An Interview with Llewellyn Bethwaite

by Martin Simpson

Llewellyn recently joined the SABPC’s mailing list so I contacted him to get his phone details etc and invited him to contribute a few words to the Why I Play Bass article. Having complied with those requests, I went one step further and asked him for an interview. This is what he had to say in June 2007. 

How long have you been playing Llew?

I’ve been playing bass for about 3yrs now, since I was old enough to get the money to buy my own equipment.  

Do you come from a musical family?

Well, my Mom is still one of my first influences. She was a pretty avid guitarist and music fan. It’s actually her influence that started my interest in playing an instrument and heavy music; I grew up listening to Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. My Uncle Graham, as well, is also a big factor in my playing, having provided me with a lot of advice and support from his own experience as well as introducing me to a few people that have also given me a little help along the way. My brother is also a DJ, so there’s always a huge variety of music going on at my place. 

How did you get started?

Well, I was originally looking at playing rhythm guitar when I was younger, then a friend of my aunt’s introduced me to thrash-metal bands like early Metallica and Cliff Burton, after that I decided that I wanted to play bass just like that! Then when I started working, I met a guy named Nigel who played bass for Etkatera who sold me on the whole idea. Coincidently, he also sold me my first bass and the amp I still play with today. 

What’s your favourite band / solo artist?

Metallica is my all-time favourite band, but at present I’m listening to a lot of Mastodon. I love the aggression as well as the diverse styles of playing that all come together to make this wall of sound that hits you like a ton ‘o’ bricks and makes you listen. I like to keep an open mind though and try not to pigeon-hole myself into the “metal head” category, so you’ll find all sorts of stuff on my CD rack from 16Stitch to Meredith Brooks, from No Doubt to Walls of Jericho…I always thought that to listen to only one style and draw from that would limit you as a musician. 

What are the amps and instruments you currently use?

I use a Schecter Stiletto Extreme 4 through an Ibanez Soundwave 65 bass amp. The combination of the basses soap bar pickups and 10dec gain on the amp gives it a solid tone, even with the light gauge strings I use. 

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

Either a Schecter Scorpion bass or a Spector USA series. 

Can you see yourself expanding in the future to fretless or multi-stringed basses?

I used to play on a 5-string, which is great if you want to diversify your style and thicken out the low end, but I always found myself coming back to the 4-string because of the comfort and challenge. I’ve never tried a fretless, and to be honest, it scares the hell out of me…but you never know, maybe in the future I’ll get the chance. 

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

Not much, aside from working and drifting through life. I’ve started and left a few bands that never really took off 

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

I’ve done a few recordings, but nothing actually came out of it…watch this space though. 

Have you visited the www.bassplayers.co.za  website?

Definitely, not as regularly as I would like too, but I like go on and see what’s happening in the scene at the moment.  

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

Not being able to dedicate as much time to music as I would like. Not being able to jam with people as focused and dedicated to music…basically the limitations set down by situations outside of my immediate control. 

And what has been the high point?

The first time playing in front of people. It was at the same time, the most exciting and terrifying experience of my life. 

Tell us about that first gig.

I was studying bass through a church-run creative arts school and was asked to perform something with my teacher at their year-end expo. I was under the impression that it would just be a few people, like friends and family of the other students, maybe 60 people max. But on the night it turned out that the entire congregation as well as everyone from the other departments was there…a grand total of about 200 people! I was terrified, but as soon as that first note was played and everyone went quiet, it all fell into place. I’ll never forget that and I can see why people become addicted to it. 

What are your goals currently?

To join/start a band that’s as dedicated to playing as I am and not be surrounded by part-timers that quit as soon as the going gets tough. 

Thanks for the Interview Llewellyn – nice speaking to you.

Your most welcome, and thank you for the opportunity