First Published In The Music & Sound Retailer’s June 2007 Issue.
A number of music industry giants refer to Will Lee as simply the best bass player in the world. He can be seen every night of the week on national television playing bass with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra on “Late Show with David Letterman.” While that is indeed a coveted gig, Will’s “off air” credits are even more impressive. He has toured with B.J.Thomas, Horace Silver, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, The Brecker Brothers, and Herbie Mann, and his discography of over 400 titles includes recordings by David Sanborn, Boz Scaggs, Diane Schuur, Tom Scott, Neil Sedaka, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, Phoebe Snow, Ronnie Spector, The Spinners, Spyro Gyra, Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, Cat Stevens, and Barbra Streisand—and those are just some of the “S’s”!
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I first met Will in 1994 at the legendary Bitter End in New York City’s Greenwich Village. I played guitar in the band that he had come to see. We chatted briefly following the set, which was truly an exciting occasion for me. Not only did I think he was one of the coolest guys on TV, but his career resembled my own hopes and dreams in the music industry. I was both humbled and honored to have a few moments with this terrifically accomplished musician. We met again three years later when I played the “Letterman Show” with Hanson, and this time we exchanged phone numbers. The following year, he invited me to his lower Manhattan apartment to write a song together. “Sunflower in the Shade” was the result of that Friday session in May of 1998, and we recorded it the following year on my CD, “Beyond the Blur.” In addition to our common musical interests, we both have an affinity for French women. Whenever schedules permit, we get together socially along with our French wives. Recently, we found a little time to “talk shop.”
Ravi: Why did you choose the bass?
Lee: It was one of those deals where we were 12 years old with a band that consisted of two guitars and drums—I played drums. We wanted a fuller sound, but in 1965, 12 year olds were not yet ready for the concept of bass. The Beatles had made a huge impact on the sales of drums and guitars, but bass was a young instrument. Kids were bashing on stuff to emulate drums and grabbing tennis rackets pretending they were guitars, but most people were not doing “air bass” yet. So, I thought “let’s get another drummer and I’ll switch to bass.” What was I thinking?
Ravi: What was your first bass?
Lee: I had my heart set on beautiful white Fender Precision that was in the music store window in Coral Gables, Fla. I let my dad know just before Christmas exactly what I was hoping for. On Christmas morning there was a bass there, but it was a no-name brown one that was so ugly. I was shocked. Working gigs and errands for a couple of months allowed me to buy my dream bass for myself—a greater feeling than just receiving it. I guess I showed dad who could take care of business (or he showed me how good it felt earning that bass).
Ravi: You are the “first call” bass player for many producers and hugely successful artists. How did you earn that respect? What is your work ethic and what pivotal points in your career contributed to your reputation?
Lee: I care about the music, and I have a feel for it. I am a huge fan of pop, country, rock, soul, and other types of music. So, I basically want records to sound as good as my favorites. Pivotal points have been listening to great records and having friends get me work by hiring or recommending me. One huge break came when I was in college in Florida in 1971. A guy named Gary Campbell came down to guest lecture at school and he and I ended up jamming. He went back to New York City and told the Brecker brothers about me, and suggested they audition me for their band Dreams. It just happened that I was a huge fan of their music, so when I got to New York, I was ready.
Ravi: Watching you play is always a joy because you are clearly immersed in the music. As a sideman, are you relieved of having to be more of a showman, or is your stage presence partly being a showman—along with the cool shades and threads that you often wear on “Letterman”?
Lee: I love playing, and that is the single most important reason for my success. When you’re having a great time doing what you’re doing, so does the audience. I like dressing “cool” so when I am onstage, it is a little more of an event rather than looking like I just walked in off the street.
Ravi: Who stands out as some of the most exciting artists with whom you have worked?
Lee: Well, James Brown was one of my favorites, both at Letterman on a few occasions and in the studio recording “Get Up Offa That Thing” and a few lesser-known tracks. I feel lucky that I did not have to be on the road touring with him because he was so intense. That made taking it in little installments a real pleasure. Of course, any chance to play with any of the Beatles is always a treasure, as I have done with all four at some point, either recording or live.
Ravi: When you are backing up an artist, such as those who are guests on “Letterman,” how much of your sound is Will Lee versus studying the artist’s record?
Lee: It is always a case of honoring the music, so it is always an equal amount of both.
Ravi: What gear do you use to get your sound on TV?
Lee: When I am doing the show, I can usually be seen playing my trusty Sadowsky bass, or even a Höfner, Fender P-bass with flatwound strings, a Line 6 Variax bass, or others depending on the song. All these go through a Radial direct box and into a specially built Ampeg rig.
