Featured Musician: Dave Phillippi

                  

Musician: Dave Phillippi

Twitter: davephillippi

Instruments: Bass and Guitar

LiM (Life is Music): Can you list your gear?

DP (Dave Phillippi):

Basses:
Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 5
Lakland Skyline Hollowbody Fretless

Bass Amps and Cabs:
Eden WT-800 Bass Head
Ampeg 4×10 Cab (Anniversary Edition)
Hartke 2×15 Cab

Guitars:
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Yamaha Acoustic (I have no idea the model, I have had it since my freshman year of college)

Guitar Amp:
Gibson Blues Jr. 1×10

Pedals/Rack Gear:
Korg Rackmount Tuner
Hand built Big Muff Clone fuzz pedal
Boss OC-2 octave pedal
Boss SYB-3 bass synth pedal
Boss CE-3 chorus ensemble
Electro Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai delay/echo pedal
Boss RC-2 loop station

Digital gear:
Reason 2.5
M-Audio Oxygen 8 midi controller/keyboard
Pro-Tools 7.4
Ableton Live 7

LiM: What Recordings have you been a part of or are currently working on?

DP: Well, I have been a part of a number of recordings for the bands I was in during high school and college. I have worked on two albums (“Letting Go” and “Broken and Redeemed”) for Matt Blair, a worship leader and friend. I have been apart of two live albums for my church, Port City Community Church and have recently had the privilege of doing a bit of studio work for Lee Hester and his studio, Logan Manor Studio . That has been a huge learning experience, for sure.

LiM: What bands/artists have you been a part of or worked with now and in the past?

DP: Zamzummin (high school band with a terrible name)
Casting Shadows (college band)
Mob Boss (college band)
Matt Blair (worship leader)
Jon Senna (singer/songwriter)
Kali Jones (singer/songwriter – recording only)
Hello Vertigo (band – recording only)
Shawn Rehm (country artist – recording only)
Port City Community Church (worship band)




LiM: Who are your Musical Influences?

DP: Umm… that’s a good question. I would say Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten, Johnny Cash, Pink Floyd, Counting Crows, Steely Dan, Hootie and the Blowfish (they are the reason I wanted to play bass), At The Drive In, Thrice, and Stavesacre. This list really just scratches the surface. I tend to be a sucker for a great song, not just a great bass player or musician, so a lot of my influences are based off of artists that changed the way I looked at song-writing or music in general. For instance, At The Drive In opened my eyes to the fact that music can be bombastic and crazy, but still a piece of art. Amazing, amazing band (R.I.P).




LiM: What are 10 songs that have some of your favorite bass lines?

DP:

“I Want You Back” – The Jackson Five (What other song belongs at No. 1?)

“What’s Going On” – Marvin Gaye (James Jamerson at his finest)
“At The Moment” – Stavesacre (The first song I ever heard with the bass line as the melody.)
“Stare At The Sun” – Thrice (The shear complexity of this line is amazing.)
“Ghost Train” – Counting Crows (The groove in this song is unbelievable.)
“Omaha” – Counting Crows (I could probably list this whole album.)
“I Will Possess Your Heart”- Death Cab For Cutie (Just a great pop line.)
“What Sarah Said” – Death Cab For Cutie (The way the line plays off the piano is great.)
“Vultures” – John Mayer Trio (Pino Palladino… enough said)
“Crawl” – Kings of Leon (Just dirty, rock and roll.)




LiM: Can you describe the relationship between a bass player and drummer?

DP: The bass player really is the bridge between the drummer and the melody instrument (guitar, piano, etc.). It is both a melody and a rhythm instrument and has to compliment both.  As far as the relationship with a drummer, that is a vital connection. They are dependent upon one another to gel the song together and provide a foundation for the melody instruments. They must be locked into the groove and pulse of the song together, not independently playing their own parts. They are essentially brothers in the musical world. I hope that answered your question…




LiM: I know that you work with the youth musicians at PC3…what are some of the pains and rewards that go along with your position at PC3?

DP: Well, I actually only have 1 musician who would be considered a “youth”. At Port City, we expect all of our musicians to play in any environment and do our best to prepare them to achieve that goal. So I have adults and college age kids who serve in the bands I direct as well. I think that is really one of the greatest rewards; to see that everyone is together as a worship community. There is really no difference between the guys who play for the student ministries and the people who play for “big church”. We are just one community of musicians who are using our talents to help lead God’s people in worship of Him.

