“A great bassist plays the song the way it feels”

BASS
Photo courtesy of fender.com THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 ARTIST SPOLTLIGHT: ANGELINE SARIS MEL SCHACHER COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM BMM’S EDITOR JOHN “PRKNBNZ” HALL FEATURED IN GO PLAY ALABAMA! DO YOU KNOW YOUR LOCAL BASS PLAYERS? COOL BASS GEAR: ROCKSMITH 2014 SOFTWARE DR COLORED STRINGS KORG PITCHBLACK TUNER DID YOU NAME JANUARY 2014 SECRET BASSIST CORRECTLY AS ANGELINE SARIS? =8-­‐) CAN YOU NAME THE FEBRUARY 2014 SECRET BASSIST? REMBERING THOSE GONE BY R.I.P. JOHNNIE HARRIS 1957 -­‐ 2013 HEADLINES: SPEAR GUITARS INTROS THE NEW FLEXTOOL NATHAN EAST JOINS CLAPTON 2014 TOUR FENDER INTROS $8K GEDDY LEE JAZZ BASS $6K DUSTY HILL P BASS “A great bassist plays the song the way it feels” =8-­‐) PRKNBNZ Photo courtesy of fender.com JANUARY 2014 SECRET BASSIST ANGELINE SARIS THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE TWO Angeline Saris began her career as a bass player =8-­‐) in the San Francisco Bay Area shortly aaer graduabng from UC Berkeley. Leaving behind a career in law, she followed her passion and began turning what had always been a hobby into a profession. Working her way into the music scene, Angeline started with a weekly jazz gig at a local restaurant. Already schooled in theory from her years in high school and college jazz groups, she was soon invited out to play with local jazz/hip hop group, Surreal. It was here that she met Uriah Duffy. When not playing bass for Whitesnake and Lyrics Born, Uriah is one of the top call sub bassists in the Bay Area. Duffy took Angeline under his wing and showed her the ways of a professional gigging musician, while also gejng her bass chops up to speed through frequent private lessons. It was soon aaer this fated meebng, that Angeline was filling in for Uriah on many of his local Bay Area gigs. Now, Angeline has become one of the Bay's busiest bass players. Angeline works as a full-­‐bme freelance bassist. Playing in groups whose stylisbc range include rock, jazz, funk, R&B, Cuban, metal, flamenco, hip-­‐hop and rockabilly has made her one of the busiest bassists in the SF Bay. The Fillmore, Yoshi's, Slim's, Great American Music Hall and the annual SF Grammys are just a few of the stages she's rocked out on since her debut on the scene.n the scene. PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: www.zepperella.com , www.fender.com JANUARY 2014 SECRET BASSIST ANGELINE SARIS……cont’d THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE THREE PRKNBNZ ROCKS Photo courtesy of www.ghs.com Angeline has done it all -­‐ and done it extremely well. It is this versablity, as well as her rock solid bme and tastefully craaed bass lines, that have helped keep her busy. Angeline credits John Paul Jones as a main influence, so it is no surprise that she shines as she interprets his thunder as the bassist in the female Led Zepplin tribute band ZEPPERELLA. Angeline is also a noteable bass instructor, and has taught at the Nabonal Guitar Workshop, in the Marin County and LA Unified School District and privately, off and on, for over 6 years. You can find Angeline at: www.zepperella.com, and on Facebook at:/
