For a metal bassist, you’ve played some unusual instruments over the years.
Yes I have. My first bass was an Aria Pro II. It was the “new romantic” bass. The guys in Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet used to play them above the waist with a pick, doing that really weird dance where you bend your knees. Then I had a 1970 Rickenbacker 4001 with a Bartolini bridge pickup. I actually preferred the neck pickup on that bass, because it sounded like Roger Glover did with Deep Purple.

Ibanez is working on a signature bass in your name. What can we expect?
It has an Iceman body shape, but its neck is a little narrower and rounder. It’s made of dense mahogany for a fuller tone. It needs the body weight because it’s really neck-heavy—even worse than a Thunderbird. I had to move the strap button away from the neck joint to make it balance better. It’s a passive instrument, which helps keep the retail price down.

Who were your biggest bass heroes when you were starting out?
My first influence was Steve Priest of the Sweet. They were an underrated band—people just think of “Ballroom Blitz,” but that came later on. Before that they had a sound that was a bit like Deep Purple. So there was Steve, Roger Glover, and Glenn Hughes. Then that all went overboard with Gene Simmons, who wasn’t the best bass player, but he was definitely the coolest!

Of course, there’s also Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, who influenced everybody. I love those hammer-ons he played in “Paranoid”—it’s as if he couldn’t be bothered to learn the riff—he just played around with a bluesy pentatonic run. I think his playing on Heaven and Hell is his best work, because it was so melodic. I saw him play Ozzfest and watched his technique: He hits everything so hard, and he sometimes rests his picking hand right up on the 12th fret. You get a really hollow sound if you play up there. I’ve stolen so many things from him—if he weren’t so much richer than I am, I’d be giving him royalties!

CAN BE HEARD ON

Arch Enemy, Rise Of The Tyrant [Century Media]

CURRENTLY SPINNING

Deep Purple, Come Taste the Band [EMI]
“If I had to pick one bass sound that is the ultimate in history, I’d go for Glenn Hughes’s tone on this album.”

GEAR

Bass Ibanez Iceman with DR strings

Rig Eden WT405 Time Traveler head with D810RP 8x10 cab

Effects EBS ValveDrive preamp/overdrive
“The Iceman has a great sound, but it’s also a visual thing—there are so many basses that sound amazing but look so ugly.”