How long have you been playing Emil?

I’ve been playing bass seriously for the last two years.

How did you get started?

Emil: I swapped a good friend a bunch of magazines (won’t say what kind) for his bass guitar. I wanted to have a bass for the four track recordings I was doing with guitar and my PC. After that, the idea to play bass was constantly bouncing around in my head and once I bought an amp, the need for bottom-end took over.

Do you come from a musical family?

Yes, my mom plays organ and accordian. She really encouraged me to pursue my love for music. How many people can say their first musical idol was a parent?

What’s your favourite band / solo artist?

Fuel. I love so many other bands and artists as well but Fuel inspires me every time I hear it.

What are the amps and instruments you currently use?

I’m using a small Laney amp and my main bass is a 5-string Washburn. The bass has a real 80s look to it and it’s quite big. I love the weight of a bass guitar. That’s it, 5 strings running straight into an amp. I guess I’m a plug and play type of person.

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

There’s an Ampeg amp at Music Connection that I have my eye on. I’m perfectly happy with my Washburn bass.

So you wouldn’t venture further by going for six strings or a fretless bass?

I’d like to try fretless, but I think it might be too challenging onstage. I already feel that I’m making a performance sacrifice by playing 5 string.

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

Last five years, I’ve been involved in lots of projects, some original work, some covers. Most of the time, I’ve been the singer and rhythm guitarist. At the end of last year I joined 7even on bass duties and that’s been my main project ever since. The guys feel like family to me and they’ve seen me through some tough times.

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

I’m proud of all the 7even demos on www.unsigned.co.za. We’ve been recording at Greystudios and on the last track we recorded, I played my Washy through an Ashdown Labs amp. We miked and DI’ed the amp and got quite a nice sound. Awesome sound, watch out for the song ‘Run to me’ for lots of bottom end in the choruses. We still need to do the final mix on it though.

Have you visited the South African Bass Players site www.bassplayers.co.za ?

Definitely.

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

Playing in bands are like relationships, sometimes it works great and other times you’ve got to throw in the towel and admit you’ve been wasting your time. Those times where you know a dream comes to an end is a low point, but at the same time, the beginning of something else. The secret is to learn from these experiences.

And what has been the high point of your career?

Performing. Sometimes things don’t gel, yet it’s always exhilarating.

Is 7even gigging regularly?

We try to, at the moment we all have so much going on in our personal lives. But by November we should be out there again, playing wherever we can get in.

How do you pronounce 7even – is it Seven or Seven Even?

Good question. It’s just Seven. We enjoy confusing people.

Interesting name – who thought it up?

It’s our singer, Brandon’s brainchild. I’d like to think it means different things to us. I know what he thought when he came up with it, but I view it differently. It’s also nice to have a band name that pops up in conversation everyday, at some point or another.

What does Emil Nysschens get up to when he’s taking a break from music?

I like to get physical and find myself at the gym whenever the mood takes me.

What are your goals currently?