How do you handle being both the bass player and producer?
I used to record bass direct from the control room, between twisting knobs and pressing record. But now I’ve started to get the sounds together beforehand. When I’m playing, I’d rather be out there with the fellas so we can sit down, work it out, and play it together.
How does the band get its unique sound?
We’ve got a bunch of talented and tasteful guys who really know how to be part of a band. The horn section has a certain resonance and blend that you get from guys who have played hundreds of shows together.
We try to be open-minded and try different things in the studio. Sometimes a real fancy mic sounds good, and sometimes a five-dollar Radio Shack mic sounds better. And I like to keep the arrangements open and simple, so that Sharon can really sing and the musicians can really play. Whenever I come up with a clever arrangement or writing idea—like some fancy horn line—I often regret it. We’ll end up taking it out and putting in a simple hum-bap!, which sounds better.
How do you get your bass sound?
I always use my old Carvin bass that I got in a pawnshop years ago. Most of the time I run it direct. To get my sound, I more often play up the neck. I use roundwound strings, and I keep them real dirty. I’m always hesitant to put on new strings. Whenever I do, it always sounds awful, so I end up rubbing some grease into them. I’ll get some French fries or ham or rub anything with grease onto the strings until I can rid them of that awful tone.
Recently I broke a G string but I didn’t want to get new strings, so I ended up playing the bass with three strings for a couple gigs and recording sessions. I realized that most of the time I would go up to that G string, it was kind of unnecessary.
CAN BE HEARD ON
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, 100 Days 100 Nights [Daptone, 2007]
Amy Winehouse, Back to Black [Island, 2006]
CURRENTLY SPINNING
Seun Kuti & the Egypt 80; Antibalas, Security [ANTI-, 2007]
Budos Band, Budos Band II [Daptone, 2007]
“Seun Kuti is bad. He inherited the band from his father, Fela Kuti, and he just came to the states for the first time. It was the best show I’ve seen in years.”
GEAR
Bass 1969 Carvin 77-AGB
Rig Ampeg SVT head and 8x10 cab
“My bass has a kind of dull character, so I don’t really need that much to get my sound.”