Name Ivan Eric ‘Big Ive’ Williams
Hometown Cleveland, Ohio
Years experience 36
Gig The Jim Session Trio, Cosmic Wheels, Temple 8, Big Ive and Nem, freelance work
Gear Fender Marcus Miller Signature 5-string, Ibanez 4- and 6-string basses, Chinese upright bass, Hartke HA3500 and LH1000 amps, Hartke 810XL 8x10 and Hydrive 410 4x10s
Day job Bass instructor, producer and freelance work
Why I started playing bass All I remember is the bass rumbled, and that’s what I liked. Maybe it was a band in the ’hood back in 1970, maybe it was the high school jazz band that came to my school in ’72, but something happened between those two years. All I can say is I took two strings off my guitar to make a bass in ’72.
Why I play bass today My band teacher, Frank Harrington, made me feel like I could do anything—and not just in music. Even though I played trombone from 4th to 12th grade, its because of his inspiration that I play bass. Its an addiction: My name is Big Ive, and I’m a bassaholic!
Light bulb moment I went to a wedding reception in Michigan, and the band was my old bandmates with another bass player. They sounded so good that after listening to them, I grew mentally into the Incredible Hulk and vowed to never stop playing bass, no matter what.
Hear my music at www.bigive.com, www.myspace/bigiveandnem Talk to me at ivanwilliamsbass@hotmail.com