www.facebook.com/AngelineSarisBass‎ PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: www.zepperella.com , www.fender.com Photo courtesy of granfunk.com ARTIST SPOTLIGHT MEL SCHACHER THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE FOUR Schacher was born in Owosso, Michigan, and was raised in Flint. He became interested in music at the age of seven, playing with his father's banjo. By age twelve he had moved to playing guitar, and then bass. By age fourteen, Schacher was part of a trio playing mostly wedding recepbons and talent compebbons while playing with other local bands At sixteen, Schacher caught his first professional break when he was invited to replace bassist Frank Lugo in Quesbon Mark and the Mysterians, then riding their sole hit "96 Tears." During this sbnt, he was approached to join former Terry Knight and the Pack drummer Don Brewer and singer/guitarist Mark Farner-­‐-­‐-­‐who had been working as the Fabulous Pack but sought to change musical direcbon-­‐-­‐-­‐to form a new power trio. Intrigued by the power trio concept, Schacher joined the new lineup, and almost from the moment they played the 1969 Atlanta Internabonal Pop Fesbval, inspiring a rousing recepbon and fast-­‐spreading word of mouth, they achieved internabonal fame as Grand Funk Railroad. PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: www.en.wikipedia.org, www.grandfunk.com/bios/Mel_bio.html ARTIST SPOTLIGHT MEL SCHACHER…..cont’d THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE FIVE =8-­‐) Photo courtesy of badassbassplayers.com From 1969 through 1975, Grand Funk was one of the U.S.'s top rock groups, managing to hold on despite an acrimonious parbng with manager/producer Terry Knight and a musical shia toward a more commercial hard rock. They achieved ten plabnum-­‐selling albums and four number 1 hit singles as well as several more top forty hits. In 1976 Grand Funk broke up over musical differences. Farner, Brewer, and Schacher decided to give Grand Funk another try in 1980. However, Schacher had developed a distaste for flying and elected to stay behind. Schacher spent the intervening years making his way as an investor and occasional musician unbl, almost by chance, he reteamed with Farner and Brewer in a reunited Grand Funk Railroad in 1996. They recorded a live concert set, Bosnia, and a few new selecbons for a major anthology project. The original lineup toured unbl 1998, when Farner lea to pursue his solo music career. Schacher and Brewer enlisted veteran musicians Max Carl (38 Special), Bruce Kulick (Kiss) and Tim Cashion (Bob Seger, Robert Palmer) and have conbnued touring as Grand Funk Railroad from 2000 to 2012 performing 40 shows a year to large audiences all across North America. PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: www.en.wikipedia.org, www.grandfunk.com/bios/Mel_bio.html SPEAR GUITARS INTROS THE NEW FLEXTOOL MODEL PAGE SIX THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 HEADLINES Did you ever want an axe that had three of the greatest type pickups available? Well, your wish has come true! Spear Guitars has just made a bass with a Jazz, Precision and Humbucker pickup called the “Flextool”. The Flextool is built with an alder body, Canadian Hard Maple neck and Indian Rosewood fingerboard. The pickups and hardware are all Spear’s brand. The pickups include a J type single coil in the neck posiSon, a split P type single coil in the middle, and a Humbucker in the bridge posiSon. Each pickup has its own volume knob. There is a master tone control and a kill switch. The Flextool is available in Black, Lake Placid Blue, Orange, and Jamaica Green color schemes. For more info, check out the Spear Guitars website at: spearguitarsusa.com PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: spearguitarusa.com notreble.com NATAHN EAST JOINS CLAPTON 2014 TOUR PAGE SEVEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 HEADLINES Guitar legend Eric Clapton has once again recruited bass giant Nathan East to his touring band. East, who played with Clapton from 1984 to 2004, will be hijng the road with the former Cream guitarist in 2014, starbng in Japan. The rest of the band includes keyboardists Chris Stainton and Paul Carrack, vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White, and drummer Steve Gadd. Nathan Harrell East