Planet Bass – The Alun Vaughan Interview February 2005

What inspired you to first pick up a bass and what were your first attempts at playing it like?

My first inspiration was Gene Simmons ( Kiss) in about ‘87 although my parents tell me that my first crush as a kid was Suzi Quattro so there may have been some weird subliminal thing going on for a long time!

I decided I wanted to play bass about a year before I got one and decided to string a 18” ruler with four rubber bands and play that. Now I’ve got my Ashbory bass ( which has an 18” scale length and silicone rubber strings), everything has come full circle :-)

My first attempts at playing were a combination of playing a 12 bar blues using only open strings and playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” up and down the G string. After that I started trying to learn songs by ear but usually ended up learning a combination of the melody and guitar part as my ear wasn’t really trained to picking out the bass.

Who were your early influences and what did you learn from them?

I’ve always been a bit of a musical kleptomaniac and borrowed from everyone so it’s hard to say what I’ve had off who. My earliest bass influences would have been Gene Simmons, Cliff Burton ( Metallica ), Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan but I was also really into  Steve Vai and the various late 80s shredders.

Did you take lessons or are you self-taught?

I did have a few lessons to get me started but I’m 99% self taught. I’m a bit of an music anorak and bought loads of guitar and bass magazines and songbooks and learnt loads from them.

What’s the most important bit of advice you were given by another musician?

Ummm, always end on a low note? There’s been so much so it’s hard to pick one. I’ve probably had my best advice from drummers who’ve pointed me in the right direction timing wise ( I’ve recently had some real problems playing ahead of the beat when playing walking basslines for some reason!) and producers who’ve been able to advise me on tone and playing appropriate parts.

What’s the most important bit of advice you could give to new bassists?

Listen! When you’re playing, constantly listen to what everyone is doing and monitor how your part fits ( or doesn’t!). When you’re not playing, study the nuances and details of music, not just the notes.

Where do you stand on the old fingers vs. plectrums debate and why?

I don’t really. I’m mainly a fingerstyle player and always have been, but do play with a plectrum if it suits the music or I’m asked to. Plectrum, fingers, thumb, drumstick, E-bow…whatever works for that piece of music

Do you play 4, 5 or 6 string basses mainly? Fretted or unfretted?

I play fretted 6 string predominantly as it covers most jobs. I play my Ashbory ( 18” scale fretless four string) a lot too. I own a four string fretless and a couple of fretted four strings but don’t use them much.

How would you define your style of playing?

I’m not sure I have a style, I just try to play something that works.

Tell us a little about the artists you have worked with, and how/if you adapted to playing with each of them?

A lot of my work over the last few years has been backing touring jazz musicians or depping in other people’s gigs so I’m really fortunate to always be playing something different. As a result, my playing has to adapt to the style of that player and the music they play. One night, I may be playing Glen Miller tunes in a big band, the next it could be Cream and Hendrix tunes and the night after might be Moroccan folk or bebop. I have a very low boredom threshold so I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Who was the most inspirational and in what way?

One of the most inspirational was saxophonist Don Rendell. He’s in his seventies but has so much energy and an amazing memory.

Do you warm up before a gig and if so how?

I try too whenever possible. I have a couple of chromatic string crossing things I do and, if I have time, I like to play some trills to get my left hand going and a few plucking exercises based on sticking exercises I pinched from drum magazines ( I told you I was an anorak!)

Do you have any other last minute rituals or habits before a gig?

Not really. I usually triple check everything’s working just before the downbeat but what I think I can do about it then if it’s not is anyone’s guess!

What do you drink onstage?

Usually water or Coke.

Have you ever played while drunk or under the influence of drugs?

I’ve never played under the influence of drugs and haven’t drunk alcohol when playing for years ( I’m nearly always driving anyway). I have played drunk in the distant past but it’s not a good idea really.

What’s the biggest disaster you’ve ever had onstage, and how did you cope with it?

