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Claudia McKenzie, at what
age did you first take a bass in your hands?
About 15 someone taught me some basic technique but I didn’t really take
an interest until years later.
What attracted you to playing bass?
Watching my friend Lee Cave-Berry (also on this site) playing bass
and looking like she was having so much fun!
Did you play any other instrument
before you started playing bass?
Clarinet, flute and guitar (electric and acoustic)
Can you remember the first piece you
ever learned on bass? Lou Reed –
Walk On The Wild Side. Due to lack of money I started out on a
fretless which was lent and that was the first song I was taught on it!
What was your very first band?
School band called Negative Feedback playing guitar
What other bands were you a member
of? I joined a great indie/pop band
called Glowsticks when I started playing bass seriously and very
briefly a blues band called ‘Train To Nowhere’.
What’s your current band?
Saint Zoë, Working Title and Gig-L. I also support a band of
guys with learning difficulties called The Summer Boyz - I used to
be their bass player but I'm hoping for the next performance that the guy
that is now playing bass will go up on stage without me!
What’s your main bass?
Musicman Stingray
Have you a preference for active or passive electronics?
I’m new to the world of active electronics so I’m still making up my mind
What type or brand of strings to you
like best? Ernie Ball Extra Slinkys
are serving me well
How often would you change your
strings? Not nearly as often as I
should!
What is your backline bass amp
setup? Trace Elliot AH300-7 head and
Trace Elliot 1518 300w cab – marvellously unmanageable but sounds great!
Fingers, plectrum (pick) or both?
Fingers – the last time I used a plectrum (fairly recently) it was
launched across the stage mid song!
What type of music do you play?
Rock, blues, Rock n Roll
Who do you listen to when you’re not
playing? Recently I’ve been enjoying
BB King, Johnny Winter and Sass Jordan.
Have you recorded/released any CDs?
Saint Zoë are about to release their first CD.
What was your best gig/venue ever?
A much hyped (on the local scene) band war between Saint Zoë and
another local band called ‘Lounge’. We spent some weeks pretending
to really hate each other. A few people actually believed it!
What was your worst moment onstage?
The ‘putting-large-pa-speaker-on shiny-table-and-putting-bass-through-it-til-it-vibrates-off’
idea wasn’t a particularly great moment! (That's a goody! - Ed.)
Do you have a day-job outside of the
band? Unfortunately yes but its
helping me buy some nice gear!
What other instrument would you most
like to play? I would like to be
able to use my voice! (some say it's the most difficult instrument of
all - Ed.)
What was the best concert you were
ever at? B.B. King at the
Royal Albert Hall in London, Skunk Anansie in Southend, England and
recently Queen and Paul Rodgers at Hyde Park, London. (Can't
wait to hear Paul Rodgers with Queen - what a singer! - Ed.)
Do you sing Claudia?
Just started to in Gig-L but a live performance is a LONG way off!
Do you write/compose?
I wrote some folky type songs when I played lots of acoustic guitar but I
haven’t written anything for a long time.
Have you ever been to Ireland?
Not yet but our singer in Saint
Zoë is Irish and is planning to drag us over there one day! (Tell
us about her please! - Ed.)
Give one piece of “golden” advice to
someone who has just bought their first bass?
Put it down for a moment and go watch and listen to as many other bass
players as you can!
What’s your opinion on basses with
more than 4 strings? Definitely not
for me. Seems like overkill – my 4 are sufficient!
What do you feel is the bass-players
function in a band? To be the
backbone, knit well with the drummer and add balls!
What are your ambitions, musically
and personally? To always remember
to play music for the right reasons (to have fun!)
See Links page for Saint Zoe website - Ed.
thanks to Claudia for being part of BassGirls.Com
text and images are copyright
of Claudia McKenzie and
BassGirls.Com
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