BILLY SHEEHAN IS ONE OF THE MOST badass rock bass players ever to attack the low end, and he hasn’t slowed down one bit. Sheehan demonstrates great artistic balance on his newest solo disc, Holy Cow!, where he works precision playing into vocal-oriented tunes and goes for broke on instrumental workouts.
Everybody talks about serving the song, but being a monster bassist is a big part of your identity. What are your thoughts on serving the bass while staying true to the tune?
If your timing is locked, you can get away with almost anything. James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, and Tim Bogert are classic examples of players using the entire fingerboard while serving the song. And there are times when it’s a blast to cut loose. Players who can’t or don’t play a lot of notes shouldn’t frown on those who do, and vice versa.
How do you make tunes incorporating odd meters feel natural?I can count when I have to, but I find that it helps to simply play by feel. I was lucky to get into some odd-time stuff at an early age. I read a Downbeat magazine article about how Frank Zappa’s “Flower Punk” [We’re Only In It for the Money, Verve, 1968] was a good illustration of using bars of five and seven in the same song. I played along with that track over and over until the timing felt normal, and it’s come in handy over the years.
What tips do you have when it comes to tapping?You’ve got to hit the string hard to make it sing. And you’ve got to play everything five times stronger in the studio, because you don’t have the natural rush of being onstage. The notes have got to come roaring off the bass. I lost a lot of skin on this record!
Are there licks on the album that you could not have played in the past?Absolutely. I work harder on growing and evolving my playing now than ever before. I love the challenge of pushing myself to try things that seem beyond my limitations. I force myself to play each part exactly and powerfully without missing a note. I’ll practice for hours at time until I’m dripping with sweat. Last year, a kid wrote me an e-mail saying that he was bored of playing after only three months on bass. I told him to quit. I’ve been playing for 40 years, and I’m still finding something new every time I sit down.
CHECK HIM OUT
Billy Sheehan, Holy Cow!
[Mascot, 2009]
GEAR
Basses Yamaha Attitude LTD II
Strings Rotosound BS66, .043, .065, .080, .110 (standard tuning), .065, .080, .110, .135 (tuned BEAD)
Rig Ampeg SVT-4PRO, Pearce BC1 preamp, Ampeg SVT-810E cabinet, Radial JDV DI, Avalon Vt-737sp preamp
Effects T. Jauernig Electronics DGTM Diabolical Gristle Tone Manipulator, ISP Decimator noise reduction