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I view soloing about as enthusiastically as I do a prostate exam. There's a reason I chose to be a bassist, and much more needn't be said. But the nature of Keneally's band, combined with the act of tracking a solo album, have forced the issue, and probably helped somewhat. That said, these bass solos—a mixture of studio and live performances—are examples I can live with. They're listed in actual chronological order, earliest to latest. That means the newest ones are at the bottom. NOTE: Three of the audio files listed below are from "unauthorized" Keneally recordings. Why not have a look at the Official Mike Keneally Taping Policy just so you know what's up?
Solo
section from the studio version of "My
Beef Mailbox" - Z My first
officially recorded solo, back in the days when slap bass ruled, and
the faster the better. I included the guitar solo preceding the bass
break, because the whole thing's only 33 seconds long anyway.
The
basic tracks went down on the second pass. The solo-well, let's just
say that it didn't go down on the second pass. Or the third. Or the
fourth. Or.oh, whatever, it was a long time ago. I know this: the last
one I did, we kept.
Solo
from the studio version of "I,
Drum Running, Am Clapboard Bound" - Mike Keneally & Beer For
Dolphins A
very odd structure to solo over, and in the key of A-flat to boot. I
used a heavy chorus/flanger effect to help me get through it in one
piece.
Live
solo from "My Dilemma"
- Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins A night when my thumb was on its very best behavior. Stomping on the overdrive halfway through the solo is always a good idea, especially if you're running out of good ideas.
Live
solo from "Self 'n'
Other" - Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins Everything
about playing at Seattle's Experience Music Project was so wonderful
and professional-sound, lighting, catering, you name it-that it's no
wonder I managed something passable that night. With the SWR Mo' Bass
BassSynth in full effect. Live
solo from "Show Yourself"
- Mike Keneally and Beer For Dolphins From the late 2001 Quartet tour, not one but two-two!-solos from the slowly grinding, instrumental 5/4 groove from Keneally's album Nonkertompf. First Mike takes a turn, then I have to follow him up. For some reason, this venue has a habit of bringing out the best in us.
Live
solo from "Bleed"
- I, Claudius I, Claudius was a band comprised of good friends of mine: Colin Keenan on vocals (though this excerpt is an instrumental), Griff Peters on guitar, the late, great Wes Wehmiller on bass, and the almighty Joe Travers on drums. Wes had a weakness for having two basses in rock arrangements, one in a traditional bassist's role and another distorted and tuned up higher, almost like a baritone guitar. (This line of thinking gave way to "Bite," an I, Claudius tune that ended up on View.) In the week leading up to this gig, I rehearsed with them on several songs, and Wes and I took turns swapping roles. This tune, however, we barely touched in rehearsal. I think Griff is the one who referred to it as a "lame-ass excuse for a solo vehicle" (they regularly engage in humor so self-deprecating as to make me look narcissistic). In any event, I was playing the tuned-up distorted bass through a guitar amp of some kind when this song-and my solo-came around. I don't know how it happened, but four minutes and twenty-five seconds later, it was the longest solo I'd ever played in my life. A completely atypical performance. Audio quality is on the edge (you may have to boost the overall level and adjust the EQ somewhat), but it's certainly listenable. If you want to know what I would have sounded like had I chosen guitar instead of bass, this may provide a hint or two.
Solo from the studio version of "Eighteen Weeks" - Bryan Beller My pseudo prog-rock epic. This excerpt picks up in what could be called the bridge section, and leads into a short but appropriately melodramatic bass solo.
Solo from the studio version of "Supermarket People" - Bryan Beller I don't often say this, but I'm particularly proud of this long, involved, moody solo. It was also the very last thing tracked for View, and it was done well after midnight, which gave it that desperate, exhausted feeling it needed. For the musically educated, the alternating chords are C7-over F# to F#7.
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