Reader Spotlight: Roger McLachlan
Meet Roger McLachlan, an accomplished bassist of 55 years. Roger is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight (you could be next). Here’s his story…
Bio:
Born In Riverton, NZ, into a musical family, I came to Australia in 1974 to tour with Godspell.
I was a founding member of the original Little River Band in 1975 and recorded the first two Gold and Platinum albums with them.
I joined “Stars” 1977 Gold record for “Paradise” which we reformed in 2018 with follow-up albums.
I formed a Jazz fusion band, “Pyramid,” and performed at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival in 1983.
I’ve performed multiple sessions with various artists, including movie scores, TV, and radio jingles.
Location:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Years experience:
55 years
Why I play the bass:
Probably The Beatles. I was born into a musical family and was playing piano, ukulele, and guitar by age 10. My father bought me my first bass (Hofner) when I was 12.
Gear:
42 basses and guitars and counting.
Some really old Fender Jazz basses: a 64 L-series, 73 sunburst Jazz maple fingerboard (my first jazz bass, which is now fretless). I’ve been endorsing Warwick Basses since 1988. My 1989 JD 5-string NT Thumb bass has been my go-to bass for 30 years or more. I have many more Warwick basses, a 5-string Thumb fretless, Alien Fretless, Custom shop 5-string Thumb with Kahler whammy bar, as well as a Burns Bison, Hofner Club, Sire Jazz bass, Spector 4-string. A few Jaguar Basses, Mustang, And a bunch more Fender/Squier Bass of varying models and colors.
My go-to Warwick Quad6 amps x2, Various cabs: 4×10″ 2×12″ 1×12″ 4x 8″ 2×12″ Warwick CL combo, Markbass 1×15″ combo. I have a pedalboard with a Compressor, Autofilter, Chorus, Pitch shifter, Distortion, Bass Wah, and Strymon Timeline.
My Influences:
Paul McCartney, Roger Glover, Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Larry Graham, Stanley Clark, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten.
My bass superpower/claim to fame:
I played fretless bass on John Farnham’s worldwide hit, “You’re The Voice.”
More on the web:
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