Doug Wimbish
Living Colour , Sugarhill Gang — Doug Wimbish is a true pioneer of the electric bass . A force of nature .
CM : At what point do you feel you found your own “ voice ” or style on bass ?
Photo : Dave Peleschak , dp2 . ca
CM : At what point do you feel like you found own style or “ voice ” on the bass ?
DW : I think it was always there . I found out how to recognize it . I also came to the realization of how I hear things and roles I needed to play . For example , when I was listening to records like “ Are You Experienced ” by Jimi Hendrix or “ Stairway To Heaven ” by Zeppelin , I liked the way the records sounded . I liked the stereo images . I liked the creative audio illusions that were taking place on these great recordings – the engineers , good songwriters , and artistic people developing sounds in the studio . I also liked hearing how bands would translate that live . I was always influenced by people who had their own distinct sound – Jimi Hendrix , Sly , John Coltrane , Miles Davis , Carlos Santana , Tower of Power , and Tito Puente . The Philadelphia sound , Memphis sound , Chicago sound , Motown … Hendrix was a big influence . At 14 or 15 , I started plugging my bass into an Echoplex [ tape delay effect ], a distortion pedal , and a wah wah . I thought it was the greatest thing on earth . I didn ’ t know how that would play out for me as a working bassist . The definition of that sonic quality wasn ’ t being applied at that time . I was trying to sound like Hendrix and at the same time trying to pick up James Jamerson bass lines . I am a product of all that I heard . I ’ m not the architect ; I ’ m more the recipient of all that was around me . I played guitar and bass . At 15 or 16 , I started getting more gigs as a bassist . I was in different groups – a horn band , a three-piece psycho metal band , a seven-piece band with percussion ... I was developed by the different situations I was blessed to be in .
CM : I wanted to ask you about your basses . How did your association with Spector start , and can you tell us about your signature instruments ?
DW : The first time I ever saw a Spector was with the bass player in a group called Cameo , Aaron Mills . This might have been 1978 . From that point I was interested because it had a really distinct sound . Aaron and I were friends and I would play his bass . I was playing with the Sugarhill Gang . At that time all these boutique bass builders were coming up – Mike Tobias , Harvey Citron , Stuart Spector , and this group of New York bass builders . Spector always caught my eye . I was working with Jeff Beck rehearsing somewhere and the guys from Kramer came by to let Jeff check out some guitars . He was mates with Eddie Van Halen , who played Kramer . I met the Kramer guys and they mentioned they had just bought Spector . I thought , “ That ’ s fantastic .” That ’ s how I got connected with Spector . At that time , Spector had one loaner bass , so if you were a new artist they were going to sponsor , they would give you that bass to see if you liked it . Then they would make you a bass and the loaner would go on to the next player . The profile of the neck on that bass was a bit too big . I asked if they could make a bass with a neck profile more like a [ Fender ] Jazz bass . One afternoon Stuart came with a piece of wood and kept shaving it down , just a little bit . I ’ d ask him to shave more and he was like , “ I don ’ t know if it can take it .” But he did it ! He was afraid it wouldn ’ t be stable enough . When it was finished he called me up and said , ‘ Doug , you won ’ t believe this bass – you ’ d better get down here now !’ We followed that up with the five-string .
MM : For me , being a musician is a constantly evolving process and I certainly feel I ’ m still growing and learning ; however , I suppose there was a point in my 20s when a certain personal path started to become apparent . Jaco Pastorius had been my idol at that time and much of my musical pursuit had revolved around trying to come to terms with the great innovations he brought to the instrument . When I got to study with him and get to know him a bit , I ’ m not sure why , but I began to feel a need to branch out a little . It ’ s difficult to describe because it was an intuitive process , but I started hearing certain sounds in my mind ’ s ear and I began to have an unstoppable urge to follow a particular set of dreams .
CM : How much does your main bass , the Zon Hyperbass , contribute to your overall musical voice ?
MM : It ’ s a great question and I like how you ’ ve phrased it . I ’ ve seen some pretty fiery debates on the subject of whether tone comes from the instrument or player and often wondered if what was needed wasn ’ t a better definition of the concepts involved . Using the phrase “ overall musical voice ” is a lovely way of clarifying .
In my case , I would say my instrument plays a very large role in my overall musical voice . As I think you know , I help design the instruments I play and they have some unusual capabilities . In my personal conception , the form of the bass guitar is not yet fully fixed and established , so experimenting with aspects of its design and implementation are part of the creative process for me . While I spend a lot of my time very happily playing a “ conventional ” instrument – a 4-string fretted built along roughly the standard Fender parameters – the addition of unconventional tools and approaches is what really makes things interesting to me .
Jason Raso is a professional bassist from Guelph , ON . His latest album , Man of 40 Faces , is available at www . jasonrasomusic . com . Jason proudly endorses Fodera basses , Gallien- Krueger amplifiers , and D ’ Addario strings .
WWW . CANADIANMUSICIAN . COM CANADIAN MUSICIAN • 47