Reader Spotlight: Mike Dyer

Mike Dyer (photo by Skeleton Key Photography)Meet Mike Dyer, a bassist who appears to be living the musical dream (i.e. he doesn’t have a day job.) A recent graduate of Berklee, he appears well on his way.

Mike is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of February 10, 2014.

Bio:

I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri and played in local rock bands for all of my teenage years along with school marching band, orchestra, jazz band and anything else I could get into. After high school I spent three years at Berklee College of Music and studied with Jim Stinnett. During some of my time in college, I played in the awesome New York indie-rock band, The Rotaries. I graduated college in 2013, have continued studying with Jim Stinnett and have been touring quite a bit since.

Location:

Boston, Massachusetts

Day gig:

I don’t have a day job. I spend my days practicing bass and hanging out with my dog.

Years experience:

10 years

Bands & Gigs:

I play in the rock band Tommy & the High Pilots from Santa Barbara, California. I started playing with them this past October and didn’t really come back home until New Years. We did two headlining runs and a tour in support of the Plain White T’s and Parachute this fall/winter and are planning a busy new year. Starting with a February acoustic tour where some of the dates are opening for the Gin Blossoms. I grew up being a big fan of previous bands that the High Pilots members were in so it’s been great playing with them.

Gear:

  • Le Fay Singer 6-string 32″
  • Le Fay Herr Pulse 4-string
  • Aguilar AG500 SC head
  • Aguilar GS112 cab

Why I play the bass:

In elementary school two of my friends wanted to start a band, but when they asked me they had both already decided they were taking guitar and drums so I was left with bass. I went out, rented a bass and got a teacher and just never stopped playing it! We never formed that band though…

My bass superpower/claim to fame

I wouldn’t say it’s a “super power” or a “claim to fame” but I can play classical etudes on electric bass at super fast speeds. And I know the bass lines to just about every Against Me! album front to back.

My influences

I grew up listening to punk bassists like Fat Mike, Andrew Seward, Jason Black, Chris #2 and Inge Johanssen.

Then in college I started to listen to the jazz greats like Jaco Pastorius and Ray Brown and I transcribed a lot of James Jamerson and Paul Chambers.

More on the web:

Photo by Skeleton Key Photography

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