30 Bass Guitar MaGazine Brian Marshall 5pp_BC.indd 30 09/01/2012 16:10 Climbing to the top of the rock and roll tree isn’t without its sacrifices. But Brian Marhsall wouldn’t have it any other way Photos by Tina Korhonen ou’ll often hear rock Prima donna rock star he ain’t! you go to. If you’re lucky you some fans have taken time to stars complaining We get talking about the might get to see some of the come around to it.’ about their lot in UK tour that has just ended, major sights, but with travel, When Creed crumbled in life. If they’re not which by all accounts went soundcheck, media stuff and 2004, Brian hooked up with being hounded by the press superbly with sell-out dates, all that, you don’t get much the rest of the band, minus Ythat they often court, then and conversation naturally time to explore. I also find singer Scott Stapp, and formed they’re struggling with life turns to life on the road. Sure, the time zone changes and Alter Bridge. Myles Kennedy on the road, away from their it has its ups and downs, but temperature changes hard took up lead vocals and the families and creature comforts, by and large it’s a pretty good on the body. Going from band released their first album, or they have serious issues life, according to Brian. ‘You somewhere warm to suddenly a collection of songs that were with the current state of the do have to make sacrifices. somewhere cold and damp, mainly unused efforts from music industry and their When you’re out on the road that can be hard. You have Creed recording sessions. The resultant dwindling album for weeks and months at a time to stay healthy when you’re reception was lukewarm at sales (usually pinned on you don’t get to see your family touring. I’ve no idea how all first, but as the group went spotty kids downloading their and friends, that’s tough. And those bands in the 80s did it, out touring they began to albums for free). One guy you you don’t get much personal with all that partying too.’ win people over with their won’t hear that from is Brian space and time either. But in It isn’t just the time zones great performances and fan Marshall of Alter Bridge and many ways you get spoiled: and temperature that changes focus. By the time the second Creed. It speaks volumes catering, riders, runners doing from country to country: Brian album Blackbird was released about his attitude that when things for you. When you get has noted a marked difference the band had found their feet we eventually hook up for an off the road sometimes it’s like, in the response of fans. ‘It’s – and their sound. ‘I think interview, after an aborted “Oh man! I have to cook for definitely the case that in the through the process of touring attempt due to issues at a myself!?” Life on the road is UK fans are more enthusiastic, the first album, and also some soundcheck prior to a gig at not that bad at all.’ Obviously I’d say. When the doors open personal and band issues at Wembley, he feels the need to there are other downsides too, you see them rush to the front. the time, we ended up going apologise: ‘We just had some as he goes on to explain. ‘Well, It’s similar for us in Germany in a heavier direction. It took problems there, and then we often you’re just sitting around and Italy. American audiences us much longer to sit down ended up running on into and waiting to do something. have been a little stand-offish. I and write the stuff. We were some scheduled production You don’t usually have much think it’s because Alter Bridge changing managers, changing meetings. It was a nightmare.’ time to see all the cool places is heavier than Creed and so labels. It was a dark period Bass Guitar MaGazine 31 Brian Marshall 5pp_BC.indd 31 09/01/2012 16:10 BAND: ALTER BRIDGE AND CREED BASSIST: BRIAN MARSHALL THE GEAR I’ve played Sadowsky basses have that feel of a vintage bass, for ages. When I was in but with a modern sound. You Creed I was going through a can do a lot with the EQ, run it number of Fenders. Basically they passive or active, though I always just wouldn’t stay in tune and I run it passive. However, I always often ended up smashing them record with a Music Man StingRay up! I love the feel of a vintage 5. It has this piano chord-like tone Fender, though. My tech at the on the low B that works great in time told me about Roger the studio. Sadowsky, and we stopped by his Amp-wise I’m using Ashdown, workshop when we were in New the 900 series. They’re great. York. I tried one and just fell in Amazing tone and the guys at love with it. So I bought it and Ashdown are great. custom ordered a couple more I don’t use any e ects. I used to 4-strings. Then when Alter Bridge have a Budda distortion pedal, started the guys suggested I try but in the end we took it out 5-string bass. I was reluctant but it because it was just too noisy and really adds more depth to the coloured my sound too much. sound. So I got a few 5-strings So now I just drive the amps hard from Roger. Sadowskys are all I when I want some grit. All I have play live. They play great. They is a Boss tuner and that’s it. for us, but it helped create a “I always try to do separate sound and identity something a bit for the band.’ different...you can It’s no secret that the main work around the songwriters for the band are drumbeats...I might Tremonti and Kennedy, who hear something in now, due to time constraints, the vocal melody and often write separately from play something that is each other (Tremonti has Creed to attend to, as well counterpoint to it” as an upcoming solo album, spectrum, edging into the while Kennedy fronts Slash’s world of heavy metal at times, band as well as doing solo Brian often locks up tighter- work). However, Brian doesn’t than-tight with the riff s and just add his bassline and that’s drums to provide that solid it. ‘Well, Mark and Myles will foundation that rock is built record demos at home, or on, but he does try to spice maybe into their iPhone or things up where he can. ‘Well, something. We’ll then vibe I always listen to the riff , and on it for a while as a band, I’ll sometimes you have to just add my parts, and so will Flip double that up, to get that [Scott Phillips, drummer], heavy groove going on, but I and then we help with the always try and push and pull arranging. We both act as a to do something a bit diff erent. fi lter. Flip and I have a good You have to make sure you’re handle on what an Alter tight with the drummer, Bridge song should feel like. and you can work around Sometimes we’ll tell them, the drumbeats to make it “You know this feels like a rhythmically interesting. Th en Creed song, or something for I might hear something in the your solo album,” and they vocal melody and tee off of both respect that.’ that to play something that is As a rock band that sits kind of a counterpoint to it. on the heavier end of the I always try to serve the song, 32 Bass Guitar MaGazine Brian Marshall 5pp_BC.indd 33 09/01/2012 16:10 BAND: ALTER BRIDGE AND CREED BASSIST: BRIAN MARSHALL “i like the bass THREE OF to be crisp THE BEST If I had to pick my and punchy, favourite three basslines … well, that’s tough. It’d have but also have to be ‘Ramble On’ by Led Zeppelin, ‘Tom Sawyer’ by that low-end Rush and ‘Who Are You?’ by warmth to it. i The Who. What I love about all three is that on each one the like some grit bass supports the song, but also has moments to shine, too, but i just and that lifts the track. drive the amps for that” but sometimes the guys have football team’s marching Forming bands with friends, band with them and that’s how to rein me in to make sure band around, checking out Brian cut his teeth rocking Creed got started.’ Creed’s rise that happens!’ their moves. However, an out playing covers by bands to fame was meteoric, shifting Th is approach shouldn’t exuberant performance at like AC/DC, but took his tens of millions of albums in come as a surprise when a pep rally resulted in the playing to another level when relatively short order once he lists Geddy Lee, John change to bass. ‘Well, I’d he attended Florida State they made their breakthrough. Entwistle and John Paul Jones borrowed my dad’s kit for University. Forming an all- ‘Well, we were always quite as infl uences. As a youngster, this gig, and I dinged it up a original band called Mattox goal-orientated.