1.) Tell me about your coming to be a part of The Voyces. How did it happen?
Well, first let me say, Dan, that I am tickled about this blog! I liked your account of encountering The Voyces for the first time. I'll never forget mine...It was the East Village, back when Leshko's was still a diner, and you could smoke with your coffee. I had a job at a recording studio/dupe house overlooking ave. A, when one day, an inconspicuous/peculiar pair came by to have their music remastered and copied to cd. As soon as I heard the opening drum fill of the first track, ( "The End of Everything",) my jaw dropped. I stopped what I was doing, came out and stood still to listen. "This is awesome!", I said. It was an understatement. I thought, "how could this unassuming guy sound like Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Simon, Garfunkel, AND Ozzy?" They needed a bass player, and the rest, as they say...
2.) How would you compare The Voyces with other groups you've played or play with?
I don't know how I could, or why! Except to say that I got the feeling very early on that Brian was a "lifer", if you take my meaning. Also, there has been an extremely unusual absence of drama, bullshit, or any other "weirdness" with The Voyces.
3.) How much creative input do you have during recording?
Plenty. But it has been my experience, for want of good studio etiquette, to speak only when spoken to. There is a fascinating process that transpires between songwriter and producer that requires the air to be uncluttered with the opinions of so many cooks in a kitchen.
4.) What is your favorite Voyces song to play live, and why?
Now that's tough! I could narrow it down to a few: "We Will Kill You in the Long Run" is one of my favorites because it is the longest, and with three part harmonies! "You're In Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley, and You're Doing an Excellent Job" and "Lie Down on Me" are both veritable bass solos, and I can, you know, hot dog it a little. I could not truthfully answer this question without listing every single song we play.
5.) How long have you played the bass? What got you started?
I was air guitaring for a very long time, but I had it backwards. At thirteen, I saved up and got a Hagstrom electric guitar, and a rude awakening! After teaching myself awhile, I'd instinctively play the root notes of songs, and for my sixteenth birthday, I got a Fender Precision imitation bass made by Sears & Roebuck. I taught myself using the play-rewind, play-rewind method.
6.) What bassists most inspire you?
I'm really not a "player's player", not one of these guys into Jaco or John Pattatucci. Great players though they are, I'm more of the show up & "where do I plug in?" type. I think all bass players unanimously put Sir Paul McCartney at the top of their list. Bernard Edwards (Chic) is another one of my favorites. James Jamerson, who played on most of the old Motown hits is up there, too. Brian Wurschum is actually a monster bass player!
7.) Is there any playing you have done on a Voyces record you are most proud of? Which moments or songs? Why?
Hand-claps are always my favorite part of recording! Everyone present huddles around the mic and claps slightly off from each other, and there's this infectious silliness, and everybody is giddy and trying not to laugh too loud! Anybody that's ever done this knows exactly what I'm talking about!
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