPPARD, BILLY IDOL, LOADED AND SKID ROW. “HOLY SHIT!!!” CHECKOUT THIS LINEUP OF TALENT: JOE ELLIOT ON VOCALS, GLENN HUGHES ON VOCALS, SEBASTIAN BACH ON VOCALS, DUFF McKAGAN ON BASS, GILBY CLARKE ON GUITAR, SLASH ON GUITAR, STEVE STEVENS ON GUITAR AND MATT SORUM ON DRUMS. THEIR FIRST RELEASE IS A COVER OF “NEVER BEFORE” BY DEEP PURPLE AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING TOGETHER A USA TOUR FOR 2013. THE LIVE SHOW IS PROMISED TO BE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED. CHECK THE BAND OUT AT WWW.KINGSOFCHAOSBAND.COM AND ON FACEBOOK AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/KINGSOFCHAOSBAND/ References www.kingsofchaosband.com www.en.wikipedia.org www.facebook.com/kingsofchaos BASS COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 PAGE TWELEVE =8-­‐) BMM READERS SURVEY: HOW MANY BASSES ARE ENOUGH? =8-­‐) THIS PARTICULAR EDITOR CURRENTLY HAS A NAMED ARSENAL OF TEN!! A CUSTOM FENDER P BASS (Number One) , FENDER FRETLESS JAZZ (The Mexican), FENDER ‘62 REISSUE JAGUAR (The Redhead), FENDER GEDDY LEE SIGNATURE JAZZ (Geddy), SQUIER DELUXE ACTIVE V JAZZ (The Black Beauty), IBANEZ EDB400 (Eye be Nez), A WARWICK NT THUMB (The Thumb), EPIPHONE VIOLA (Paul), ‘06 MUSICMAN STINGRAY ACTIVE IV (Number Nine) AND AN EPIPHONE THUNDERBIRD CLASSIC IV PRO (T Bird). FOR NOW, TEN IS MY LIMIT……..UNTIL I GET THAT MAJOR RECORDING DEAL! I ALWAYS LIKE TO CARRY A MINIMUM OF TWO BASSES TO EVERY GIG, WITH AN EXTRA SET OF STRINGS FOR EACH. I ROTATE MY BASSES FOR REHERSALS SO I KEEP UP WITH THE FEEL OF EACH ONE, WHICH HELP DETERMINE HOW TO ADJUST AND PLAY EACH ONE TO GET THE TONE THAT I FEEL IS BEST FOR A PARTICULAR SONG. FOR INSTANCE, ONE MAY HAVE THAT SWEET SPOT OVER THE NECK PICKUP WHILE ANOTHER MAY TONE BETTER OVER THE BRIDGE PICK UP. ONE MAY BE SWEETER WITH SERIES P’UPS WHILE ANOTHER IN PARALLELL. THIS ALSO HELPS ME TO KNOW HOW TO TWEAK THE PASSIVE PICKUP BASSES THROUGH AN EFFECTS PEDAL TO GET THE RIGHT DRIVE AND PUNCH. HOW MANY BASSES DO YOU HAVE? HOW MANY DO YOU FEEL IS ENOUGH? BASS COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 PAGE THIRTEEN =8-­‐) BMM ON LOCATION AT THE MAMA THIRD THURSDAY OPEN JAM NIGHT DEBUT ON 9/19/13 The September 19th kick off of the MAMA (Montgomery Area Musicians AssociaYon) Third Thursday Open Jam night was a huge success. Jimi and the Firedogs gave a great performance to start the event. It was good to see Jimmy Baker back in acYon aker a 7 month departure from music due to health reasons. He sounded fantasYc. The turnout by local musicians was tremendous. So much so, that event coordinator, Tom Sellers, had to limit each musician/band to two songs in order to allow all those on the sign up sheet a chance to play…….AND PLAY THEY DID!! There is no shortage of highly talented musicians in the Montgomery area! For me, this was a great opportunity to meet and listen to local arYsts that I have never had the chance to see before. With my “real job” schedule, family commitments and my band play dates, it is rare that I have an available night to go check out some of my fellow musicians. Check out MAMA at www.montgomerymusicians.org BASS COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM THE BOTTOM LINE OCTOBER 2013 PAGE FOURTEEN =8-­‐) BMM ON LOCATION AT THE MAMA THIRD THURSDAY OPEN JAM NIGHT DEBUT…cont’d These open jam events organized by MAMA will present the perfect opportunity for anyone (musician or non musician) to enjoy a wide variety of music offered by local talent…..all in one place. Special thanks to Scom Grant – guitar, Eddie Walker – vocals and Tony McCarty – drums for being my jam band. Thanks also to Freddie Smith and Jimbo (??) for the nice comments on the playability of my “Eye be Nez” bass guitar. Thanks to Jimi and the Firedogs for providing the PA and backline for all those awesome players that provided a great night of music. I am looking forward to the next event scheduled for Thursday, October 17th at The Alley Bar in Downtown Montgomery. =8-­‐) PRKNBNZ