Now That’s Bass

not simply a lucky break: it was a career built through preparation, trust and understanding what an artist needs from their bassist.Joining Pete Roythorne on Now That’s Bass, Dishan traces his journey from Sri Lanka and Perth to London, and explains how relationships with musical directors led from Christophe Willem to Kylie Minogue and Westlife.This is a practical look at the work behind the big stages: why following a click can pull you away from the drummer, how to make your sound translate beyond your in-ears, and how solid time, feel and musical judgement earn you freedom on a pop gig. Dishan also explains what he looks for in a dep—and why being a brilliant player cannot make up for being unreliable.We explore the less visible side of a long career, too: losing the hunger for touring, returning to study, and rediscovering music through curiosity rather than obligation. There are stories about an unexpected email from Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, playing with Kylie beside the pyramids, and why even experienced professionals still feel like imposters.For players building a career, the takeaways are concrete: prepare so you can adapt, learn what the song and artist need, protect the trust behind a recommendation, and give people a way to discover what is distinctive about your playing.Follow Now That’s Bass for more honest conversations about making a life in music. If you enjoy the episode, leave a rating or review and share it with another musician.Chapters00:00 Living the dream—and managing stage nerves04:29 Why bass felt freer than piano lessons07:46 Getting gigs while missing what college could teach11:20 Eight gigs a week: learning on the bandstand13:54 Click or drummer: what should a bassist follow?17:52 Earning creative freedom on a major pop gig22:30 Why moving to London changed the opportunities24:25 Getting the Sugababes gig without being on the list29:14 From Sugababes to Kylie: how trust opens doors32:46 Preparing for rehearsal changes before they happen34:53 Empathy, reliability and becoming a bassist people trust42:13 Losing the hunger—and learning to love music again49:33 Sleep, social media and advice to younger players52:05 Ed O’Brien’s email, Kylie at the pyramids and imposter syndrome56:22 Bernard Edwards: feel, restraint and a lighter touch

What gets you hired as a professional bass player — and what does it take to stay relevant across decades of musical change?Charlie Jones has worked with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, spent around 18 years with Goldfrapp, produced and co-written music with Siouxsie Sioux, and toured with The Cult.Chapters01:03 Life off the road: The Cult, recording and creativity03:33 From a Woolworths bass to early recording sessions09:00 How working in a studio shaped Charlie’s sound12:04 Why a record deal doesn’t mean you’ve made it14:13 Early sessions, chance connections and the Robert Plant call20:33 How Charlie prepared for the Plant audition — and why he got hired24:27 Honouring John Paul Jones without losing your own voice27:43 Page & Plant as an apprenticeship: musical instinct and thick skin35:05 No overdubs: the making of No Quarter: Unledded36:23 A new musical language with Goldfrapp45:05 Strong musical personalities: respect, contribution and loyalty50:44 Career advice: play live, create opportunities, trust your instincts56:48 Why spontaneity and enjoyment matter more than perfection1:00:30 Essential bass lines: Ramble On, Jah Wobble and moreIn this episode of Now That's Bass, Charlie takes us behind the scenes of that remarkable career, from his early days working in recording studios to performing with some of rock's most influential musicians.We explore why Robert Plant chose him for the band, how working with Page and Plant became his real musical apprenticeship, and why moving into Goldfrapp's electronic world challenged him to develop an entirely new musical vocabulary.Charlie also shares practical advice about:Getting hired for more than technical ability.Developing your ear and understanding what a song really needs.Working confidently and respectfully with demanding artists.Building relationships and remaining loyal without losing your self-respect.Finding live performance opportunities in today's music industry.Using social media without becoming trapped by comparison.Leaving room for experimentation, mistakes and fun.We finish with a fascinating discussion of the bass lines and musicians that shaped Charlie's playing, including John Paul Jones, Jah Wobble and Ron Carter.Now That's Bass explores the realities of building a working life in music through honest conversations with professional bass players.Follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and if you enjoy the episode, please rate, review or share it with another bass player.

