Beth Ami-Heavenstone (Graham Bonnet Band)

Courtesy of Graham Bonnet Com

 

She’s Mrs. Graham Bonnet to you sir… and she anchors the Graham Bonnet Band.

 

Though the legendary septuagenarian Lancashire UK rock legend is allegedly a fine player; lead crooning and playing bass are oft at odds, hence the need for a lower register resource dedicated solely to the task at hand, or in her case, plectrum.

 

(For the record, Bonnet’s bassists of yore are A list: Roger Glover, Gary Shea, Chris Glen, and Chuck Wright to cite a few….)

 

Enter Beth Ami-Heavenstone who cites Sir Paul, James Jamerson, Jack Bruce, and John Paul Jones – the usual boomer suspects – as her influences.

 

She’s Bonnet’s bottom – outlining the changes with the utmost economy by way of a massive Fender P resonance, and SVT amps and cabinets.

 

Amy Sound & Vision ….

 

Graham Bonnet:

 

“Living in Suspicion”  https://youtu.be/AZ9gC8QUL3I

 

“Samuri” https://youtu.be/6U6AVyyeWG8

 

“Starcarr Lane” https://youtu.be/COll8_okcD0

 

Courtesy Graham Bonnet Com

Dickie Peterson (Blue Cheer)

Photo courtesy of Dickie Peterson Com Photo courtesy of Dickie Peterson Com

Photo courtesy of Dickie Peterson Com

The late Richard Allen “Dickie” Peterson may be considered the first heavy metal bassist – as per the opinions of Eric Clapton and Neal Peart, among others who were there.

As lead singer and anchor of the mighty San Francisco power (and that’s an understatement) trio Blue Cheer, Peterson’s persona as a performer and bass player exuded the sheer force and attitude of hard rock in its earliest incarnation.

Though they never topped their ’68 debut slab, Vincebus Eruptum, and consequent reunions in the ensuing decades were more exercises in nostalgia, Peterson’s decidedly primal approach to the instrument set the bar, however high or low, depending on musical disposition!

Dig Dickie and Blue Cheer on their classic rendition of “Summertime Blues” https://youtu.be/YXcYZsqkZ-g

Mike Inez (Ozzy, Slash, Alice in Chains)

Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com

Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com

He is a versatile bassist who threads grunge, metal, traditional hard rock, alternative, and permutations thereof on record and on stage. 

 

A member of Alice in Chains since 1993, Mike Inez does it all – from lower register grooves to upper register counterpoint as the situation warrants.  

 

An engaging performer, educator, composer, sideman, band member, and collaborator – among Mike’s high-profile gigs aside from AIC includes Ozzy Osbourne, Slash’s Snakepit, Heart, and Black Label Society, to cite a select few. 

 

A hard hitting drop D tuning plectrum player inspired by John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, and Geezer Butler and his mom’s Elton John and Beatles slabs, among Mike’s weapons of choice include: Ampeg SVT, Fender Bassman, Warwick and Spector basses.

Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com

Courtesy of Alice In Chains Com

Mike Inez Sound & Vision…

 

Alice In Chains: 

“Down in a Hole” from MTV Unplugged https://youtu.be/nWK0kqjPSVI

 

“Raineir Fog” https://youtu.be/irNTqjI7A8E

 

Slash’s Snakepit “Beggars & Hangers On” https://youtu.be/FddCGr7mD54

 

Ozzy “I Don’t Want to Change the World” https://youtu.be/8d6AgoFStFQ

Jimmy Bain (Rainbow, Dio)

Photo courtesy of Polydor Records Photo courtesy of Polydor Records

Photo courtesy of Polydor Records

Among the premier hard rock bassists on stage and in the studio, the late James Stewart Bain was also a multi-instrumentalist and composer.

In addition to his tenure in Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow and Dio, Jimmy also toured and waxed seminal sides with Phil Lynott (keyboards, co-writer), Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, and The Scorpions among many others.

Primarily a pocket player, among Bain’s weapons of choice were Fender Precision, Gibson Thunderbird, and Yamaha BB, along with Ashdown cabinets and amplifiers.

