Randy Jackson—Legendary Bassist, Producer, Manager, and American Idol Judge— Plus Nate Query of the Decemberists and L.A
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Bass Guitar’s Jon D’Auria, Ken Micallef, and E.E. Bradman ask: How do you break into the session scene? Is specializing better than being versatile? How important is music school? How do you get endorsements? In short: What does it take to be a successful bass player? ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ TakingTaking CareCare ofof ♦ ♦ ♦BusinessBusiness ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ The mighty Randy Jackson—legendary bassist, producer, manager, and American Idol judge— plus Nate Query of the Decemberists and L.A. sideman extraordinaire Chris Chaney spill their secrets. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ photographs by Emily Shur BASS GUITAR 37 WE HERE At BaSS GuiTar spend a lot of time “Don’t act like you’re talking about everything related to music. Like you, we search in Guitar Center for the best ways to hone our chops, work with other musi- and play 18 notes cians, understand music theory, and find the perfect gear. We a second, or at the read columns, take lessons, attend schools, listen to all kinds of music, go see our NaMM show playing 5,000 favorite bands, and practice as much as possible. ❖ Deep down, however, we all know notes a minute. that there’s more to becoming a successful professional musician than theory or gear, ” or determination, or even talent. Is it just a question of nurturing our talent, picking a niche, recognizing the roadmaps to success, and putting in the work? ANDy JacksoN thinks so. In the three Houston, Madonna, and Elton John, Jackson also spent much of the decades since he snagged his first big gigs with Nineties as a label executive at Columbia Records and at MCA, where Seventies fusion masters Billy Cobham and Jean- he was instrumental in the careers of stars like Gladys Knight and Luc Ponty, Jackson has become one of the most Mariah Carey. successful session bassists in history, and one of Jackson, famously nicknamed “The Emperor,” would still be an Rthe very few who has transitioned to the upper echelon of the music industry legend even if his career had ended upon the advent of the business. Besides working on over 1,000 gold and multi-platinum phenomenally successful American Idol, which starts its sixth season in albums for artists like Celine Dion, *NSYNC, Journey, Whitney January 2007. But the Louisiana native—who turns 50 this year—still the emperoR ♦ a quick glance at randy Jackson’s studio credits With Journey in 1987 In the studio With Journey in 2003 in 1986 Over his three-decade career, Houston sang for the 1988 Olympics, The Nineties their powers. Jackson is still involved in Jackson has played on more than “One Moment in Time,” bring them Jackson’s career goes into overdrive her career as musical director, producer, 1,000 recordings across genres span- even more acclaim. when he moves to L.A. at the start of co-writer, and occasional bassist. ning jazz-rock, fusion, rock, r&B/funk, Meeting Journey guitarist Neil Schon the Nineties. He continues working with Since 2000 blues, and hard rock. he’s best known, in 1983 leads to Jackson ghosting on Eighties stars (Bolton, Marx, Richie), Twenty-five years after he jumped into however, for playing with some of the Frontiers (Columbia, 1985), plays with rockers (Billy Idol, the music biz, Jackson—now senior VP of biggest adult-contemporary pop stars which was to be the band’s Stryper, Aldo Nova), and A&R and staff producer at MCA—snags of the eighties and Nineties. here are last album. Jackson be- gets into smooth jazz (Kirk a Grammy in 2000 for producing Mo- some of the highlights of his catalog. comes a full-time member Whalum, Nancy Wilson), while town soul icon Gladys Knight’s At Last when the band reunites for adding even more high-profile (Motown/MCA). At the other end of the The Seventies Raised on Radio (Columbia, pop hitmakers to his age spectrum, he guests on Jackson, barely 20 in 1976, scores his 1986), playing on hits like résumé—Celine Dion, *NSYNC’s Celebrity (Jive, first big gig, touring with Mahavishnu “Be Good to Yourself” and Cher, Elton John, Billy 2001). After a label shakeup, Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham. He “Girl Can’t Help It.” Joel, and Jon Bon Jovi he gets fired in 2002—and appears on two 1977 Cobham albums, Jackson also works with Blue Öyster (Jackson played on “Blaze almost immediately lands Magic and Simplicity of Expression: Cult, Eddie Money, Joe Cocker, Bobby of Glory”). He’s especially American Idol. He spent Depth of Thought (both on Columbia). McFerrin, George Benson, Todd Rund- proud of his work on Bruce 2006 finishing and promoting While on tour with Cobham, he meets gren, Eddie Murphy, and Bob Dylan, and Springsteen’s Human Touch Sixties-era soul singer Sam producer/drummer Narada Michael his playing helps take Lionel Richie’s (Columbia, 1992). The killer Moore’s all-star Overnight Walden. Dancing on the Ceiling (Mo- bass part on former Arrested Sensational (Rhino, 2006). He’s cur- town, 1986), Kenny G’s ubiq- Development singer Dionne /wireimage.com; michael mendelson; william hames T The Eighties rently working on upcoming releases by uitous Duotones (Arista, Farris’s smash “I Know,” from Jackson’s pop collaborations with country star Travis Tritt and second- 1986), and Michael Bolton’s Wild Seed—Wild Flower (Sony, Walden become blockbuster hits, most season Idol finalist Kimberly Caldwell (he breakthrough on Columbia, 1995) is his, too. notably Whitney Houston’s Whitney also played on first-season winner Kelly 1987’s The Hunger, to the By the middle of the decade, esse gran Houston and Aretha Franklin’s Who’s Clarkson’s 2003 hit, , on RCA). Thankful J top of the charts—that’s : Zoomin’ Who?, both Jackson moves into doing A&R T Jackson promises that his first solo him on Bolton’s cover at Columbia. His studio schedule released on Arista in 1985. album, scheduled for June 2007, will be of “(Sittin’ on the) begins to slow down, but he Franklin’s smash single a diverse taste of “who I am—a coupla Dock of the Bay.” He closed out plays bass on select cuts for friends like “Freeway to Love,” 1987’s months in a dawg’s life. I’m gonna do an the Eighties with the bassline of Mariah Carey, for whom he also served as “I Wanna Dance With ode to bass players and drummers, with Madonna’s “Express Yourself” musical director and Columbia A&R. Her Somebody (Who Loves three drummers, three bass players—and (from 1989’s Like a Prayer, War- Me)” (from Whitney, also MTV Unplugged EP and DVD (Columbia, ner/Sire). we’re gonna have some fun. I’m gonna on Arista), and the theme 1992) show both of them at the height of his page, from lef have a good time with it!” T 38 BASS GUITAR BASS GUITAR 39 finds time to be a musical director and occasional bassist (Carey), of gratuitous technique; and his 2004 book, What’s Up Dawg: How manager (Van Hunt and Nikka Costa), producer (Travis Tritt), re- to Become a Superstar in the Music Business (Hyperion), may be the ♦ cording artist (his first solo album is due next summer), and radio- ultimate guide to making it. His use of slang and his friendly manner The UltimatE Pro Chris Chaney show host (he deejays the syndicated Hit List). are hallmarks of his experienced but unjaded persona; as numerous Beyond being just another world-class musician, however, American Idol contestants and viewers can attest, his energy and a Jack-Of-all-trades who can handle any style for any gig, L.a.-based chris chaney has a Jackson has always been one industry in- optimism can make you feel like you can take deep knowledge of both the session and band sider who keeps it real: his early-Nineties on the industry and win. scenes. currently plying his rig with the Panic columns for Bass Player offered practical Jackson’s first inkling of the studio life was channel and the coattail riders, chris is an alumnus of Jane’s addiction, Porno for Pyros, insights from his recording sessions; his a 1973 visit to L.A. to watch the legendary and alanis Morissette’s band. Most recently, bass instructional video, 1992’s Mastering Chuck Rainey in action, so it is only fitting that he joined scott Weiland and dave Navarro for the Groove (CPP Media), focused on fun- we started our conversation with one of his camp freddy, a seventies cover band. he’s damentals Jackson felt were lost in an era favorite topics—mentors. also recording the soundtrack for the upcom- ing adventure flick300 , he’s in the studio with christian artist stephen curtis chapman and ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ blues rocker robben ford, and he’s developing Bass Guitar: Who were your music for a TV reality show, The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll. earliest mentors? i encourage randy Jackson: I had tons ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ of mentors. I got started by tak- BG: how important is a formal music education? musicians“ to learn ing lessons with this guy Sammy CC: It depends. Some musicians I know have Thornton in my hometown never gone to music school. It’s about how much music is in you and how motivated you are to as much as they can of Baton Rouge. He was in an work on songs and how good your ears are. But R&B band, he played a Fender it is important to learn how to read; in sessions, about the business; Precision—and everything he you are expected to read chord charts and nota- played, he made it feel good.