is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego. His new solo album is to be released on March 25, 2014. Keep in touch with Nathan on facebook at: hxps://www.facebook.com/NathanEast‎ PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: nathaneast.com notreble.com facebook.com/NathanEast/ FENDER INTROS $6K DUSTY HILL PRECISION BASS PAGE EIGHT THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 HEADLINES Fender Custom Shop’s Arbst Collecbon basses, now include the Limited Edibon Gold Top Dusty Hill Precision Bass. Limited to 50 bass worldwide, Fender reports the new model is idenbcal to the one Dusty is currently touring with and differenbates itself from other Precisions with a custom designed Seymour Duncan pickup, a custom neck shape, and rear routed controls. The bass is built with a lightweight bound okume body covered in a Metallic Gold Relic finish. Its neck is made from a single piece of quartersawn maple that leads up to a reverse headstock. The maple fingerboard features a 9.5-­‐inch radius and vintage style frets. The Fender Custom Shop Limited Edibon Gold Top Dusty Hill Precision Bass is created by Fender’s master builders in California. It carries an MSRP of $6,200. For more info, visit fender.com PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: fender.com FENDER INTROS $8K GEDDY LEE JAZZ BASS PAGE NINE THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 HEADLINES Fender’s Custom Shop has taken all of the aspects of Geddy Lee’s famous 1972 Jazz bass and created a Limited Edibon Geddy Lee Jazz replica. Every detail was considered, from the neck shape, wiring, pickups – even the wear and tear. Somebme around 1977, Lee purchased the bass from a pawnshop in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for $200. That instrument went on to take a prexy significant place in rock and roll history, as Lee used it on Rush’s 1981 mega-­‐hit, Moving Pictures. He recorded including “Vital Signs”, “Witch Hunt”, “Limelight” and “Tom Sawyer” using that bass, and the instrument also made an appearance on the music videos for “Limelight” and Vital Signs”. Lee played the bass sparingly in the ’80s aaer Moving Pictures, but returned to it in 1993 with the album Counterparts. As noted in the Rush documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage, Counterparts engineer Kevin “the Caveman” Shirley insisted that Lee return to the Jazz bass and the band return to its power trio roots. Lee has since used the bass as his main one on subsequent albums and tours. Lee’s bass is now on its third neck, which was created by Fender’s Custom Shop and features white binding. Pearl inlays have replaced the original black ones, and the neck is fixed with the original tuners, bushings and string tree. Lee requested the back of the neck have an oil finish instead of a a poly finish, because it is smoother and faster. All of his touring basses are now set up this way as well. The new Fender replica bass carries an MSRP of $8,000. Street prices aren’t yet known. For more, visit fender.com PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) References: fender.com BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE TEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 DO YOU KNOW YOUR LOCAL BASS PLAYERS? JIMBO JONES – HARMONY (2012 MAMA BEST BASSIST) RAY GOSS – RAY GOSS & FRIENDS (2012 MAMA BEST BASSIST) ANGIE BLACKWELL PENTZ – JAMES SEGREST BAND (2012 MAMA BEST BASSIST) JOHNNY MOSES – DR FEELGOOD, CHARLIE C (2012 MAMA BEST BASSIST) JOHN “PRKNBNZ” HALL – CROSSROADS, CRUISIN’ (2012 MAMA BEST BASSIST) KEVIN WOLFE – BURNHAM WOOD JODY WILSON – CONFEDERATE HIPSTER FREDDIE SMITH – FEDERAL EXPRESSION, JEFF & THE JOHNSONS STEVE WINGARD – OUTSIDE THE INSIDE RICHARD HATCHER – ICON RISING, McQUEEN STREET