Derek's comments on the following bassists are highlighted in LIGHT YELLOW.
Matt
Bissonnette
Jughead (InsideOut 2001)
Matt is cool guy. I couldn't really get a feel for his bass style when we recorded the Jughead record, but I know that he is a solid player.
Tony
Franklin
Alice Cooper Tribute Humanary Stew (Triage 1999)
Derek Sherinian - "Planet X" (Magna Carta)
Prince Tribute (Cleopatra Records)
Aerosmith Tribute (Triage Records)
Derek Sherinian - "Inertia" (InsideOut)
Planet X - MoonBabies 2002 (InsideOut)
Derek Sherinian "Black Utopia" (InsideOut Records 2003)
Tony has a very distinct style on his bass. I love the slinky whining fretless sound, and the way he overdrives his signal gives it the right amount of balls.Tony also played, and mixed four songs on "Black Utopia." Tony has played on all three of my solo CDs. His bass playing definitely feels like home to me. The nicest guy you will ever meet.
Stu
Hamm
Recordings: Alice Cooper Tribute-"Humanary
Stew" (triage 1999)
I havent had the opportunity to play with Stu yet, but we have talked about it and I would welcome it in the future.
Jimmy
Johnson
Derek Sherinian "Inertia" (InsideOut
Records 2001)
Planet X - Moonbabies (InsideOut Records 2002)
Anyone who has played with Allan Holdsworth has my immediate respect.
Simon brought Jimmy in to play ton my 2nd solo CD, "Inertia." He plays this tabletop Alembic bass, and it has the most incredible tone.
I brought Jimmy in to play on Planet X "MoonBabies" which worked out great. If only we would get him to join Planet X on a full time basis!
Jimmy is an amazing player, I have never seen such taste and facility.
Tom
Kennedy
Planet X Universe (InsideOut Records)
Derek Sherinian "Inertia" (InsideOut Records 2001)
Planet X - MoonBabies (InsideOut Records 2002)
After seeing Tom perform with Dave Weckl, Virgil recruited Tom to come play on the Planet X- "Universe" CD.
Tom has played about 20 shows with Planet X in the US and also played half of the bass tracks on "MoonBabies." Tom has super sick chops, and he makes it looks so easy when he plays.
Dave
LaRue
Planet X Live from Oz (InsideOut Records 2002)
Being that Dave plays in the Steve Morse Band and the Dixie Dregs, he gets my nod right out of the gate! PLANET X needed a bassist for our two week debut European tour. Dave also played bass on the "Live from Oz." Dave came into Planet X learning and playing pretty sick material, and
nailed it night after night - not an easy gig.
Marco
Mendoza
Blue Murder Japan Tour 2004
Marco is an extremely versatile bassist who can play anything from Hard Rock, Latin, Jazz to funk. He is also a great fretless bassist with great tone. He has a great live energy on stage, and is fun to tour with. I would love to have Marco play on my next solo CD
John
Myung
Dream Theater Awake World Tour 1994-95, Touring
Into Infinity 1997-98
Recordings: Dream Theater- A Change of Seasons (East/West 1995), Dream
Theater- Falling Into Infinity (East/West 1997); Once in a LIVEtime (East/West
1998); Platypus - When Push Comes to Shove (Inside Out 1998), Platypus
- Ice Cycles (Inside Out)
He is the only musician that I know that warms DOWN after a show...I have two words for John, James Jamerson.
Billy
Sheehan
Explorer's Club - Age of Impact (Magna Carta
1998)
Pat Torpey - Odd Man Out (1998)
Planet X - MoonBabies (InsideOut Records 2002)
Derek Sherinian "Black Utopia" (InsideOut Records 2003)
Billy Sheehan has been a hero of mine since David Lee Roth's "Eat 'em and Smile" album and tour in 1986.
After working with him in Steve Vai's band, Virgil brought Billy up in the Leopard Room to play on the song "The Noble Savage" on Planet X "MoonBabies" in 2002.
After he completed that song I talked to him into playing on three songs on "Black Utopia"..
Gene
Simmons
KISS Revenge US tour 1993
KISS Alive 3 (Mercury 1994)
Ramones Tribute CD (2003)
I think that Gene is a great rock bassist. The cool thing about Gene and Paul, is that they do not warm up one bit on their voice, or their instruments, they just hit the stage and rock.
I got to work with KISS again in 2002 for the Ramones tribute CD on the song "Rock and Roll Radio." Gene is a comedian and I find him hilarious.
His work ethic is paralleled by nobody. It gives me great validation to work with KISS because they are one of the biggest rock bands of our time.
T.M. Stevens
TM is a funky dude! I first met him at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ when I was playing with Buddy Miles, TM came down to the gig. I did one gig with him in Tokyo with Al Pitrelli, Jonathan Mover, and Joe Lynn Turner. He is so charismatic on stage and off. It really is fun to be around him.
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