Ravi: How about in the studio, do you have particular equipment that you favor?
Lee: I have a new model Will Lee signature four-string Sadowsky bass I love, as well as a Sadowsky five-string. I use my old Fender ‘63 P-Bass with flatwounds a lot these days as well as a Line 6 Variax bass. I plug into a GrooveTubes “Brick” and then it goes into the two stages—the board for direct signal and then into Line 6’s new LowDown amp, either mic’d or direct.
Ravi: How many basses do you own?
Lee: I have probably had as many as 110 basses at most, but I am donating a lot of stuff to good causes these days. There is a lot of “sleeping talent” out there among kids and underprivileged folks who have been stricken by disasters and/or poverty. They can use a chance to express what is in their souls and minds these days.
Ravi: Were music stores important to you while you were growing up and discovering musicianship?
Lee: A music store to a musician can be a place of wonder that sparks the imagination, a source of inspiration to anyone who can dream of “stretching out” into new directions. When you see an instrument, you either imagine its sound in your head or wonder what sounds it can make with you playing it. I have been so inspired over the years walking into Gables Music, Ace Music, Manny’s, Sam Ash, Guitar Center, etc. Believe it or not, I am very shy about trying out instruments when people are watching. The ultimate “Fantasy Land” for a musician in America is, of course, the NAMM Show every January or Summer NAMM in July. The most mouth-watering of all is the music-merchandiser’s show in Frankfurt Germany each year, MusikMesse—fuhgedaboutit!
Ravi: Did you ever take lessons at a store?
Lee: Actually, I have never taken or given any lessons.
Ravi: How about now, do you shop at music stores?
Lee: These days, I do a lot of online shopping when I need something. If I need a piece of equipment right away and don’t have time, I will usually beeline it to the nearest store that has the item I need, walk in the door with blinders on, and grab and run.
Ravi: What is the most important thing you look for in a music store in terms of being sure that they are able to satisfy your needs?
Lee: It is always great when there is an amiable salesperson who knows the products and can steer you to the right purchase. It is also great when stores have a return policy that allows you to get a refund or store credit when you buy something that “sounds good in the store,” but after you take it home or to a gig, you discover that it is not exactly right for you.
Ravi: Fab Faux, how did that come about, and what gear do you use to emulate Paul McCartney?
Lee: The funny thing about that is that the music of The Beatles has been a thread running through my soul since 1964, driving every musical and professional move I have made since then. It is an actual fact that because I was so close to it, I could not see myself playing Beatles music. The idea of having a “Beatles band” hit me after meeting our drummer, Rich Pagano, on a tour of Europe with Hiram Bullock back in 1997. He had such a great voice and command of Ringo-style drumming that I asked him if he might want to do something in the realm of bringing the Beatles records to the stage. Luckily, he was all for it and we were on our way. In order to play this music authentically, the first things you need gear-wise are the instruments. In the case of playing Paul’s magnificent bass lines, you must use fairly dead flatwound strings, a Höfner 500/1 violin-shaped bass (the early ones sound best, but you can bypass the electronics on the new ones and they sound OK) for earlier Beatles—up to the Rubber Soul period, and a Rickenbacker 4001 for most later stuff—except for some “White Album” tunes where Paul plays a Fender ’66 Jazz bass, and then back to the Höfner for the “Let It Be” “rooftop” stuff. There are other bassists like John and George who played parts on either the Fender Bass VI, or in the case of “Helter Skelter,” it is John on a Fender ‘66 Jazz bass.
Ravi: Most people know you as the bass player on “Letterman” or from the countless records on which you have played, and now Fab Faux. Are you planning to continue your existing gigs/projects for a long time or do you have other pursuits on the horizon?
Lee: As far as live playing, Fab Faux is something I want to keep doing for as long as we all are able to continue. I also love playing with Chris Parker’s band Toph-e and the Pussycats, The Oz Noy Trio, Hiram Bullock, and anything that Chuck Loeb does. I plan on trying to find time to write. I hate when my songs are derivative on purpose. Those are the ones I would just as soon throw away as soon as I think they sound like something else. For whatever reason, certain people will always feel a need to compare a song with something else, but I like it when ideas are free of that, and I need real freedom of creativity to get to that place. When I leave New York City and get into an environment where I have no schedule and few responsibilities, the ideas start to flow like a river. In other words, my immediate goal is to try to go on vacation so that my long-term goal of writing can happen.