A killer section of the mag devoted to new, new-ish or just amazing bass players
MARIE TORNETTO: SHARP VIOLET
What was your way into bass? I always wanted to play with a band, but was very intimidated to try. I started out with the intention of becoming a guitarist but never gained any traction in my playing. Just as I was about to give up, I tried out the bass and everything just clicked. I felt an immediate connection with the instrument, and haven’t put it down since. My first love was a Fender Jazz, which I still use to this day.
What bass gear do you currently use?
My basses are a Fender Jaguar with a short scale and my Jazz bass. For effects, I use a Darkglass Microtubes B7K Ultra, a Boss Digital Delay DD-5, a Boss Compression Sustainer CS-3, an MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe, a Mooer E-Lady and a DigiTech Drop. The amp is a Fender Rumble 500.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given about playing bass?
Relentless practice in multiple genres. I also like to surround myself with musicians that are more skilled than I am. The first band I joined was a classic rock and metal cover band, in which all the members had been playing music for as long as I’ve existed. At this point, I’d only been playing bass for a year, but I was determined to make it work. I would sit for five hours at time trying to learn ‘War Pigs’ or ‘Highway Star’, and I was like, ‘Damn... Can you guys pick a song that’s not eight minutes long?’ It was a lot of work, but it made me into a much stronger player.
Which bass player do you most admire?
Paul McCartney, and my other heroes are Carol Kaye, James Jamerson, Ryan Martinie, Paz Lenchantin, Geezer Butler, Bill Wyman, John Deacon, Eva Gardner and many more.
Where can we hear you play?
Sharp Violet is an all-female punk band from Long Island, New York. A modern spin on the Riot Grrl bands of the Nineties, we are known for our high-energy shows and no-apology lyrics. We plan on dropping an EP in the summer of 2020.
www.marietornetto.com
WARREN MURREL: ROBERT JON & THE WRECK
What was your way into bass? The funny thing is, I grew up playing drums, and pursued it most of my life. I picked up bass on the side for fun when I couldn’t get loud on a kit. I initially started by playing in reggae bands and then just tried to play with as many people as I could. Before I knew it, I was getting more calls for bass and eventually drums became the side instrument. My mom bought me a Yamaha TRB1005 five-string when I was in high schoo
