Alexxis : So , how did you get started with the washtub bass ? Did someone in your family show you how to play or are you from a musical family , what ' s the story there ? Paul : I do come from a musical family , my grandfather I guess he was a bit of a celebrity apparently , we ' re talking third of the century , last century . My parents were born in 1908 , before they even had recorded music , he would sit around with a circle of friends . He would sit around & play on the piano all the new music that came out , but I don ’ t know how they got it . Maybe sheet music they could buy . Then my mother she wasn ' t a real performer , had a really great ear & a really good singing voice . She would play the piano all the time , then my sister picked up on it & started playing piano & play along . I didn ' t really start with my washtub , I actually started on a ukulele , so it was my first actual instrument with more than one string . And yeah , so we did that & I got a guitar , started that & got serious about it .
Alexxis : So , you played the acoustic guitar before the electric , you were playing badminton & smashed your acoustic guitar before you got your electric ? Paul : No , I had my electric . At least I had my electric so it was a seamless transition , but because I wasn ' t going to play it anymore , cause I was a goofy 14 year old kid , I used my guitar one day to play badminton . I probably hit it or instead of hitting my head on a rock I used it or something , I don ' t know what happened , but yeah , I smashed my first guitar .. I did a pre- Jimi Hendrix move on my acoustic guitar . This would ' ve been in the , I don ' t know , 1960 or something like that . Alexxis : Aah I see ! Paul : Way before Hendrix & Pete Townsend of course , I actually smashed or broke a guitar on stage once , I don ' t know what possessed me to do that , it was my main guitar , we were in this crazy thing of smashing out instruments , the drummer would knock over all his drums , the organ player would crash his organ & the reverb would go crashing through It , smashing my guitar .. It was just one of those crazy nights they have in rock n roll sometimes .
Alexxis : Absolutely . So how old were you when you were in your first band ? Paul : I was 15 . I guess & I was playing bass , that was the gig they came down & saw me playing , my first gig , not my first paying gig . Every Saturday night we would have a bonfire at the resort I was raised in , I would string a 100 foot extension cord from my back porch to the edge of the water & we would build a big huge bonfire & people would come around & we would sing folk songs , because that was popular in those days . I would play guitar & we ' d just sing along . I guess the guys heard about this guitar player , the guys in the band that hired me , they heard about this guitar player & called me up out of the blue & said ,’ we understand you ' re a decent player , would you like to join our band ? I said yeah absolutely , Mom can I ? I mean there was no problem & so , but I found out I was going to be the bass player . That ’ s cool too , I like playing bass , so we had an accordion player , a guitar player , a drummer & me on bass . Then we would do a couple tunes & I also play sax , so I had 3 gigs on my first job ; bass player , & played guitar on 2 songs , & I played Sax on 1 song , so that was kinda fun . To be in that band it was funny . I was making 10 bucks a night .. I thought ‘ this is pretty good . Then we had this gig on New Year ' s Eve night , I know the boss made at least $ 200 That night for the show , I asked maybe I could get a raise ? Maybe $ 12 instead of $ 10 . He said nope , sorry you ' re making $ 10 bucks . So , I quit , that was it for that band .
Alexxis : Well geez , I don ' t blame you , only $ 10 dollars . I don ' t think I ’ d want to do a gig for $ 10 dollars either . Paul : Well , you know , when you ' re 15 & love to play , just like I do now .. I mean , money isn ' t a big deal for me , I just love to play . I get to play guitar now , but i get to play bass on most of my recordings ; it ' s a fun instrument , I really like playing the bass but I think my best thing is guitar .
Alexxis : Right , that ' s your main baby is guitar . So , your guitar choice is it still the Fender Stratocaster & Gibson Les Paul ? Paul : That ' s Right , I haven ' t changed . I ' ve been rocking those two guitars since as long as I remember . I had a Gretsch when the Beatles were out because George Harrison had a Gretsch , so you know how that works & then
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