Where are you based Stephanie? Kansas City, MO, USA

At what age did you first take a bass in your hands? It was sometime in my teens. I was a guitarist at the time.

What attracted you to playing bass? I originally purchased a bass on impulse, as I'd been playing the guitar for 4 years prior. In retrospect, the bassline was the part of a song I'd always paid the most attention to.

Did you play any other instrument before you started playing bass? I was a self-taught pianist and played clarinet in the school band. I later spent a few years playing guitar / taking lessons.

Can you remember the first piece you ever learned on bass? I taught myself the bassline for Pink Floyd's "Money" the day I took home the bass!

What was your very first public performance? I'd done some childhood acting and played in the school band, but my first public rock performance was at age 16 on electric guitar accompanied by my best friend on drums.

What’s your current band? I play with Velvet Freeze primarily, although I also play with Dale Maxfield and the Silver Hammers, Firebox and The Wyandotte County Lowriders.

What’s your main bass? I have a couple of Ibanez Soundgears I use for live performances. I've also got a Fender acoustic / electric that a bang around on at home.

Body colour/wood? Cherry fudge, electric blue & black respectively.

Neck/fingerboard? Full scale on all, rosewood on two, maple on one.

What strings to you like best? Steel round wound in lighter gauges. I light them bright.

What is your backline bass amp setup? I play live through a David Eden CXC-300 combo. With Velvet Freeze, I use a bass Crybaby pedal.

Fingers, plectrum (pick) or both? 3 fingers & thumb.

Have you played double (upright) or acoustic bass? Only in music stores. Someday...

What type of music do you play? Funkdafied rock, hard rock, alternative rock, art rock...

Who do you listen to when you’re not playing? Too many to list. I will listen to just about anything, although I tend to avoid new country, gangster rap and bubblegum.

Have you recorded/released any CDs? Yes. Velvet Freeze - "Wearwithal", "Nectarine...", "Live in the Key of D." Dale Maxfield & the Silver Hammers - "Stratosphere", "5'6" in a 6' World." Firebox - "What Mother." Phantasmagoria - "Mass Spewage." Josh Shelton - "Acknowledging..."

What was your best gig/venue ever? There are a few, but the most recent was last month with Velvet Freeze in Ankeny, Indiana. The other bands were super nice, the audience was great, we rocked hard and we made some great contacts. Phantasmagoria had a couple of excellent playing experiences years ago in Manhattan, KS.

What was your worst moment onstage? I was assaulted by the crackhead guitarist of another band. I finished the song and then dumped a 32 oz. soda on him from the stage.

Were you ever on a TV show? Only public access, baby! Oh, wait ... does the news count?

What’s your favourite album/CD? That depends on my mood. Discs that come to mind immediately are Primus' "Seas of Cheese" and Beck "Mutations".

Do you play/own any other instruments? Acoustic guitar, bongos and tambourine.

Do you sing (apart from in the shower!)? I do backup vocals with my bands. I only sing lead in the car; the shower's got too much reverb.

Have you ever performed onstage without your bass? I've done backing vocals with a tambourine before.

What’s your opinion on basses with more than 4 strings? I used to own a 5-string as well. I love the low B, but I never liked the distance between the strings. A 6-string is out of the question due to my finger length.

What do you feel is the bass-players function in a band? I prefer playing in power trios. In that situation, the bass mediates between the rhythm and melody.

What are your ambitions? I'd like to play bass full-time.

Anything else Stephanie? Thanks for the opportunity -- I'd been hoping a site like this would turn up!

See Velvet Freeze on Links page - Ed.

 
thanks to Stephanie for being part of BassGirls.Com
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