What was it like to learn from Paul Green at his School of Rock?
It was like studying with a mad genius. Paul taught me music theory and blues progressions and then decided to put on a Pink Floyd show with all his students. My parents almost pulled me from the program when Paul decided to do a Zappa show next! I grew exponentially by studying Patrick O’Hearn’s bass lines; it was like going to Zappa bootcamp. Paul’s teaching style involved a lot of competition and negativity, but it worked because I’m very competitive. My brother and I were in the original all-star band that played the Zappanale festival in Germany with [former Zappa singer/saxophonist] Napoleon Murphy Brock. I had already graduated when Paul asked me to record bass for the documentary movie soundtrack. The best thing about that was playing “School’s Out” with Alice Cooper and Stewart Copeland at the film’s premiere.
What was it like to play with Copeland?
It was tough because he has an incredible groove, but his tempo is all over the place. I actually love that, and I’m pretty good at keeping up because my brother sways, too. It’s fun. Most music today is boring because it’s all played to a click on a grid, so there’s no feel at all. My favorite part of playing music is improvising, especially with my brother, because we have a connection that transcends. We constantly challenge each other with progressive jams in different time signatures and tempos onstage. Of course, Adrian keeps up [laughs].
How much freedom does Adrian generally allow?
He instructs Eric and me to play certain sections the way they are written, and then there are other sections where we’re free to go nuts. I tend to play bass like a guitar player. I like to play with a pick and strum aggressively to get a punchy, almost lead-bass tone that’s similar to Jack Bruce with Cream or Chris Squire with Yes. I don’t like sticking to root notes, although I’m learning to play fewer notes with more interesting rhythms.
How do you approach recreating Tony Levin’s Chapman Stick lines on the King Crimson material?
I play fingerstyle to make the attack sound more authentic. I was never a plucking-hand tapper, but I learned how to do it in order to play lines such as “Elephant Talk.” The approach is so percussive that it almost feels like tapping a conga. I play full chords to fill up the initial hits on “Frame by Frame.” To simulate the Stick’s deep range and fretless sound, I play those lines with an octave/sustain/chorus multi-effect. I scoop the low mids to keep it clear, yet deep.
How does it feel to be playing such killer material with a rock legend to packed venues, before you’re even out of college?
I feel so lucky to be traveling the world playing with the best in the business. When we jammed with the Flecktones, Victor Wooten took a solo and then pointed at me to go next, but I wasn’t about to solo after him! I’ve still got a lot to learn. I’ll have my Music Industry degree from Drexel University in a few weeks, I hope.
Can Be Heard On
Adrian Belew, Side Four (Live) [Adrian Belew Presents, 2007]
Various Artists, Rock School (Soundtrack) [Calvin Spain, 2005]
CURRENTLY SPINNING
Radiohead, In Rainbows [Capitol, 2008]
“I didn’t like it at first, but like all Radiohead’s records, it’s starting to grow on me.”
GEAR
Basses Lakland Bob Glaub Signature, Fender American Standard Jazz Bass
Rig Ampeg SVT-4PRO, Ampeg SVT-810E
Effects Korg ToneWorks AX3000B, Keely 4-Knob Compressor
Strings “I’m not too picky. Any set of medium-light strings will do.”
“I was using a Fender Jazz Bass when we recorded Side Four, but I recently switched to the Lakland because the neck feels like a J and it growls like a P-Bass.”