I set myself up to be a bass guitarist and bass players get a lot more work than people like me.
This band makes sure that we have whole sections of stuff that are free form so that they don't know what we are doing next, that is the fun part of playing. You are playing something that you haven't ever played before.
We were gradually playing larger venues and in the early days PA systems were kind of non-existent. So to play loud, we had to use louder equipment. The PA systems back then didn't mic the instruments - only the vocals.
With bass, especially bottom end, the vibration has to happen on stage otherwise the feel is wrong. This is why you can't scale the equipment down too far.
I mean, Eighteen years old is the age of consent in Europe and you can go anywhere and do anything you like. In America, it is dumb. At eighteen you should be able to do anything that you like, except get married.
The first eight songs we were using someone else's monitors and it is hard to follow the changes when you are jamming if you can't hear those who you are jamming with.
That was the producer who produced a couple of my solo albums. He produced my second, third and fourth solo albums. It was his project and I just joined him on it. I sang on one and played bass on another one.
I supply the music for Vampires, which is a new series that's coming out.
So by the time I taught myself the bass guitar at the age of 14, my hands were already pretty nimble.
I got a couple on per album but my problem was that I wanted to sing the songs and not let Roger sing them.
What I feel I am doing now is giving to the people exactly what they paid for but never actually heard before.
I have got an anthology album out. The American version has got the same mixes but the European version, I remixed them in the studio and added a couple of things that I have always wanted to add.
I don't wish my career on anyone.
I love playing for people.
I don't mind doing the Who tours when they come along but I want to get out there and play.
I deep sea fish a lot.
I ain't heard anyone play like I do in my band and I am very happy about that.
We'll open for anyone, we are just looking to play.
We have nine hungry Rottweilers on the farm.
I am writing a book and that takes third place of importance.
