This is my tribute to the legendary Aces Of Bass that I have had the honour of capturing over the years.
The legendary Low Riders of the Storms.
The thing about a bass symphony is that it blends into the sound of a band. Until when they stop playing, you’ll quickly notice it. The music suddenly floats. The bottom is suddenly mising.
I want to get to the LOW down of a band this time; having written previous Blogs on mecurial guitarists, pile-driving drummers, and flamboyant front men.
Most Bassists prefer to stand quietly to either side of the stage and are contented to just bassicly hold the sonic fort.
I’ve been fortunate to have hung out and shot many legendary Aces of Bass over the years. Including those from Guns N’Roses, Rolling Stones, U2, Eagles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blondie, Beach Boys, Metallica, Scorpions, Kiss, Black Sabbath, Muse, Police, Deep Purple, Avenged Sevenfold, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Manic Street Preachers, Alice In Chains, Duran Duran, Stone Temple Pilots, Slipknot, Incubus, Rob Zombie, Korn, Mr. Big, Black Country Communion, Biffy Clyro, Deep Purple, Def Leppard, Dream Theater, Alt-J, Hoobastank, Yellowcard, Future Islands, Chvrches, Royal Blood, Travis, Bastille, Incubus, Brand New Heavies, Avenged Sevenfold, Fallout Boy, One OK Rock, Real Estate, and Walk The Moon etc.
Of the 68 bassist images that follow, I start off the Bassic list with personal fond memories.
Brian Wilson (above image).
One of the highpoints of my rock photography journey, was hanging out backstage with genius Brian Wilson.
Brian Wilson’s Bass (above image).
Here Brian also kindly signs all three of my mini-surfboards (above image); as did the Beach Boys eventually. I’m proud that this image is featured in the Beach Boy’s 50th Anniversary Live CD album artwork.
My signed mini-surfboards (above image).
Leigh Foxx, Blondie (above image).
Leigh Foxx is one of the sweetest and kindest musicians I know. Once on a cold wintry night, after a Blondie studio recording in New York, we were walking along to catch our rides. He turned to me and asked whether I would let him buy me a meal. I politely said no but that little thoughtful gesture said a lot about the man. Rock on, Leigh!
Gene Simmons, Kiss (above image).
Always nice, when a Kiss legend teaches me to do a proper Kiss.
Gene Simmons, Kiss (above image).
Paul Gray, Slipknot (above image).
I’m proud that this image is featured in the Slipknot “9:0 Live” CD album artwork.
Official Paul Gray, Slipknot T-shirt (above image). Honoured to have my Paul Gray image on an official Slipknot T-shirt.
Jesse Charland, Hoobastank (above image). Here’s Jesse backstage diligently going through his bass parts.
Hoobastank hanging out at my Home (above image).
Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers (above image).
Roberto Trujillo, Metallica (above image).
Roberto Trujillo, Metallica (above image).
Roberto Trujillo, Metallica (above image).
Sting, Police (above image).
Starting from the temporary platform of a bassist for the new wave rock band, the Police, Sting went on to soar in areas of jazz, rock, pop, classical and world music genres.
Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath (above image).
Mike Dirnt, Green Day (above image).
Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Black Country Communion (above image).
Glenn Hughes (above image).
Adam Clayton, U2 (above image).
Adam Clayton, U2 (above image).
Duff McKagan, Guns N’Roses (above image).
Rick Savage, Def Leppard (above image).
Rick Savage, Def Leppard (above image).
John Myung, Dream Theater (above image).
John Myung, Dream Theater (above image).
John Myung, Dream Theater (above image).
Tony Wolstenholme, Muse (above image).
Tony Wolstenholme, Muse (above image).
William Cashion, Future Islands (above image).
Mike Kerr, Royal Blood (above image).
Nathan East of Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, Daft Punk, Phil Collins (above image).
Nathan East (above image).
Nathan East (above image).
Nathan East (above image).
Nathan East (above image).
Robert DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots (above image).
Robert and Dean DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots (above image). Seamless brotherly interplay.
Hugh McDonald, Bon Jovi (above image).
Pawel Maciwoda, Scorpions (above image).
Pawel Maciwoda, Scorpions (above image).
John Taylor, Duran Duran (above image).
Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Winery Dogs etc (above image).
Gwil Sainsbury, Alt-J (above image).
Nicky Wire, Manic Street Preachers (above image).
Gwil Sainsbury, Alt-J (above image).
Ben Kenney, Incubus (above image).
Martin Doherty, Chvrches (above image).
Andrew Levy, Brand New Heavies (above image).
Will Farquarson, Bastille (above image).
Timothy B. Schmitt, Eagles (above image).
Timothy B. Schmitt, Eagles (above image).
Daryl Jones, Rolling Stones (above image).
James Johnston, Biffy Clyro (above image).
Rob “Blasko” Niholson, Rob Zombie (above image).
Fieldy, Korn (above image).
Fieldy, Korn (above image).
Roger Glover, Deep Purple (above image).
Johnny Christ, Avenged Sevenfold (above image).
Pete Wentz, Fallout Boy (above image).
Mike Inez, Alice In Chains (above image).
Dougie Payne, Travis (above image).
Alex Bleeker, Real Estate (above image).
Josh Portman, Yellowcard (above image).
Ryota Kohama, One Ok Rock (above image).
Kevin Ray, Walk The Moon (above image).
Hope you enjoyed my legendary Low Riders of the Storms images.