Dig KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Rainbow in the Dark” – co-written
by Jimmy Bain with Ronnie James Dio,  https://youtu.be/rcl-T4C2ovk

Dig Jimmy on lead vocal with his band Wild Horses “Reservation” https://youtu.be/pHaiZ8_MVEE …and Wild
Horses https://youtu.be/oCYApcmHEog

Dig Jimmy on “With Love” by Thin Lizzy  https://youtu.be/lqOwLMOhUhQ

Dig Jimmy with Gary Moore “Hiroshima” https://youtu.be/GazQAsIgMf4

Dig KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Sentore’s rendition of “Stand Up and Shout” https://youtu.be/NdK50IsS81o

Photo by Jan Nicholas Photo by Jan Nicholas

Photo by Jan Nicholas

Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)

 

Amen to Scott Ian of Anthrax who proclaimed, “Steve Harris’s right hand, that’s the essence of heavy metal.”

 

Iron Maiden founder, chief-songwriter, producer, occasional keyboardist and backing vocalist, and video director, among other roles – the bass artistry of Stephen Percy Harris indefatigably defines the British New Wave of Heavy Metal, which continues to inspire generations of players as you are reading this!!! 

 

Noted for his “galloping” triplet rhythms rendered with his digits rather than a plectrum; Harris’ hammer-ons, harmonics, open-string pedal tone passages rendered with a timbre that allows his lines to be heard at massive volumes are the stuff of legend. Every motif Harris plies is of strict metal origins – no blues, jazz, funk, soul, nor classical references – nada!

 

With his beloved Precision strung with 50-110 flats, Harris traverses Maiden’s stage as metal god should; propping his right foot on front stage monitors whilst surveying the metal minions who have worshipped his band for decades and counting. With millions in record sales,  box office attendance, and overall longevity in addition to their artistic accomplishments, Steve Harris and Iron Maiden’s absence from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame is appalling, especially given the fact that the RRHOF is an appalling “institution” whose governance is comprised of wankers, gits, and posers… (reckon I won’t be receiving my ballot this year…). 

 

In 2009, Fender issued a Steve Harris Signature Bass which reproduces his long-time sparkle-blue finish instrument, which Harris has since replaced with a white veneer complimented by the crest of his beloved West Ham United Football Club (see photos).

 

For all things Maiden, https://www.ironmaiden.com/

 

“Kick with a Bam! We love West Ham!”

 

Steve Harris Sound & Vision as rendered by…

 

KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Senatore:

 

“Run to the Hills” https://youtu.be/-odrQck3Ppg

 

“Killers” https://youtu.be/HYiCnZdG74I

 

“Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” https://youtu.be/XgwjMfjPqMM

 

“Losfer Words” https://youtu.be/sete2GLts6Q

 

KYBP Austin Bureau Chief Robert Jenkins:

 

“Children of the Damned” https://youtu.be/oY2CHVgY39s

 

 

Steve Harris Photos Courtesy of Fender

Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze)

Photo courtesy of Glenn Hughes Com Photo courtesy of Glenn Hughes Com

Photo courtesy of Glenn Hughes Com

By Thomas Semioli

“Doesn’t everyone sniff cocaine off stripper’s bums?”

They don’t make rock stars like Glenn Hughes anymore. The rightfully proclaimed “Voice of Rock” is a world class bassist and singer-songwriter on par with Sir Paul and Sting who carved his legend with Trapeze and Deep Purple Mark III & IV.

Dig Glenn with Trapeze “Coast to Coast” https://youtu.be/ivSMRe4SUVI

Armed with a Fender and Rickenbacker 4001 –among other instruments, Glenn’s funky bass playing and soaring vocals with Deep Purple were decidedly soulful: which was one of the primary reasons Ritchie Blackmore bolted to form Rainbow.

Dig Glenn and Deep Purple at the legendary ‘74 California Jam https://youtu.be/KJ-CMPqvzQU

As such, the Purps hired Tommy Bolin and waxed one of the great lost albums of the 1970s – Come Taste The Band (1976).

Glenn’s solo catalog and collaborations are an extraordinary, groundbreaking fusion of rhythm & blues and hard rock: Play Me Out, Glenn Hughes Blues (with Tony Franklin), The Way It Is, Soul Mover, Hughes-Thrall, Tony Iommi/ Black Sabbath’s Seventh Star, and Black Country Communion, to cite a select few.  

Dig Glenn Hughes performing “Burn” with his solo band https://youtu.be/hzaGm3L0oqo

Dig Tony Senatore’s rendition of Deep Purple’s version of “Burn” with Glen Hughes https://youtu.be/XZsWolQbxp4

Dig Glenn with Trapeze “You Are The Music, We Are Just the Band” https://youtu.be/nLSVY0VS3Dg

Glenn’s autobiographical tome, penned with Joel McIver is essential reading!

Glenn-Hughes-book-cover.jpg Glenn-Hughes-book-cover.jpg