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Where are you and Two Many
Shoes based Kelly? Jacksonville,
Florida, USA
When did you first take a bass in
your hands? In 2000, at the ripe old
age of 38.
What attracted you to playing bass?
I had always wanted to play some kind of stringed instrument. I met the
bass player/lead singer for the local band, Mr. Natural, and we became
good friends. Gregg made it look easy. So, I decided bass would be it. I
found out it wasn't as easy as it looks.
Did you play any other instrument
before you started playing bass?
Yes, I played most of the woodwind instruments in high school starting on
Bb clarinet and moving onto alto clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax, oboe
and bassoon. Although, the bassoon only came about because I was dating a
guy who played it too. I have a backup bass, another Samick 5-string, red
with a Rosewood fingerboard.
Can you remember the first song you
ever learned on bass? Wow, the first
song all the way through was probably "Margaritaville".
What was your very first public
performance? My first time on stage
with my bass was when I was finally goaded into sitting in with Gregg's
band, Mr. Natural. I played "Sharp Dressed Man" (ZZ Top) and "Mary Jane's
Last Dance" (Tom Petty) with them. It took about three shots of tequila to
get me up there (back when I used to drink, that is). I also met my
current husband that same night. It gives new meaning to the old
song..."Oh, What a Night..".
What’s your current band?
Too Many Shoes (see Links page - Ed.)
What’s your main bass?
A jet black Samick 5-string with active electronics.
Neck/fingerboard?
Maple with a Rosewood fingerboard
What strings to you like best?
I switch around sometimes, but nothing beats the durabilty of D'Addario.
What is your backline bass amp
setup? I ususally play only through
a Hartke amp head with a direct line to the PA. We use in-ear monitors, so
this works well and it's a lot less to haul around. I have a Hartke 4x10
cabinet and a Hartke 1x15 cabinet also, but I rarely use it anymore. It's
amazing what you can do without when you don't have roadies!
Fingers, plectrum or both?
Fingers!
What type of music do you play?
All types. We cover from Nancy Sinatra ("These Boots are Made for
Walking") to Green Day ("Boulevard of Broken Dreams"), new, old and
in-between. Basically, we hear a song we like and we learn it. We have
some originals too.
Who do you listen to when you’re not
playing? It depends on my mood. I
range from Lynyrd Skynyrd to contemporary Christian.
What was your best gig/venue ever?
Probably the Ocean Waves Seafood
Festival at the Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavillion. Huge stage,
backline, roadies, the works. It was great!
What was your worst moment onstage?
So far, the worst moment on stage was at a jam night when I told the rest
of the band I wanted to play "Born Under a Bad Sign" in a certain key,
except that wasn't the key I'd learned it in. Yep, pretty bad.
What’s your favourite album/CD?
Anything by Lynyrd Skynyrd, new or old. And, yes, they should be in the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Do you sing?
I try to, but I found out singing and
playing is another one of those "harder than it looks" things, especially
when you sing in a different range than the instrument you are playing is
in.
Did you ever perform onstage without
your bass? No. I think I would feel
naked without it.
What’s your opinion on basses with
more than 4 strings? This is a funny
story. When I finally decided to jump into learning the bass, I visited my
local guitar shop to see what they had and to enquire about lessons. The
instructor, Jimi, talked to me about lessons and asked what kind of bass
did I have. I said that I didn't have one yet. So, we looked at what was
on hand in the shop. I was looking for something used (and cheap) since I
didn't know whether I'd stick with this or not. I looked up on the wall
and it was love at first sight. This black beauty was callin' my name! She
was so pretty and had little "Saturn" planet emblems on the fret board. I
pointed to that sweet little axe on the wall and told Jimi I wanted that
one! I didn't even look at any others. He looked at me kinda strange,
checked how big my hands were and told me when to show up for my first
lesson. All I could think of was, I was going home with the prettiest bass
at that shop. Little did I know, that I had picked out the only 5-string
bass they had. When I went back to show my friend Gregg my bass, he said,
"Wow, a 5-string, you go girl!". And I said, "you mean your bass doesn't
have 5 strings? I thought they all did." . Well, it's a big joke between
us now, that his bass is "missing a string". It was hard to start out on a
5-string, but I finally conquered it and would be lost without it now. I
think any musician should play the instrument that they are most
comfortable with. For me, I figure I have 5 fingers, so 5 strings fits
pretty well.
What do you feel is the bass-players
function in a band? I feel the bass
player's primary function is to be part of the solid foundation of the
music. The bass helps keep the tempo, along with the drummer, and adds
richness and fullness to the sound while the guitar players are doing
whatever it is they do. Just like the foundation of a house has to be
solid for the structure to stand, the bass must be the solid foundation of
the band for all parts of the music to be cohesive. Fortunately, bass
playing can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be, but you
can't do without it. Beyond this basic requirement, the sky's the limit,
but personally, I draw the line at wearing tu-tus and the like on stage.
What are your ambitions?
I hope to play until I can no longer physically do it. I have no ambitions
to be famous or record my own songs. I enjoy my God-given talent by
playing music for the enjoyment of others. If my playing can make just one
person feel a little better after a long week at work with the boss on
their back, the trials of spouse and kids, the house and/or car breaking
down again, and the dog chewing up their last good pair of shoes, then I
am happy.
Anything else?
Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts. May God bless you and
your endeavours.
thanks to Kelly for being part of BassGirls.Com
text and images are copyright
of Kelly Jordan and
BassGirls.Com
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