Ha ha. I’m a bit of a one man Spinal Tap – if it can happen it probably has. Starting a show with just me on stage and my amp on standby, the wonderful sound of a jack plug being plugged in through a theatre PA system during a quiet section in the show, rushing out of the dressing room at the end of a gig and falling 6ft off the front of the stage ( with most of the audience still in the venue!), starting one song while the rest of the band played another – all good fun!

What’s the biggest disaster you’ve ever had in the studio, and how did you cope with it?

Um, probably just struggling with a part or attempting to play fretless!

What’s been your proudest playing moment?

One of the best ones was last December when I had a phone call on the Thursday to play with fusion group Sax Appeal on the Friday. It was one of the scariest sight reading nights of my life but a lot of my friends were there, and I was recommended for the gig by one of the best players in the country, Laurence Cottle ,so I was over the moon.

Also playing to a sold out audience in Swansea’s Grand Theatre, a venue I’d adored since I was a child and always dreamed of appearing at.

What’s been the most fun playing moment, and why?

There’ve been too many! I’m sure I’d miss something important if I tried naming one so I’ll just say – most of them!

What’s been the least fun playing moment, and why?

I try to forget them but it probably involved excess volume and drunk band members, neither of which particularly fill me with joy.

What equipment do you use live and in the studio and why?

I mainly use a six string Cort Curbow and the Ashbory. Live, I currently use a Hartke 3500 head into an Ashdown MAG 2x10” cabinet. For studio stuff, I prefer to DI. If an amp is required in the studio, the fan in the Hartke is too loud and gets picked up by every mike in the room so I tend to try and borrow something – preferably my friend’s SWR Workingman 12 which is fantastic. I own far too many effects but don’t always use them – I tend to pick and choose depending on my mood ( sorry, I mean depending on the music!). I should also mention that I’m endorsed by Elixir strings so use them exclusively.

Are you fairly flexible about the equipment you use or must you always play with the same gear?

I prefer to use my own basses, but I’m not too fussed about the amp. It can be fun to play other basses though, so I guess I am fairly flexible!

What one piece of equipment would you advise all bass players to own?

Apart from a bass ( obviously ), I’d say a decent bass stand – expensive basses leaning against amps make me very nervous! After that a tuner with a mute facility and an amp that’s powerful enough for the music you’re playing.

Do you read music?

Yes.

Do you play any other instruments, and how well?

I play guitar adequately and can play basic chords on piano but have no co-ordination whatsoever! I seem to have a growing collection of penny whistles and percussion instruments but would feel like a fraud claiming I could play them.

Do you write or co-write songs and if so do you write on the bass?

Yes and yes. I mainly write on bass but have also got into using various programs on my laptop which make orchestration and arranging so much easier.

Do you ever play cover versions, and if so how do you learn the originals note for note or do you improvise you own parts?

I’ve played in a lot of cover bands over the years. How close I stick to the original    depends on the band’s intentions. I’m perfectly happy learning and playing a part note for note if required, but I do like to do my own too.

Do you sing? Do you feel it is important?

No and yes. My voice is appallingly bad, but I’d love to be able to sing. If a player can contribute vocals too, they double or triple their chances of gigs and I’m extremely envious of people who can sing!

If you could nominate one song that you’ve recorded to sum up your playing style and feel which one would it be?

I don’t think I’ve recorded it yet.

What have you been doing recently?

I’ve just finished some sessions for trumpet player Steve Waterman’s Jazz Orchestra which hopefully will be released some time next year. I’ll also be playing on a new project by ex-Karnataka keyboard player, John Edwards called “Panic Room” which is due out in early 2005. I’ve been considering putting together a solo CD too, possibly a download only project through my website to begin with. It’s likely to be a mix of solo bass and programmed stuff but I like playing so many different styles that it’s hard to decide what to do first!

Do you have a personal or band website? Or would you like to recommend any other useful websites?

My site is www.alunvaughan.com. As for recommendations, there are loads of great sites and I’m afraid of missing someone so just put “bass” in a search engine and see where you end up!