An Interview with Andrew Warneke

by Martin Simpson

How long have you been playing Andrew?

I have been playing for about 9 years now.

How did you get started?

I never thought of music as something I could do until I turned 14 and found a bass in our closet (it had belonged to my grandfather – a great muso and recording engineer). I then suddenly decided to learn to play the thing, so I began teaching myself, mostly by playing along to CD’s, and watching other people play.

I presume the bass you found was a d/bass, not a bass guitar! Do you come from something of a musical family then?

Believe it or not, it was a bass guitar… A “Cobra”. Never seen or heard of them since, but it was a shocker. The wiring to the volume pot came off every time I tweaked it, and it had a big crack in the body.

My family is all pretty musical (they all sing and play instruments), but my grandfather was exceptional. He played everything from piano to pedal steel guitar (his favourite). He also did music recording as a profession for a large part of his life, and built things like reverb plates for studios all over SA. 

What’s your favourite band / solo artist?

Favourite bands include: Dave Matthews Band; Bela Fleck and the Flecktones; Israel and New Breed; The Dixie Chicks; Tower of Power; Sly and the Family Stone; The Spindoctors

Favourite solo artists include: Victor Wooten; Stanley Clarke; Faith Hill; Jewel; Michael Jackson (purely for the groovey music – so I’m really saying I dig Quincy Jones!); Michael Manson; Pat Metheny

What are the amps and instruments you currently use?

I am privileged enough to hold an endorsement with Laney Amplifiers. I have a Laney RB7 combo, and a RB115 extension cab. These amps really give me the clean, articulate sound I’m going for. I love the RB7, as it’s a 300w, 2x10 combo that’s easy to carry to small to medium sized gigs, and the same amp powers the extension cab when I need more grunt on bigger stages.

I am also currently endorsed by S.I.T. Strings. They have a great sound, and pretty good lifespan considering I play so much.

Guitar-wise, my main bass is an Ibanez Soundgear Gio 6-string, which I have modded. I put in EMG pickups and preamp, a Schaller bridge, and Wilkinson tuners. I play the 6, as it allows me to play every possible idea that I have. I can slap, tap, fingerstyle and harmonic to my hearts content, and the extended range is great. From rock to jazz, its got all the “basses” covered.

I also own an Ibanez Soundgear Custom 4-string, and a fretless 4-string Fender Jazz Bass.

Another piece of gear I use a lot is my Boss RC-20xl Loop Station. A great tool for creating a “solo bass orchestra”. I like to try to arrange songs in loops so I can do an all bass version of the song.

What instruments would you like to have if money were no object?

I think bass-wise, I’d opt for Ken Smith, or Fodera, or Conklin (though I’ve never played any of them). These seem to be the types of basses the heavyweights of solo bass play.

In terms of amps, I love the Laney stuff right now, and place much higher priority on the quality of my bass than my amp, so I’d keep the Laney, as they are more than good enough for me. Having said that, I’d also like to play through a David Eden amp, as the guys I hear playing through them sound great.

What have you been doing for the last five years or so?

The last five years have been spent doing my B.Mus degree (4 years); gigging with various bands; teaching; and practicing (generally trying to figure out how this whole music thing works!!!). On a more personal note, I got married a month ago, so the last five years have also been building toward that goal with my (now) wife.

What recordings that you’ve played on would you recommend for listening?

With bands, the best is definitely Ten Story Fall’s “When the Music Stops”, which we are trying to promote at the moment. It’s rock, but I’m allowed by the band to come up with somewhat different than your average rock basslines.

Also, I recorded an album of my sister’s songs for her for her 21^st b/day. I’m extremely proud of all the work I did on the album (I played everything except piano and drums), but my playing on the album is some of my best.

What’s been the low point in your career so far?

The low point is the recurring feeling that I’m gonna be stuck playing in PE forever. I love the place, but the scene here is pretty cover band dominated, and I’d love to play original music, and solo bass, in a more accepting environment.  

And what has been the high point of your career?

The high points in my career would have to have been the times when muso’s I admire tell me my playing is meaningful, and cool; and the feeling I get every time I play something that touches me, or someone else. There are no feelings quite like those.

Have you visited www.bassplayers.co.za yet?

I have. I go on there every once in a while. I don’t have a lot of internet access or time right now, but I really enjoy the site. I often wish I was closer to the people on there, as PE is pretty far from all the action.

What are your goals currently?

Currently I’m trying to get some instrumental originals together for a solo album, even if I never sell one copy. I’d just like to document my playing at this point in life, and let my creativity run wild a bit (you can’t always do that on gigs).

I would also like to improve on my ability to create spontaneous melodies (improvise) in a jazz setting, as I’m frustrated with the stuff I come up with right now. So I’m gonna practice that stuff.

Thanks very much for your time Andrew.

It’s been a pleasure!