What would you do if Bryan Adams called and gave you six days to learn his arena set? Richard Jones nearly said no. In this episode, The Feeling bassist explains how he tackled the challenge—and what years of gigs, setbacks and unexpected opportunities taught him about earning a living in music.Richard joins Pete Roythorne to explore why having your own sound can make you the right person for a gig, how a working rhythm section helped him land Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s audition, and why he temporarily stepped away from her band when their relationship began.There are practical lessons in learning songs quickly, building musical chemistry and recognising the value of gigs that appear to go nowhere. Richard also tells the story of the “Sewn” demo that survived an expensive studio remake, and makes the case for keeping live bass players onstage.In this conversation:• What ten shows a week taught The Feeling about playing together.• The value of learning by ear—and why Richard still wishes he could sight-read.• How Spike Stent helped preserve the performance behind “Sewn”.• Why an individual sound matters when people decide who to hire.• Preparing for Bryan Adams: manageable practice blocks, the hardest songs first and getting off the page.• Saying yes to a frightening opportunity without letting the next gig consume your time off.Follow Now That’s Bass for more honest conversations about working lives in music. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating on Spotify or a rating and review on Apple Podcasts—and share it with a musician who would find it useful.CHAPTERS00:00 Richard Jones: a working life in bass01:00 The Millennium Falcon bass story05:22 Finding bass—and your place in a band13:54 How bass shapes the whole arrangement19:10 What you lose when bass goes on track21:31 Music school, ear skills and real work27:36 How a covers gig built The Feeling32:28 The edge that won Sophie’s audition38:48 Hearing the hit inside the demo44:29 Why Richard stepped out of Sophie’s band49:52 Why the “Sewn” demo beat the remake53:10 Finding the sound that gets you hired1:02:42 The call from Bryan Adams1:08:25 Learning an arena set in six days1:18:00 Stop letting the next gig consume you

What does it actually take to build — and sustain — a career as a professional bass player?John Garrison has spent 18 years playing bass with James Blunt and has recorded with artists including Lewis Capaldi, Ed Sheeran, Christina Aguilera, Josh Groban, Passenger and Benson Boone. But his route into that world wasn't built around sight-reading, virtuosity or chasing the spotlight.In fact, John can't read music.Chapters for easy navigation00:17 John Garrison: 18 Years at the Top03:46 How John Accidentally Became a Bass Player06:52 The Roadie Who Helped Launch His Career11:14 From Aspiring Artist to Professional Bass Player15:38 How John Landed the James Blunt Gig19:34 What Keeps You Hired for 18 Years?22:09 Learning to Serve the Artist — Not Your Ego26:28 Why Major Producers Keep Calling John31:58 Inside Lewis Capaldi's “Forget Me”36:53 Why the Notes Are Only 30% of the Job42:25 The Extra Skills That Get Bass Players Hired45:23 What Great Players Get Wrong About Building a Career51:43 Glastonbury, Jay-Z and Life at the Top55:06 Peter Gabriel, Kylie Minogue and a Very Surreal Dinner57:06 The Bass That Ended Up on Arctic Monkeys' DebutIn this episode of Now That's Bass, John explains why being able to play is simply the starting point — and why speed, musical judgement, preparation, backing vocals, versatility and being someone other musicians actually want to spend time with can matter just as much.We get inside the session for Lewis Capaldi's “Forget Me”, including why John had to re-record the bass part on a different 1970s Precision before discovering it was about to become the first single.John also reveals how he can turn around major-label bass sessions in less than an hour, why being a songwriter changed the way he approaches bass, and why his younger self had to learn that playing 23 notes a second wasn't necessarily going to get him hired.We also talk about the unexpected “beer test” that helped him land the James Blunt gig, the challenge of moving from frontman to sideman, surviving 18 years on the road with the same artist, social-media comparison, ego, work ethic — and the question every aspiring professional musician should ask:Would the rest of the band actually want to have a coffee with you on the day off?Plus: playing Glastonbury with James Blunt, getting applauded by Jay-Z, asking Kylie Minogue to pass the HP Sauce, accidentally lending his bass to the Arctic Monkeys — and the two bass lines John believes players should spend some time with.If you're trying to turn being a good bass player into actually getting hired, there's a lot in this one.Now That's Bass — honest conversations about bass playing, careers and what it really takes to make a living in music.

Nick Owen spent ten years at London’s Bass Centre during an era when it brought together bass players from around the world. He remembers the famous names who passed through, the clinics, the unlikely encounters and, above all, the community that formed around a shop where people could try an instrument and talk to someone who knew it inside out.What did working there teach him about basses and the people who play them? And could a place like that exist again?Chapter guide00:00:00 Nick Owen’s Unusual Bass Career00:05:46 Inside the Bass Centre00:15:25 Clinics and Bass Centre Legends00:23:06 From a Dep Gig to Sway00:29:11 The Jeff Beck Audition00:41:17 Music and the London Taxi00:48:11 Basses Kept, Sold and Remembered00:59:37 What Nick Would Do DifferentlyNick’s story goes well beyond the counter. He talks about the dep that led to nearly 30 years with Sway, work with Ronan Keating, Gary Barlow, Bonnie Tyler and Dirty Vegas, a daunting Jeff Beck audition, and the complicated freedom of driving a London taxi alongside a playing career.The final part is a treat for gear lovers. Nick discusses the basses he misses, the boutique instruments that left him cold, and what years of handling vintage Fenders taught him about judging an old bass on more than its age or price.If you visited the Bass Centre, we’d love to hear your memories.