With his foot-and-a-half-long gray beard, bassist Leland Sklar has been one of the most instantly recognizable musicians on stage or in videos for decades. Steve was a falconer, so he carved these eagle heads out of walnut. LS: In the studio I have my old “Frankenstein” bass, which is a mixture of many parts and was never a real bass in that sense. Leland “Lee” Sklar has been a fixture in the recording studios of L.A. for over four decades. I try to keep it simple and to the point. We thought it would be a show and then “See ya!” But it turned into 20 years. Craig Doerge was the keyboard player. Never got high, drank, smoked or anything, but just looked freaky. Thank you for signing up to Musicradar. I've listened to a lot of different types of music and have crafted a style that allows me to play most everything. I see guys all the time, they don't listen to playbacks, the minute a track is done they're on their cellphones and doing other things. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? For the most part, I haven't been confronted by anything too bad.". I studied classical piano until entering junior high school at 12 years old. "A '62 Fender Jazz Bass. They had a bass called the Star Bass II, and we did a couple of them - fretted, fretless, an eight-string. I just love playing with Russ Kunkel. "If I had any real advice, it would be to play with people. I remember a time when you couldn't have inadequacies - you either cut it or you didn't. In 2010, Sklar began playing the Warwick Star Bass II, which has since become his main bass in the studio. David Hasselhoff throws the horns and goes Through The Night with his new heavy metal project, See the 14 stunning Jackson and Charvel 2020 EMEA Custom Shop Event guitars, Canadian musician Angie C just used a brainwave-reader to play the monster analogue synth TONTO with her mind. I see some of these bands where the bassist has, like, three SVT rigs on stage. Do you feel that the way albums are recorded these days affects their quality in negative ways? I like playing with people; I like bands. We toured as a set band and one day they recorded our sound check and a band was born! "A few years I got involved with Warwick. I knew Tommy from years ago. The 15 best rock drummers of all time - as voted for by you! I stopped shaving when they handed me my high school diploma in 1965 and that was that. With his foot-and-a-half-long gray beard, bassist Leland Sklar has been one of the most instantly recognizable musicians on stage or in videos for decades. Bass legend describes the celebrated James Taylor/Carole King tour and Billy Cobham’s classic “Spectrum” album…, Famed session bassist on Phil Collins, Judith Owen and the state of the music industry…, Luke Bryan bassist on how Rocco Prestia and James Jamerson shaped his playing Exclusive video interview with…, Duran Duran bassist talks of early punk influences, equipment and that iconic “Rio” bass line!…, Bonnie Raitt bassist and session all-star talks about what drew him to Kala’s U-Basses, playing…, Veteran L.A. session guitarist speaks on Stan Kenton’s influence, a new solo album and more…, Your email address will not be published. I love an old Boss OC-2 Octave Divider. [5], In 2013, after years of having been a Warwick Star Bass II user, he became an endorser of that instrument. "It's one of those convoluted stories. FBPO: What kind of basses and other equipment do you typically use in studio? FBPO: Can you identify a turning point when your career really took off? Leland (Lee) Sklar is revered as as one of the greatest bassists in modern music—and he remains among the busiest electric bass guitarists and session musicians, today. His bass playing can be heard on over 2,000 albums (so far!) "They're profoundly different, on many levels. John owned Crystal Recording Studios over in England. Bass legend recounts four decades of studio bass superstardom, including the musicians, equipment, Toto and, of course, that beard! A member of the Los Angeles-based instrumental group The Section , he served as the de facto house band of Asylum Records and were one of the progenitors of the soft rock sound prevalent on top-40 radio in the 1970s and 1980s. Can you pretty much count on doing a certain number of record dates, movies, TV shows, commercials, etc., or do still get a lot of surprises, too? "I couldn't function without it. Then there's Jim Keltner, Jim Gordon, Mike Baird, John Robinson - and Phil Collins. He was the bass player for the band Toto in 2007 and 2008, filling in for an ailing Mike Porcaro. How do you fit in the way you do? Playing with them has been such a blessing.". I use my Dingwall 5-string, a Yamaha TRB5 fretless, a Hofner, when needed, and a Washburn AB45 fretless acoustic. One of John's oldest friends was James Taylor, who came to one of our rehearsals. Lee Sklar has an array of equipment