The only problem is, there's nobody for us to pass the baton to. I was using a little Univox amp with a single 15-inch speaker in it. I love an old Boss OC-2 Octave Divider. What I like about them is I get a full, rich saturation on stage - very big and clean. I started boning up on the songs towards the end of the James and Carol tour. Bath I dont know anybody else in the business quite like him. And that was fun, because I used to listen to all of his albums, including at least one that you were on, which was Bright White. Follow Artist +. Rick: Yeah, I agree. Sklar got his start playing alongside James Taylor in the 1960s, and since that time has become one of . This guy This is pretty unbelievable., Rick: Yeah. One of John's superb hand built necks with frets. I figured, if I had one note that required a five-string, I'll just bring out a five-string for the whole show. We had the management write in a clause, into the contracts. 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. Who are some of your favorites? It sounded like you guys were just getting off the ground, and you were getting, maybe a feel for being a band thats really fronting themselves, like the cruise that you did, and all that. In the late '60s, I was in a hard rock band called Wolfgang. You just never know whats going to happen. How do you fit in the way you do? Weve been, like I said, friends forever. "Personally, I got used to playing it in about five seconds. It used to be under the Musicians Union when it was just the Stein Music Co. Sklar and his father went there and his father bought him a Melody bass and a St. George amp. Legendary bassist and really cool guy. For me, theres nothing like a house concert where you can actually meet the people, talk to them, and sort of hang out with them. He then sought other options. Sklar's mother already had a baby grand piano in the home. And wasnt his sister Penelope Spheeris? How to find a person without last name? And there was something about him that, like he could have been in Zappas group, kind of thing. Leland Sklar: No. Perhaps this should come as no surprise. I've listened to a lot of different types of music and have crafted a style that allows me to play most everything. Be it protesting, be it looting, be it whatever the hells going on at any given moment. By the time he was twelve, though, he was completely burned out. They called me - me and Russ Kunkel, the drummer - and we showed up, and Carole King was the piano player. Kootch would tell the audience, Were a cover band that plays all originals.. Leland Sklar: Its a 355 Chevy. Judee actually, I think, dated J. D. Souther for a while. Leland Sklar: Yeah. And were having to rethink a lot of things, how were going to handle things. Leland Sklar: Its a Bucket T. Its 23 T-Roadster. Hes playing in stadiums, so pretty good venues. So its more on my frontal lobe, in terms of thinking about the stuff. There was so much energy then, and I was lucky enough to be in the tenderloin of it all.". 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. So, its actually really wonderful to have an entity where were the artists. I mean, I saw The Stones in I dont know how old They were probably in their late 60s. You dont finger a fretless the same way you finger a fretted, but if you see the indicators you go into fretted mode and youre always out of tune, "Its going to have one jack socket and a single toggle switch which allows me to have either neck on, or both. And then we went out and did the Finally, The First Farewell Tour, was I think around 2004. When I got called to do the session, my assumption was that he was going to And you play your music. It was exhilarating. In addition, he has contributed to many motion picture and television show soundtracks. My new Web site is: . BONUS VIDEO LELAND SKLAR ON BASS WITH TRACY CHAPMAN BANG, BANG, BANG. Lee Sklar has been a prominent figure among Hollywood session bassists dating back to the 1970s and ever since. And we would do the same thing with the group. "James had just come back from England, where he did his first album for Apple. I spent probably 12 solid years playing with Jeff Porcaro. What advice do you have for young players, people who want to play sessions? That's famed session guitarist Leland Sklar. You kind of broke in right around the time that the Wrecking Crew were breaking up. That way I can hit a low E on the fretted neck, for example, and let it ring while I play some fretless parts., Asked if he finds fretless as satisfying to play as fretted, Sklar explains: I played one of their fretless Star Basses and it was funny - Im one of those guys whose intonation is terrible if there are fret markers on the fretboard, but if its a pure black fretless fingerboard Im fine! This philosophy extends to a healthy disrespect for gear obsessives, his comments above about his equipment notwithstanding. A prominent electric bassist, Sklar has contributed to over 2,000 albums as a session musician. But, theres a lot of people, thats the first thought they have about the music business, is theyre going to get rich. See more ideas about leland sklar, leland, musician. Were not backing anybody and not subject to their whims, which can drive you crazy. He had a piano teacher who he believes was living out her lack of a career through him. He began as a music major, but became disillusioned in the music department after two years when he realized the curriculum was geared more toward producing music teachers than towards performance. To me, thats what I always loved about music, is that intimacy. And theres so much talent out there. Hearing Leland say his name