RICK HANSEN – WISHBONE CHRIS WHATLEY – THIRD STREET BAND LAMAR TAUGHTON – BAMA BREEZE BART WITEK – MOTORGROOVE BRIAN MOSS – LEGS N LIQUOR, STILL JEALOUS WILLIE PERDUE – 2 DAZE GONE MICHAEL ANDERSON – UNCLE PSYCHO EMORY KIDD – KING BEE =8-­‐) PRKNBNZ BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE ELEVEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 DO YOU KNOW YOUR LOCAL BASS PLAYERS? CONTINUED KENNY STINSON – JIMI AND THE FIREDOGS DAN WEATHERS -­‐ FREEFLIGHT JEREMY TROTT – SWOLE DAVE GOLDBERG – AFTER THE CRASH ED ISBELL – WHISKEY DOLLS, BUCKWILD PHILLIP “PETE” TERRELL – JOHN BULL BAND ERICK GROOVE BOTSFORD – HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE LINES DAVID STOUGH – THE KEYS BAND CHUCK PRATT – MODERN DAY JOB ROBBIE ANDERSON – GONE 2 MORROW RICKY TILLERSON – KILLING TYME DANIEL STRICKLAND – HONEY TREE BAND JUSTIN WADDLE – ALTER EGO KEVIN WILLOUGHBY – THE BLACKLIST DON TINSLEY – THE DELTA REAPERS GENE TURNER – HEADNSOUTH BAND SAM GUIDRY -­‐ MUDBONE PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) Reference: jamesrobinson.biz montgomerymusicians.org BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 COOL BASS GEAR PAGE TWELVE =8-­‐) ROCKSMITH 2014, BY UBISOFT, PUTS FASTEST WAY TO LEARN GUITAR OR BASS IN A GAME FORMAT USING YOUR OWN INSTRUMENT WITH A SPECIAL HERCULES USB TO ¼ INCH ADAPTER CABLE. RUNS ON XBOX, PC OR MAC. THREE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT PATHS. 50 SONG LIBRARY WITH DOWNLOADABLE LIBRARY OF 200 SONGS. JAM SESSION MODE. ABILITY TO SET YOUR DIFFICULTY LEVEL. PROGRAM “LEARNS” YOUR SPEED AND DEXTERITY AND ADJUSTS TO YOUR PLAYABILIYTY. SPECIAL PRICING OF $49.99 AVAILABLE (MSRP IS $80). VISIT ROCKSMITH.UBI.COM FOR MORE INFO. Reference: rocksmith.ubi.com PRKNBNZ BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 COOL BASS GEAR PAGE THIRTEEN DR STRINGS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS WITH THEIR SPECIAL K3 COATING. DR STRINGS ARE USED BY MARCUS MILLER, ADAM CLAYTON, STING, FIELDY, GEEZER BUTLER, VICTOR BAILEY, DOUG PINNICK AND NIK WEST. AVAILABLE COLORS ARE COOL BLUE, PINK, GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE, MULTI-­‐COLOR, WHITE AND BLACK. MEDIUM GUAGE WHITE RUNS AROUND $35 AND ALL OTHERS AROUND $30 AT MOST MUSIC OUTLETS. PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) Reference: drstrings.com BASS
THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM COOL BASS GEAR PAGE FOURTEEN KORG HAS INTRODUCED A NEW WAY COOL TUNER CALLED THE PITCHBLACK PRO. IT CAN BE RACK MOUNTED AS A 19” 1U OR STAND ALONE. LARGE 3D STYLE VISUAL METER. 3 DIFFERENT METER DISPLAY MODES AVAILABLE WITH A BUILT IN CABLE CHECKER. 2 SEPARATE INPUTS AVAILABLE. MUTE BUTTON. E0 TO C8 TUNING RANGE WITH +/-­‐ 1% ACCURACY. IF YOU PLAY LIVE YOU WILL CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE THE CLEAR, WELL LIT DISPLAY WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY. THE PITCHBLACK PRO IS AVAILABLE FROM MOST MUSICAL OUTLETS FOR $99. FOR MORE INFO VISIT KORG.COM/PITCHBLACK PRO PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) Reference: korg.com/pitchblack pro BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE FIFTEEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 JOHNNIE HARRIS 1957 -­‐ 2013 JOHNNY HARRIS, ORIGINAL DRUMMER FOR FREE FLIGHT, LOST HIS LONG BATTLE WITH LUPAS AND HAS NOW MOVED ON TO A BETTER PLACE. MANY IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITTY WILL MISS JOHNNY AND FOREVER REMEMBER HIM IN HIS JEAN SHORTS, ALABAMA HAT AND A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. OUR SYMPATHIES GO OUT TO HIS WIFE LYN, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND BANDMATES. VEIW PHOTOS AND MESSAGES TO JOHNNIE AT hxps://www.facebook.com/johnnie.harris.167527?fref=ts