by Martin Simpson

How long have you been playing Derron? 

Going on 8 months, I had some prior musical training on guitar as well as a bit of harmonica. I must say that I don’t consider myself a failed guitarist (I still play-couple of years now) or one of those “because it seemed easier” types. Bass is very difficult and demands respect. I am first and foremost a bassist. 

How did you get started? 

Years ago right after dropping a few g’s on my first guitar gear I heard Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool and King Crimson, it changed the way I thought about bass as well as the way I heard it and music in general. I was convinced that because of the way I felt and heard grooves I was a natural bassist- it goes without saying the folks weren’t happy to hear that after spending the bob! So I soldiered on. It is a very common answer but I regularly jammed guitar with a friend who one day mentioned that his band’s bassist left and asked if I wouldn’t be interested because he knew I liked bass a lot. Another motivating factor was that there was label interest and a record deal pending. Since there aren’t many bands in my area it seemed to be a way in.  

What’s your favourite band / solo artist? 

I really don’t have any favourite anything’s but I feel one must listen to the greats of your chosen instrument to get a sense of history. So there are so many greats I shall just mention a few- Charles Mingus, Scott Lafaro, Ron Carter, Alex Blake, Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Manring, Dominique Di Piazza, Percy Jones, Levin, Prestia, Graham, Bootsy, Claypool, Gary Willis, Wooten etc. Session greats, reggae and dub players, extended range players etc. As for bands/groups it is a veritable A to Z, sorry! 

What are the amps and instruments you currently use? 

A Cort Artisan 5-string with Bartolini Pickups, Carl Martin Compressor, Behringer 450-watt bass head and a cab I designed and built myself. 

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

Whew! This could get ugly…There are so many beautiful boutique basses out there crafted by expert luthiers so I would have to say that any of the following would be great- Dingwall, Ritter, Zon, Carl Thompson, Fodera and as for amps and cabs maybe Accugroove, Epiphany, Eden and all-tube Ampeg or Gallien-Kreuger. 

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

Trying to find myself! Ha ha no seriously I have been painting, writing and getting into sculpture. I did courses on sound engineering because I have a real interest in the manipulability of sound via effects and processing as well as synthesis. Sound design is also extremely satisfying and endless. 

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

None! Well I play in a commercial, mainstream rock band called Trusted Silence that has songs targeted for radio airplay with the goal of some success in this limited local market so there is not really any fancy or juicy bass stuff on there for all the bass afficianados out there. With two electric guitarists and an occasional acoustic as well the mix gets quite dense so sparse and economical straight ahead playing seems to fit the songs better. Or say engineers and other folk say… If it were up to me I would blast them all to hell with a blazing 16-th note killer solo! Aaarghhh! 

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

Maybe having to compromise artistic and musical integrity to make something that John Q Public can tap his/her foot to and that will suit this small and fickle markets taste, also getting shafted by venue/club owners that have no idea of the logistics involved with a touring band. There are some other things but I don’t want to bum everyone out! 

And what has been the high point of your career? 

Probably releasing a record and having songs played on the radio. People coming up to you saying they like the songs even though you don’t always agree. Playing with people/bands like Karen Zoid, Cutting Jade, Prime Cirlce etc. 

You’ve visited our www.bassplayers.co.za website – what do you think of it? 

I really dig it, it is really needed and I hope it just continues to expand with great articles, interviews, lessons, up to date news and forum discussions. More power to you! 

What are your goals currently? 

To consistently improve as an artist and musician, I would like to gain a greater knowledge of the theoretical, technical and stylistic aspects of music. I would like to improve my hearing ability and sensitivity when playing with other musicians. Another thing is to become more familiar and comfortable with recording techniques and the entire recording process. I just want to listen to and understand as much music as possible. Hopefully some day I will more fully realize my voice on the bass.