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Jenn Alva, where are you
based?
San Antonio, Texas, United States.
When did you first take a bass in
your hands? 1995, my parents bought
me my first bass. It was an ugly Memphis Bass, wood colour with a white
pick board. It felt like 100 pounds, but none the less I had a bass.
What attracted you to playing bass?
I've always had an attraction to a bass guitar. Always dissecting songs
and pointing out a magnificent bass arrangement. Also, I think the body of
a bass is appealing.
Did you play any other
instrument before you started playing bass?
No
Can you remember the first song you
ever learned on bass? Yes, it was
Nirvana's "Come As You Are" and after that I started buying tab books
amazed with the fact that I could replicate the same sound as these bands
were playing.
What was your very first public
performance? I was just turning 15.
On my 15th birthday party, we performed for a small crowd of 10 with a
short set of like 5 songs.
What's your current band?
Girl In A Coma
What's your main bass?
Fender P- Bass. I am always buying
different bass guitars for fun because I like the way they look. I end up
selling them because sound is too toney or has no punch. I want to make
sure people can feel my energy. Nothing compares to a Fender. It's a
Precision, black with orange pick board, mahogany wood.
What strings to you like best?
I prefer DRs. They have the most
booming sound.
What is your backline bass amp
setup? Ampeg combo. Hands down
Ampeg's sound amazing.
Fingers, plectrum or both?
I have been playing with a pick forever. It
has its pros and cons. You can some great accenting with a pick, plus I am
pretty aggressive when it comes to playing but for those more melodic
songs playing with fingers probably would be better.
What type of music do you play?
Indie/Alternative? I'm not too sure these days, there are too many
categories.
Who do you listen to when you're not
playing? Rufus Wainwright,
Morrissey, and I'm really liking The Decemberists right now.
Have you recorded/released any CDs?
We've recorded 5 demos. The most recent demo is "The Boz Boorer Sessions".
What was your best gig/venue ever?
We played Stubbs in Austin for
Girl's Garage Tour. There we met The Start and Brassy. This was the first
time that we had a good response, not only from the crowd but from other
bands performing with us.
What was your worst moment onstage?
It happened a month ago. We played
at a venue in San Antonio called The Lounge. At this venue it has a small
PA only used for vocals, so that night it was extremely hard to hear
anything. All around just a frustrating show, I threw my bass down on the
ground because I knew it was a crappy show. (not my Fender of course!)
What's your favourite album/CD?
I would say, Morrissey's 'Viva Hate'
and Rufus Wainwright's 'Want One'. These are the only two that I can
listen to over and over again without skipping any songs.
Do you own any other instruments?
No, just two bass guitars
What's your opinion on basses with
more than 4 strings? That's funny,
because I was just talking about this the other day. I wouldn't know what
to do with it. The thing about more than 4 strings on a bass seems
intimidating, but yet I think having that 4-string bass means you have to
be more creative because you only have 4 strings to work with.
What do you feel is the bass-players
function in a band? Well being in a
3-piece band, I think you need to make sure that the sound overall is full
but also maintains some kind of melodic sound. I think a bass player
should stand out but not take over.
Did you ever have a famous person in
your audience? Yes, Frank Black is
that one that sticks out the most. We opened up for Frank Black and The
Catholics, and he stood there and watched a good amount of our set. He
came up to me after the show and told me I was a good bass player. It made
my day. And as for anyone else I think Boz Boorer is a fan of my bass line
in Sybil Vane Was Ill, but he's not the type to give you a compliment. I
could just tell.
What are your ambitions?
To make an impact on younger kids
especially females. Let them know they can do it too, they can play any
kind of instrument. And also to progress more as a bass player.
Anything else Jenn?
I just want to say that if anyone is
interested in playing bass to definitely try it. Remember you really have
to be happy with the instrument that you choose. I meet many musicians and
I ask them what instrument do they play. Some have replied "Well I play
drums, but I really want to play guitar" I say be satisfied and love your
instrument. I think better music will come out in the end.
Thanks Jenn. See our Links page for
Girl In A Coma website - Ed.
thanks to Jenn for being part of BassGirls.Com
text and images are copyright
of Jenn Alva and
BassGirls.Com
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