Bass Musician Magazine - 8th Anniversary Issue with Stu Hamm | Page 23

I was showing Sinbad the comedian, who had

– “Have you heard this?” and “Check this out”

literally been playing bass for 3 days – I showed

and it’s a cool thing.

him if you hold your hand this way you can
outline the major triad, this way the minor triad,

I’ve been around the G3 things with guitar

then you can look at something where some

players and there’s just more competition

of the chords are major and some of them are

there, because the nature of the instrument.

minor and create a bass line, outline the chords

The guitar is sort of out front, soloing, “look

and connect those two things to make music

at me, look at me, look at me”, that kind of

and make a bass line. And that’s fine!

thing. And drummers – that’s a whole other
thing! If you have to hit things to make noise to

You spend a lot of time with other bass

get attention, I don’t know what that says about

players, whether through clinics, or the

you! In deference to all of my wonderful, great

BX3 project, or most recently, the Triple

drummer friends! But it’s a different thing – it’s

Bass Treat with Divinity Roxx and Ove

very physical kind of thing, where bass players

Bosch. What are your thoughts on the

are cerebral, fit for a tour director or musical

bass community?

director or someone to take charge. When it all
falls apart, whom do they look to? It’s usually

I think that certain people’s personalities

the bass player. I can’t tell you how many gigs

lead them to what instruments they play. The

I’ve been on where I wasn’t hired as the musical

people who gravitate toward bass are usually

director, but I find out that if I don’t take over,

non-confrontational, not overtly egotistical,

this thing is going to fall apart, and I’m not

enablers. Like at the Warwick bass camp,

willing to let that happen.

where everyone is there, there’s no competition,
there’s no, “I’m not going to do this, because

So, they’re all different. The first BX3 thing was

you’re going to try steal my gig”, with very few

great. You have to pick the right guys, because

exceptions. People are friendly and share licks

when Jeff and Billy and I play there’s three