Reference: facebook.com/johnnie harris facebook.com/ Free Flight’s Friends =8-­‐( PRKNBNZ BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE SIXTEEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 REMEMBERING THOSE GONE BY REST IN PEACE JOHNNIE Photo courtesy of Free Flight’s Freinds PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) JOHNNIE HARRIS FREE FLIGHT BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE SEVENTEEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 BMM FEBRUARY 2014 SECRET BASSIST =8-­‐) CAN YOU NAME THIS BASSIST? =8-­‐) PRKNBNZ BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE EIGHTEEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 Five Quesbons with John Hall, Posted on January 1, 2014 in Go Play! Magazine ArScle from www.Goplayalabama.com PRKNBNZ =8-­‐) 1) What is your band name and what are your Ses to Montgomery? My current band, that I’ve been with since 2009, is CROSSROADS. I have also played with CRUISIN’ since 1978. I currently perform under the name of PRKNBNZ (Pork n Beans). I have lived in Montgomery since 1960. My father, Dr. Earl M. Hall, moved our family here when he became minister of Normandale BapSst Church. He has been in the ministry for over 70 years and reSred a couple of years ago at the age of 90. My sister, Donna Mulchay and brother, Jim Hall also live here. I have a wonderful son, Joe Hall, great daughter-­‐in-­‐law, Tina Hall and three beauSful granddaughters, Zoe, Abby and Mary Frances Hall that live here as well. 2) How would you describe your style? I would describe my playing as a “simplisSc rock” coupled with heavy, rhythmic, power trio, finger style. I like to pracSce the “less is more” approach with deep bass tones, heavy mids and a light treble punch. 3) Where do you find your inspiraSon? My main inspiraSon comes from my wife, Brenda, who has been my biggest fan and supporter for over 32 years. She has never tried to deter my musical aspiraSons and has allowed me to pursue my collecSon of basses, which is currently at 10. My early influences come from 1970’s rock band bassists Glenn Hughes, Roger Glover, James DeWar and Gary Thain. BASS
COME AND FEEL MY BOTTOM PAGE NINETEEN THE BOTTOM LINE FEBRUARY 2014 Five Quesbons with John Hall, Posted on January 1, 2014 in Go Play! Magazine 4) What do you do when you’re not performing? When not performing I stay busy creaSng markeSng flyers for CROSSROADS, pracScing new songs and being Owner/Editor of Bass Montgomery Magazine. Bass Montgomery is a monthly on line magazine that I first created in August 2012 to recognize some of the great bass player talent that is located here in the Montgomery area. I am also an acSve board member of the Montgomery Area Musicians AssociaSon (MAMA). With the creaSon of MAMA in 2013, the magazine now reaches a much wider audience. All ediSons of Bass Montgomery Magazine can be found at my personal website: www.prknbnz.com I love to ride my 1992 Heritage Sojail Harley-­‐Davidson motorcycle whenever possible. And I always enjoy shopping for my band jewelry, hat and shoe collecSons. 5) Where can people see you in person? I can be seen performing with CROSSROADS usually once a month at Ric & Mo’s Sports Bar on Watchman Drive with play Smes of 9:00 PM unSl 1:00 AM. I amend the monthly MAMA meeSngs on the first Monday of each month at Wishbone Studios on Zelda Road with meeSng Sme starSng at 6:00 PM. I try to amend each monthly MAMA Open Jam Night on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM, currently being held at The Alley Bar in Downtown Montgomery. You can always check my Events Page at www.prknbnz.com to see where I will be performing next. =8-­‐) www.crossroadsbandrocks.com www.facebook.com/CrossroadsCRB
ArScle from www.Goplayalabama.com PRKNBNZ