Exclusive: Keanu Reeves Talks Dogstar, His Bass Rig, and the Players Who Shaped His Sound

Keanu Reeves is back on the road with Dogstar and I caught up with him in New Buffalo to talk bass. We covered the gear he is using on tour, the first instrument he bought, the riffs he has brought into Dogstar’s music, and the players who shaped his ear. We also talked about why he still wants to tour with his friends after all these years.

Reeves gave me a look at his setup, played a few bass parts and explained how he finds his place between the drums and guitar. Watch the first 30 minutes of our interview below. The final 10 minutes are available on our Patreon.

From a $300 Ibanez to His Touring Fender

Reeves started playing bass at 22. His first instrument was a white Ibanez that he bought for about $300 in the parking lot of a Guitar Center in Hollywood. He went on to play Music Man and Fender basses, eventually finding his way to the PJ setup he favors now.

For this tour, he brought a custom Fender that he walked me through in detail, from its neck and pickups to the controls he uses to dial in his sound. He also talked about the GK Legacy series head and 4×10 cabinet behind him onstage. It is a return to familiar territory. “I had an 800 RB in the 90s,” he said.

His pedal board is a simpler affair. When I suggested he might want to expand it, Reeves replied, “I don’t need it, man.” For Dogstar, he knows what he wants to hear.

Finding His Place in Dogstar

Reeves played the bass figure from “All In Now,” which he called a “Reeves riff.” He also talked about listening to drummer Robert Mailhouse’s kick drum and deciding when to play with it and when to leave space. When I asked whether he tries to lock in with Robert, Reeves had his own term for it: “I’m lockadoodle.”

That sense of space is central to the way he approaches a trio. He pays attention to the drums, the guitar strumming, and where a melodic bass part can move the song forward.

The Bass Lines That Caught His Ear

Our conversation turned to the music Reeves listened to when he was learning to play. He brought up the Ramones, Kim Deal and the Pixies, and Peter Hook. He was drawn to bass lines that did more than hold down the root, particularly the idea of “having the melody from the bass.”

Why He Still Tours with Dogstar

Near the end of our conversation, I asked Reeves why he still wants to get on a bus and go through the work of touring. “Just having fun and you’re with some friends,” he said. He talked about hearing fans sing along and meeting families whose kids were at their first rock show. After hearing him talk about his bandmates, the answer felt pretty clear.

Watch the first 30 mins below.  The final 10 minutes of the interview are on our Patreon. Reeves names some of his favorite bassists, talks about gear he wants to try, answers a question about the last song that made him cry, and faces our shopping cart etiquette test.