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«"I always liked Jaco, and I felt that if I knew him better, I could help him. I recorded him once, but he played in a haphazard way.".
One of many prophetic and profound statements by Bill Laswell, renowned bassist of the rebel bands Material, Deadline and Painkiller, and producer of such pioneering bands as Public Image Ltd, Motörhead, Iggy Pop and The Lambomaniacs.
Inspired by jazz, dub, punk and hip-hop, Laswell remains an enigma in bass guitar history and paved the way for the creation of his own unique style.
«"All I ever wanted was a good drummer to say, 'He's awesome. I want to play with him,'" Laswell said in a rare interview. Bass Player magazine in January 1992. "There are guys who are virtuoso bass players and can get a ton of notes out of it, but nobody really plays great bass lines.".
«"What I love most about the bass guitar is how the sound and feel of playing relate to the environment. Even just touching the strings requires incredible skill, and few people know this.".
Laswell achieved his first commercial success as a bassist and producer with Herbie Hancock's 1983 album Future Shock , which included the hit single Rockit .
After that, offers came one after another, including for Mick Jagger's film "« She's the boss."» and Laurie Anderson's film «Broken Heart» , as well as projects by Iggy Pop, Fela Kuti, Sly and Robbie, Motörhead and many others.
When asked about the aforementioned meeting with Jaco Pastorius, Laswell replied, "In 1984, I was recording an album with Deadline, Philip Wilson's project for Celluloid Records, and Philip dropped by the old Lone Star club to call Paul Butterfield. Jaco was there, and he joined us. We let him play for about three minutes at the end." Makossa Rock , but nothing came of it.".
«"I saw Jaco play live at the very beginning of his career, when he was just starting out. He had a voice—not even a bass guitar, but just this unique voice. What he did with Joni Mitchell was amazing, but then he lost it.".
«"He made a huge contribution, but after him, there were all these idiots trying to imitate him. That's why modern bass players suck so much. For me, bass is something serious. It's like religion or a good Western; it's more than music—it's character.".
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Is there anything you're particularly proud of about your work as a bass player?
What I'm actually happy about is that my voice sounds like a variety of people—it doesn't sound like I'm just going through the same old events. Also, using different instruments requires a different approach, but that has more to do with the game itself than the equipment.
I don't talk about instruments often, and I don't have much respect for them. They're just instruments; you use them to convey ideas and create music.
What is your attitude towards bass guitar?
As a bass player, I'm more influenced by religious writers like Gurdjieff or Aleister Crowley than by some idiot playing fusion music. And the magazines that praise these people are a waste of time. I'm not talking about one specific person, but about 99.9% of this crap.
There are very few bass players I can listen to; I hear a lot of people with incredible technique practicing the instrument. But when it comes to playing great parts, playing with a beautiful sound, integrating it into the music, making the music truly work—I hear very little of that. People are playing the instrument more and more, but that doesn't interest me at all.
Are there any exceptions to this rule?
Jonas Hellborg is an exception. And Bootsy Collins is a great bass player; he has a limited style, but it's genuine. What he plays is the result of a lot of experience and a real dedication to a particular style, but these people who do all these acrobatic tricks, tapping and all that, don't play what I value: good lines and creative ideas about how to combine rhythms with drummers. It's the feeling that matters.
You can't help but respect James Jamerson.
Everyone loves Jamerson. He played with a natural sense of rhythm, he had his own sound, his own style. I admired Jamerson when I was a teenager; I heard a lot of great bass players growing up in Detroit.
Do you use both your fingers and a pick?
Yes, but I stopped playing with my thumb because I felt it was being misused. When Larry Graham played like that, it sounded good. But Bootsy has his own style, which is completely different from Larry's.
There was this guy, Doug Rauch, who played with Santana; he had a really unique thumb-picking style. Other than those three guys, I don't think I'd listen to anyone else with that style.
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As for playing with a pick, I'm no expert, but it's another technique that works across a variety of musical genres. It's good if you're aiming for a certain persuasiveness and intensity.
Guitarist Bob Quinn once said that you were the best bass player he had ever played with because you listened and responded so well.
Well, Quine never really liked it when people just played their instruments. Frankly, I'm not a Quine fan, but I'd rather listen to his music than all this nonsense that passes for guitar playing. It sounds like I'm typing.
Have you seen any bands live that impressed you?
I don't go to concerts; I can't focus on one style of music for more than a few minutes. That's why I liked what John Zorn does with his band, because he jumps from one thing to another. All the events are reduced to precise statements – shorter and shorter. I think it's very clever.
Have you also worked with Motörhead?
They're not particularly versatile, but they're probably more dedicated to their craft than most bands. Lemmy's genuinely passionate about what he does. He's truly dedicated to his craft. I'm not particularly interested in it, but I understand why it suits him so well.
What do you think about thrash bands like Slayer?
Basically, I like them. I'm not crazy about this music, but I don't have any problems with it either. I prefer listening to it than the 90% crap that sells well.
Has your interest in Middle Eastern, Asian and Indian music influenced your approach to playing bass guitar?
Yes, that's true, but gradually, indirectly; I can't pinpoint exactly what it is. I'm working on a North African music called gnawa. There's a three-stringed instrument called the sintir, which has a very low register—it sounds very much like a bass. Hearing this instrument played is a truly unforgettable experience, and I think it influenced me—to some extent.
What do you think of Paul Simon's use of Olodum on album The Rhythm of the Saints ?
I liked the sound, but I'm never, under any circumstances, a Paul Simon fan. Olodum, too. All the rhythm parts on his album were well played and everything; it's just that when he added his voice and everything else, it makes you wonder, "Why?"«
Do you think record company employees have become more open to complex music?
I think most record company people wouldn't be able to recognize complex music even if it was in front of them. I've been listening to complex music since the beginning of my career; I've heard it on the streets, in the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia. It's always been there.
Are you currently using any particular bass guitar?
It depends on what I'm doing. I have a lot of different instruments, and I use them in different areas of music.
All these gear magazines—I think they're a waste of paper. They just advertise gear without explaining why people are interested in music or how they got to where they are.
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Do you prefer any particular method for recording bass guitar?
The question is: what kind of music and how does the bass fit in? Sometimes I use a very close delay to simply boost the sound. Sometimes I use a bunch of pedals; other times, I use it straight into the amp.
I use a lot of different amps: mostly Marshalls, but sometimes SVTs for a warmer sound, or a combination of different amps. Be prepared for the unexpected—a burned-out speaker might be just what you need.