he uses as a working musician, including: Two signature basses: a Dingwall 5-string signature and a Warwick chambered signature based on the Starbass II. I am an old hippie, sort of! Receive news and offers from our other brands? However, their only recordings were unreleased demo tracks. LS: Sorry to say, no story! If I was told I had to choose between being a studio or a live musician for the rest of my life, I'd choose live. Whether or not he has a recognizable bass sound, however, is of little concern to the session vet - his ability to play pop, rock, jazz, country and easy listening has made him one of the industry's first-call players. Your career has spanned so many genres. The drummer, Bugs Pemberton, was English, and he had a friend named John Fishback. Very consistent and good right out of the bag. That's how it happens. We didn't know if it would work, but it turned out great. Is there anything else you’d like to do with your career that you haven’t done yet? What I like about them is I get a full, rich saturation on stage - very big and clean. "I had a bass built in 1973 by John Carruthers. It was exhilarating. That reflects on producers and artists - this guy doesn't give a shit.". I have an old TC chorus-flanger. When it's just you sitting there, you're restricted by what the guy has on his machine. We feel that the baton was passed to us. And at 65 years old, Sklar insists he has no intention of slowing down. Instantly recognizable by his long white beard, he’s been an established presence on the L.A. scene for decades. They were getting ready to do a gig at the Troubadour, and he mentioned to Peter that he'd heard this bass player he really liked. Not a lot of interplay with other guys and that I miss! What kind of bass were you playing at the time? Let's track him down, let's use him on something.' They had no clue how to get a sound or play in time.'. Required fields are marked *, Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); , Notehead MediaGroup, LLC. When it comes to session bassists, Leland Sklar is definitely one of those names. I use my Euphonic Audio Iamp800 combo and a Tube Works DI. Soon after starting, Carole recorded Tapestry, one of the biggest-selling albums in history, so she had to leave the group to pursue her solo career. "I did a signature model for Dingwall, which has become my main touring bass. He has also played bass for many TV shows, including Hill Street Blues, The Rockford Files, L.A. Law, Knight Rider and Simon & Simon, and has performed on the soundtracks of many motion pictures, including Forrest Gump, Ghost, Kindergarten Cop, and My Best Friend’s Wedding. "That's a pretty remarkable instrument. That was my setup for the first couple of years.". I go to a session and listen to what the artist and producer want. I recommended him to James and he joined forces with the rest of us. When we do sessions with four or five players, we all just freak out and say this is how it used to be! LS: Nothing in this business is predictable. He also has toured with James Taylor, Toto, Phil Collins and other major rock and pop acts, and recorded many soundtracks to films and television shows. When I get called in for a session, they like a nice clean bass sound.". There's work going on, but I see the same faces that I have for years. "Well, I have a real 'give a shit' attitude. for a great many music icons, including Phil Collins, Billy Cobham, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Hall & Oates, Jackson Browne, Tommy Bolin, David Bowie, Ray Charles, B.B. "The bird headstocks actually come off. I get a buzz every time the phone rings and I get a work call. "Like I said before, it's really a different world today. FBPO: Tell me about your longtime association with “The Section,” comprised of drummer Russ Kunkel, guitarist Danny Kortchmar and keyboardist Craig Doerge. "Probably everybody - they all bring something different and unique. Let the house guy mix you. Not many records have the same vibe as records that were done back then, and it's because you're lacking a roomful of gifted musicians. "You have to care about the music. LS: When we first started with JT, the band was me, Russ Kunkel, who I had met years earlier when he was in a band called Things to Come, Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar and Carole King. There was so much energy then, and I was lucky enough to be in the tenderloin of it all.". You kind of broke in right around the time that the Wrecking Crew were breaking up. They are one of the best bands one could ever want to play and hang with. He is a member of the Los Angeles-based instrumental group The Section, who served as the de facto house band of Asylum Records and were one of the progenitors of the soft rock sound prevalent on top-40 radio in the 1970s and 1980s.
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