right out of the start blew Dad away, and throughout the video Leland incorporated all of the customized notes that I left for him to riff of off. His Dingwall bass has Dingwall strings, with a GHS .040 G-string. I hate it when I look at a show and I see that the bass players got a rack with 10 basses and hes constantly messing around with them. And then this kind of pulled the rug out from all of that, I think.. Leland Sklar: Yeah, yeah. Rick: Okay. Rick: Yeah. We're almost like Siamese twins when we play together. Rick: Yeah. I would say Ive probably heard maybe at the very outset, maybe 100 of them. From 1971sMud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizonto 88sNever Die Young, Taylors sweet fingerstyle and Sklars adept, winding bass-lines were the toast of the American airwaves, largely because our man was a master of adapting his bass parts to the subtle dynamics of Taylors songwriting. Its just that the time frame is so flexible at this point, because nobody knows what tomorrows going to be. When I play, it's like I'm having an out-of-body experience. But, the instruments are just instruments. Leland Sklar: Movie director, film director, or producer. So, we stayed in touch. Nowadays the world and its sales rep wants Sklar to endorse their products, and its a situation that makes him a little uneasy. Leland Sklar:Under those circumstances, I remember her name from those days, with J. D., and all that. So, Shawn Phillips, is he still in South Africa? And then he retired. I know you had several albums with Shawn. I was touring with Tracy Chapman. The Immediate Family (Left to Right) Russ Kunkel; Leland Sklar; Steve Postell; Danny Kortchmar; and Waddy Wachtel. There's work going on, but I see the same faces that I have for years. We were in South America, and in Mexico, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, all over the States. Roam the world of youtube videos of some of your favorite artists live performances or official videos and often youll find a guy playing bass with a cascading beard. With a daily commitment to his outstanding YouTube channel, in which he revisits classic tracks and shares stories from his remarkable career as undoubtedly the most recorded bassist in history, Sklar is increasingly being pulled from his spare bedroom show setting to do tours and recordings. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! Right there, the differences are massive. "Like I said before, it's really a different world today. But, what was he like to actually work with in a studio? The presence of mind. Which really became evident towards the end, like when he did the interview with David Letterman. Leland delivered quickly and personally, making a video that Dad really cherished. Leland Sklar: No, no. I kind of remember the location. And The New Christy Minstrels, a lot of people came out of that group. Cool. So, I went over and met him. Leland Sklar: Thats why I like clubs, too. "Probably everybody - they all bring something different and unique. Longtime bass player and session legend Leland Sklar spoke with MusicRadar.com about working with 10 musical greats, including Carole King, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. It was really great, says Sklar, asked if he enjoyed the Taylor/King reunion. [4][7][8] Sklar took to it immediately and began playing string bass in the orchestra and dance band. All rights reserved. Leland Sklar - Reflecting On 50 Years as Bass Legend Rick Beato 315K views. People ask How many frets do you have? and I say Enough! I honestly dont care. Leland Sklar. . Leland Sklar. L.A. had tons of clubs, and I could carry a bass with me, walk into a club andjust ask if I could sit in, and thats how I networked and met people. And it was really true, but were doing all these songs that the guys wrote for other artists. Ive been on it now for almost two months, and in the next day or so, Ill hit 100 thousand subscribers. So, Im running a small block with twin turbos and dual-throttle body fuel injectors, andnitrous. [4], He entered junior high at Birmingham High School, a combined high school of grades 7-12, and was diverted from the crowded field of pianists by his orchestra teacher, Mr. Ted Lynn, to an old blonde Kay upright bass. Sometimes there's not even drums yet. It's really nice, kind of like a Hofner, but a little bit easier to play. It was built by Steve Helgeson back in the '70s. What's remarkable is, a few years later I knew them all and was working with them on a daily business.". But, I tell you what, what I enjoy most is probably house concerts. "It's really not a conscious effort. Leland Sklar has a net worth of about $5 Million as of 2023. Listen to Leland Sklar: On the Session by Apple Music Rock on Apple Music. And we went in and in a week, we nailed the first album. And the music teacher, whose name was Ted Lynn, said, Look, I need a string bass player. And he pulled out an old Kay upright from a back room and put it in my hands. "A '62 Fender Jazz Bass. And I figured Id be in bands and itd be a hobby. In 2018, reuniting several members of The Section, a new group was formed, The Immediate Family, with Leland Sklar on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums, Danny Kortchmar and Waddy Wachtel on guitars and vocals, and musician/producer Steve Postell on vocals and guitar. We didn't know if it would work, but it turned out great. We did Jacksons [Browne] first few albums. Rick: Oh, Phil Collins, yeah. He uses black nylon tape wound strings on the Washburn. Thats when I knew Id come home, with that Jazz. He was not blas about it. . That all disappears the minute you walk out on stage, though, so to me the balance is far more in favor of pleasure. If anything else, it was fun. As a group member, session player, or touring musician, Sklar has lent his talents to well over 2,000 albums. Ive talked to a lot of kids, and their whole idea is, Were going to get rich, and were going to do this. US Shipping Only Slaves | 20x20 | 75 Prints $200.00 Payday | 11x14 | 150 Prints $75.00 If you have your physical abilities and your faculties, theres no reason not to keep going. Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Rick: Yeah. Leland Sklar plays his Warwick bass at the Frankfurt Musikmesse show in 2011. He is an actor and composer, known for Man of Steel (2013), The Ant Bully (2006) and Playing by Heart (1998). So, those are the two instruments for me, that do have real meaning. And thats really the criteria for all of this. He thought of everybody as his immediate family, because weve been together for half a century, except for Postell, whos been around for a couple of years with us. Until such time as we can actually go back to real venues. Sklar with his double neck 'eagle' bass in the '70s. I like playing with people; I like bands. Mike Deasy, Dennis Budimir, Al Casey and Tommy Tedesco were on guitars. They had no clue how to get a sound or play in time.'. Sklar recalls the path that led him to become a bass player, and unsurprisingly - given his laissez-faire attitude to gear - it didnt involve any high-quality instruments until some years into his playing career. So it was pretty arduous. So that means you don't go in for a lot of effects? Duration: 2m 12s. You go there thinking youre a guitar player and leave realizing youre a guitar owner!, Nita Strauss: "A guitar solo is a way for the guitarist to tell a chapter of the song's story. This is the rig he has used when playing with Judith Owen. The bass uses fanned frets, which result in longer low strings and shorter high strings. Leland Sklar Rock N Roll Thunder From Down Under Sousaphone Dingwall Brass Instrument Zz Top Guitar Lovers Blues Artists More information . Whatever your ability, BP has the interviews, reviews and lessons that will make you a better bass player. But, a lot of things just got shut down because of this. Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Its about J. D. Souther and her relationship. 2021 Leland Collectible Card Contest Official Rules . I pinch myself every day. He has collaborated with a number of well-known performers and recorded sound tracks. One is inlayed with mother of pearl and the other is abalone. No he does not play with ZZ Top, but you've heard him. Rick: Really? I did not know Leland Sklar 's pedigree as a bass player before that (and, what happened after is a . His work appears on a huge number of albums in a wide variety of musical genres, and although his best-known playing has been alongside James Taylor and Phil Collins, the cult of Sklar extends into pretty much every area of recorded endeavor, from film to stage to stadium and beyond. Also during this period, Sklar was in a band called Little John Farm with singer/guitarist Denny "Steve" Aaberg, Dennis Dragon on drums, and Doug Dragon on B3 organ. Rick:And what a voice. And man, that spotlight hit her, boom, she was 18 years old. Leland Sklar: Oh, I know Robert very well. [10] Sklar graduated from Birmingham High School in 1965 and stopped shaving, the beginning of his iconic beard. Theres a long list. Sklar became part of Taylor's backing band, along with Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel, and Carole King, all joining Taylor in his rise to fame. And a couple of years ago, I saw Charles Aznavour out here at The Greek Theatre, doing his, celebrating. When you visit any one of our 7 convenient locations, we will gladly appraise your used vehicle, no matter the make, model, or type. Rick: Whats the car? Despite this relaxed approach towards his facial furniture, Sklar has been fueled for the last 40-plus years by a work ethic that has rarely involved a break - or, he tells us, even the mildest of rock n roll indulgences. Get the latest and greatest Guitar news with one of our guitar magazine subscriptions. Leland Sklar: Well, the thing was, I was not a fan of rock n roll, or whatever was going on during that period. Leland Sklar. Thats Henry Diltz. Sklar worked on the Phil Collins album No Jacket Required and toured as part of Collins' band on The No Jacket Required World Tour from February through July 1985. Rick: Yeah. But, the odds are really stacked not in your favor. "Who is that bass player with the long beard?". Live performances and touring became more important to the music industry.[16]. Sklar performed again with James Taylor, Carole King, Danny Kortchmar and Russ Kunkel in a series of six shows at the Troubadour on November 2830, 2007 for the 50th Anniversary of the club. Leland Sklar: Rarely did we get a copy of it. - Leland Sklar I'm excited to share that I just signed a book deal for Advanced Love with ABRAMS books for a February 2019 release date. [Laughs]. A prominent bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to over 2,500 albums as a session musician. It took us a year to get 1000 people. Sklar has also been a part of the annual bands assembled in support of the "We Write The Songs" event sponsored by ASCAP at the Library of Congress . But, I loved blues and hard rock. And when it came time for him to do his album, he just thought, What the hell? And I was. [17][18] The tracks were produced by Mike Post. You a better bass player know anybody else in the 1960s, and Carole King was piano... 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