bass player with James Brown Archives

Doug Wimbish (Sugar Hill, Living Color)

Courtesy of Doug Wimbish Com – Photo Karstens Staiger

By Thomas Semioli

“I’m not just a bass player, I’m a sound-system…”

What James Jamerson is to Motown, Doug Wimbish is to Sugar Hill Records….

Among the most versatile, accomplished, and influential players ever to pick up the instrument, Douglas Arthur Wimbish’s body of work spans funk, hip-hop, dance, rock, pop, metal, blues, soul and permutations thereof.

Inspired by the sounds of his 1960s youth blaring from AM/FM radio – Sly Stone, Miles Davis, and George Clinton – Doug immersed himself in music theory studies at Hartford Conservatory. At Jackie McLean’s Artist Collective workshops, Wimbish began to collaborate with guitarists Skip McDonald and Barton Campbell, drummer Harold Sergeant, keyboardist Hubert Powel,l horn players Randy Boss and Otha Stokes as the Wood Brass & Steel ensemble.

With Skip, drummer Keith LeBlanc as the house band rhythm section for Sugar Hill Records, Doug commended to anchoring several watershed sides including Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message,” and “White Lines” to site two…and the rest, as they say is history.

With his Sugar Hill pedigree, Wimbish migrated to London in the early 1980s, founding TackHead – a highly acclaimed ensemble which was an innovative meld of industrial, hip-hop, hard rock, and electronica. Though their commercial success was limited, they were role models for platinum selling rap metal rockers Rage Against the Machine, and Faith No More, among others.

In the UK, Doug’s visibility blossomed and he began to work on stage and in the studio with such high-profile artists including Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Seal, Madonna, Joe Satriani, Annie Lennox, Ron Wood, Billy Idol, Lauryn Hill, and Mos Def, to cite a few.

Doug replaced Muzz Skullings in Living Color in 1991 for several tours and slabs. A composer, solo recording artist, producer, and arranger, Doug is an exemplary soloist, pocket player, and melodic catalyst – his weapons of choice include Spector 4 and 5 string instruments.

Doug Wimbish Sound & Vision

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “The Message” https://youtu.be/PobrSpMwKk4

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “White Lines” https://youtu.be/HB-Kkvf5j5Y

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “New York New York” https://youtu.be/Lecfn2D9Y94

The Sugar Hill Gang “Sugar Hill Groove” https://youtu.be/BZfz5VgsI0k

Afrika Bambaataa & James Brown “Unity” https://youtu.be/16k-k29wA8Q

Madonna “Erotica” https://youtu.be/WyhdvRWEWRw

TackHead “Mind and Movement Control” https://youtu.be/GFmZsHLC1Wk

Living Color “Open Letter” https://youtu.be/aMJTGcG-sxc

Ron Wood “Testify” https://youtu.be/NP3u2A79yIg

Doug Wimbish “Revolution” https://youtu.be/jIEuonjB0Xc

Resplendent in his kaleidoscopic haberdashery and long braided hair, which complimented his multi-colored Warwick instruments, Thomas Michael Stevens was among the preeminent bassists in pop, rock, jazz, funk, metal, punk, hip-hop and permutations thereof in the 1980s-90s until illness necessitated his retirement.

A composer, vocalist, producer, recording artist, first call session cat, clinician, educator, and showman extraordinaire – TM anchored platters and concert performances aplenty by artists spanning James Brown, Steve Vai, The Pretenders, Joe Cocker, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Nona Hendryx, Tupac Shakur, Cissy Houston, and Narada Michael Walden to cite a very, very select few.

A brilliant slap, and finger player, TM was a warm, and spirited presence on the New York City music scene, frequenting clubs and talking bass with anyone – myself included, who shared a love for the instrument.

T.M. Sound & Vision….

Corey Glover and Van Romaine on a remake remodel of Deep Purple’s “Burn” https://youtu.be/pY56aonrm48

From his Shocka Zooloo LP “The River Flows” https://youtu.be/vuJbkBAmi88

With Eric Gales on Jimi’s VooDoo Chile https://youtu.be/TCx-quZVzAw

The Pretenders “Don’t Get Me Wrong” https://youtu.be/pKzoXuEkk00

The Pretenders “How Much Did You Get for Your Soul” https://youtu.be/47AfhCQAlrU

With Neil Zaza “I’m Alright” and “I’m A Believer” https://youtu.be/MIn0XrMn9Fc

Fred Thomas (James Brown)

Declared James Brown “Fred is the most sampled bass player in the world!”

No matter how hard Mr. Brown worked, if it were not for his voltage enhanced bass players, there would be no soul – hence no Godfather!

James Brown’s bassists are legendary in their own right; boasting the extraordinary talents of Bootsy Collins, David “Hooks” Williams, Bernard Odum, Hubert Perry, Tim Drummond, Bob West, and Charles “Sweet” Sherrell, among others, and Fred Thomas.

Mr. Thomas was able to articulate the JBs’ killer up-tempo passages with this right thumb exclusively plying down-strokes, served The Hardest Working Man in Show Business for thirty plus years, distinguishing himself of such seminal Brown sides as the live Revolution of the Mind (1971), Get On the Good Foot (1972), and The Payback (1973), among other LPs.

That’s Fred on “Hot Pants,” “Papa Don’t Take No Mess,” and Make It Funky Part I” to cite a few. Fred’s deep tone, perfect note choices, and rhythmic variations are further proof that you don’t have to be flashy to be funky! Fred Thomas is still grooving in the studio and on the bandstand as a leader and an in-demand collaborator.