The only “pain” in my position is that I am essentially a pastor to the people who serve with me and have the responsibility to watch out for their spiritual development as well as their musical development. I consider this a great honor, but I definitely am burdened for them as we all grow. Not a “pain” but definitely a great responsibility.




LiM: What is one of your most memorable moments as a musician?

DP: Probably playing with Matt Blair on the ShoutFest tour. It was my first time on the road, so that was very exciting, and we met a ton of great people. It also provided me with validation that I am capable of playing at the level of some professionals out there. Now granted, it was only three days but it was an amazing experience.




LiM: How did you get started playing music and what keeps you wanting to grow more as a musician?

DP: I really started playing out of nowhere. My family and I were always huge lovers of music, but no one really played an instrument. When I was 15, all my friends started playing guitar and drums, so I decided randomly that I wanted to play bass. I had never really paid attention to any bass players or even knew what it really meant to play bass. After some persistence, I was given my first bass for Christmas that year and I haven’t stopped playing since.

Music itself keeps me wanting to grow. I love the impact it has on me and I keep creating to share that impact with others. It is always the chase to feel that rush that good music creates. I am also fortunate enough to have amazing musicians as close friends and they constantly spur me on.




LiM: I know that you’re wife is expecting…no matter if it’s a boy or a girl, what is the first album you would want your child to hear?

DP: Man, that is a fantastic question. Probably, August and Everything After by Counting Crows . I can’t think of another album that has had the massive effect on my musical life as that album. Now, my wife could have a different opinion…




LiM: When it comes to rehearsal or playing live on stage, what are some things you focus on?

DP: I always want to play the appropriate part. I am not a flashy or technical player, so I try to simply build a foundation and work with what the song requires. I just want to complement, not become the focal point.




LiM: What would you say are some of your strengths as a musician?

DP: I like to thing that I play well with other musicians. I have always tried to be the best band-mate possible, whether personally or musically.




LiM: What would you say are some of your weaknesses?

DP: I really have very little knowledge of music theory, so that can hinder my ability to write bass lines or just improvise.




LiM: When it comes to writing a song with other musicians, what is your approach when creating a bass line?

DP: Stay out of the way, unless I have something to add to the musical conversation. Keep it simple.




LiM: When it comes to “Tone”, what do you look for in a bass line?

DP: The best piece of advice I ever received was that tone is in the hands. I want to hear the instrument, not the person playing the instrument. Although this is what I like to hear, it has always been a constant battle for me because I am very heavy handed and have bad technique. However, tone, like beauty, is very subjective and means very different things to everyone and in every situation.

The Tuesday Shuffle

“No Woman, No Cry” Bob Marley & The Wailers    Legend

“Bling (Confession Of A King)  The Killers    Sam’s Town

“Izabella”  Jimi Hendrix    Jimi Hendrix Experience

“You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)

The White Stripes  Icky Thump

“Medicate The Kids”  Gavin Degraw   Self-Titled

“Execute The Sounds”  Payable on Death   Self-Titled

“Someone You Know”  Further Seems Forever   Hide Nothing

“False Start”  Sparta   Threes

“Freedom Is Here”  Hillsong United   A_Cross//The_Earth: Tear Down The Walls

“Baptize My Mind”  Jon Foreman   Spring

Essential Albums

I am in the process of compiling a list of Essential Albums that any person should have. Since I don’t have every album that has ever been created, I need your help.

If there was someone out there who has NEVER listened to music, what are the Essential Albums you would give  to introduce them to the Wonderful World of Music?

Must Have

If you don’t have it or haven’t listened to it in a while, now is the time to get it or listen to it again.

Funeral by Arcade Fire

Get it at Amazon MP3 HERE

Get it on iTunes HERE

The Tuesday Shuffle

“My Adidas”  Run-D.M.C.   Raising Hell

“Hummingbird”  Wilco     Kicking Television: Live in Chicago

“Adrenaline!”   The Roots    Things Fall Apart

“Can’t Stop The Spring”

The Flaming Lips    Oh My Gawd!!!…The Flaming Lips

“Around the Fur”   Deftones   Around The Fur

“Closing Medley…”   Johnny Cash   Complete Live at San Quentin

“Love or Confusion”    Jimi Hendrix     BBC Sessions

“Lyla”  Oasis    Don’t Believe the Truth

“Warehouse”  Dave Matthews Band    Listener Supported

“I Could Have Lied”  Red Hot Chili Peppers   Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik