Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL August 2014 Female Bassist Issue | Page 180

NIK Interview by Rául Amador Nik West nikwestbass.com facebook.com/nikwestmusic Twitter @nikwestbass Some of the band(s) I Play With: Solo Artist, but has appeared with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Prince, John Mayer, Marcus Miller, Marilyn Manson, Sugarland, Sheila E. Gear I Use: Fender Jazz Deluxe, Fender Original 60s TeleBass, Fender Dimension Bass Endorsed By: Fender, DR Strings, Warwick amps, EBS pedals, Extreme Isolation Headphones, Universal Audio. Click to view Nik’s April 2012 Video Cover Interview in Bass Musician Magazine What made you decide to play bass? I was a guitar player from age 13, until I heard and ACTUALLY listened to MJ’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” when I was 16. How/Where did you learn to play? I grew up in the church, so I was around amazing musicians that always pushed the boundaries and made music FEEL good! So that was somehow embedded in my veins very early. My dad taught me guitar, so I applied what I learned to bass and started watching YouTube videos for the rest. I never went to school or learned officially; I am self-taught. Who are your musical inspirations, both male and female? Males: Since I am an artist that happens to play bass, I would have to say Sting and Larry Graham, because they are artists/vocalists that happen to play bass just as well as they sing. I also learned bass chops and tone by listening to Jaco, Larry Graham, and Louis Johnson. Females: Rhonda Smith was the first woman I was introduced to. I didn’t know of any women that played the way the guys played, and when someone told me about Rhonda, it was OVER! LOL! There are other great female players out there like my pals Tal and Espy as well, but