I'm often asked who my influences are... and i usually can't give a straight answer... and that's because i have lots. I've listened to a lot, and i mean a loooot of bands from different genres... and they have all influenced my playing in one way or another... so when someone asks me who my bass hero is... i can't pick just one.

another reason why i have a hard time trying to figure out who my bass god is... is because, when i listen to a band, or music in general... i listen to it as a whole... i don't isolate individual players and obsess about their playing. di ko talaga naging habit yung, bibili ako ng album just because i heard that the bassist was super. gusto ko yung trip ko yung mga songs nila. if it moves my soul, i'm an instant fan. but there are instances that i buy an album because of the bassist. but this is rare... and most of the time, tried and tested ko na talaga na magaling gumawa ng mga songs ang bassist na to... kung baga eh, tiwala na ako sa kanya...

so anyway... here is an attempt to list down my bass heroes... i have lots... as in... pero heto talaga yung mga nagkaroon ng malaking impact sa buhay ko...

Louis Ochoa

Mismo talaga si Choe! Siya nagturo sa akin ng mga basics sa bass. i still remember going to his house, one afternoon... tapos tinuro niya sakin yung mga notes sa neck. that was my first step into the world of bass. I also remember being so inspired by this guy. Man, back in highschool he was the baddest bassist around. Heck, some of the shit he did back then, i can't even do now. ehehehe. thanks man... you'll forever be at the top of my bass heroes list!

Sir Paul McCartney


I love sir Paul. I've always loved his simple driving bass lines. He was the first bassist who made me fall in love with the bass. Up to now i still sit down and jam along with my Beatles albums. And when i'm feeling glum, i just pop in my wings cd and play Silly Love Songs or Band On The Run. His work with the Beatles and Wings are awesome. And he makes the most memorable bass lines. The man is a genius.



Les Claypool


I love this bastard. I remember listening to my first Primus album (Tales from the Punchbowl) and being blown away. Well first there's Les' bass work... he's one weird but awesome bassist. He comes up with the weirdest lines but somehow, it just works. Then there's Ler Lalonde's guitar explorations... most of my guitarist friends hate ler because they say he plays really weird... BUT THAT'S THE POINT! if Pat Martino was Primus' guitarist, that wont be Primus anymore. Lastly, there's Herb Alexander... one kick-ass drummer! But what made me fall in love with Les Claypool was not his bass wizardry... it was his "I don't give a monkey fuck's ass what you think... im gonna do what i want to do" attitude. He is my favorite BASTARD of all time!


Jaco Pastorius


Medyo late ko na nakilala si Jaco. I was in college na when i started collecting Jaco and Weather Report cds. una kong nakita si Jaco sa isang vid. It was his solo spot sa Shadows and Light na concert ni Joni Mitchell... he was playing slang. i remember the sound of his beat up jazz as he stepped on the overdrive... how it screamed and wailed... i instantly fell in love. Then i researched about his life and that made me appreciate Jaco more. He truly opened doors for all of us bassists. for that we are very thankful.


Rommel dela Cruz


He is my favorite pinoy bassist. He comes up with the sweetest bass lines... and the most mind blowing fills and licks. He is what i call a perfect bassist. I admit i stole a lot of licks from this guy... hehehe May time pa nga na puro Barbie's Cradle lang talaga pinapakinggan ko. I jammed along to those cds almost everyday... and everytime, palagi ako napapangiti. Sobrang ganda talaga ng mga bass parts. And rommel is such a nice guy too. Sobrang laking honor nung nag-bass clinic kaming dalawa. It was really cool playing with my hero. Di ko makakalimutan yun at i-kkwento ko sa mga apo ko yun!


Tony Levin


His chapman stick work with King Crimson and later on with Liquid Tension Experiment really influenced me a lot. most of the tapping stuff i do on bass... that's just me trying to be like Tony. What's really awesome though is that i remember listening to my dad's John Lennon: Double Fantasy album... i totally loved the bass line on the song Woman... and this was what... around 6th grade or something... only recently did i find out that the guy playing that sweet bass line is no other than Mr. Tony Levin. How cool is that?



Michael Manring


Another genius! Michael Manring has made fretless bass playing an art. His pieces are so beautiful... and fuckin' hard to pull off... ehehehehe... just watch the video... who else would think of playing multiple basses simultaneously... and friggin' come up with such a beautiful piece such as that? It's almost insane.


John Myung


Ok so people think that since i play in a progressive metal band that i automatically have John Myung as one of my bass influences... well to tell you the truth... I only began to really appreciate John Myung's playing recently. You see... i love Dream Theater as a whole! i think they make awesome songs... not just technical exercises... they actually make songs that you can hum... they make good music. So whenever i listen to Dream Theater, i listen to the songs... not what each individual musician is doing... then it hit me. John Myung is that good! heck, he is such a tight bass player... He's bass playing makes the song work... he always comes up with bass lines that work well with the drum parts. He is so good, he makes Mike Portnoy's drumkit talk.



...there!

ilan lang sila sa mga naging malaking influence sa akin bilang isang bassist at isang musikero. Sometimes i play a lick or two during gigs to pay homage to my heroes.... people think i'm trying to be some kind of wise ass for doing it... but really, it's a nod to these awesome bassists who've inspired me.

if i could only thank them all personally... I would!