Groove – Episode #8: Steve Lawson
If we’re going to refer to the late/great John Entwistle as “The Ox,” we should probably start referring to Steve Lawson as “The Octopus.” When you listen to his music (and yes, this is music… not just someone playing the bass), it seems unreasonable that what comes out of his instrument is the work of two hands on a bass guitar. It seems, somewhat, cheap to even think of him as a bass solo artist. Lawson truly does make music with his electric bass.
An unabashed admirer of Michael Manring – in terms of influencing how he perceives the bass guitar – Lawson creates musical tapestries that will have all fans of the bass questioning if the sounds he’s making are actually coming from a bass guitar (they are). His influences are varied. You can catch him on YouTube covering Lionel Richie’s famed classic, “Hello”, or see him wearing a Cannibal Corpse t-shirt in a photo shoot. He’s as comfortable composing something with a new age flair, as he is pounding out a rock groove. With that, he’s an academic, thinker, writer, composer and creative firehose. Enjoy the conversation…
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Groove - The No Treble Podcast’s theme music written and performed by Aaron Gibson.
Very interesting. I met steve a few years ago in Sheffield, lovely guy, very genuine. I bought a memory stick with all the music at that point on it, and absolutely love listenening to it. I’d just taken delivery of a 7 string fretless at that point and more recently have bought a 7 string fretted.
Despite trying, I can’t even begin to emulate the playing that Steve does, but hopefully I’m doing justice to my own instruments and the music that I feel inside even though I can’t always reproduce it for others the way I feel it inside yet
I think Steve would agree: take every influence possible and build your own path :)
Doing Justice to the music inside is pretty much the only thing that matter, Joseph – keep on that path, you’ll do fine :)
You’ve done it again Mitch. Very insightful and interesting podcast in so many ways. Dig’n on Steve’s mindset quite a bit too. He’s a great musician/bassist.
Thanks, Mike. The truth is that it’s all about the guests and how open they are to doing this type of conversation. Steve was a pleasure!
Steve, has a real vision regarding music transfer in the 21st century! This discussion is enlightening!
He’s a total pleasure and big brain!
This was fantastic. I’ve been fortunately enough to attend some of Steve Lawson’s lessons on Scott’s Bass Lessons and he always throws out these nuggets of information that make me go hmmmmm…. always thought provoking.
Mitch – you’re a great interviewer and I enjoy your podcasts immensely. I look forward to the next one!
Thanks for the kind words, Eric. This podcast really is a treat for me!
…that’s so true Eric – Mitch IS a wonderful interviewer… the combination of an inquisitive mind and a deep love and knowledge of the subject (and most other subjects!) makes for the perfect conversationalist :)
Very kind of you, Steve! You’re a class act :)
Steve is a class act! I was lucky to befriend him in 2006 and when I heard Mitch on his other podcast mention Groove I was busy thinking, Hey Steve would make a great interviewee. Too slow- here he is already here!
We’re here for you, Rebecca :)