YOUNG GUITAR ~
Q.1 I would like to ask you about the history of WILDESTARR. It started when you met London Wilde in
2002 or 2003. But it took you four years to finish the first demo, GENERATION NEXT. Why did it take so long? Was that not such a serious project at that time?
Dave: Actually, London and I met 25 years ago and we became great friends. We got married in 2001. After we got married, I started to show her some of my song ideas and things began from there. At that same time though, I was asked by David Chastain to play bass on the new CHASTAIN CD "In an Outrage". London and I actually worked on that CD together, she recorded and engineered the bass tracks for me at our home studio. After this CD was finished, I ended up going back to Vicious Rumors (VR) and played bass on the WarBall CD. I needed to get both of those CD's finished and then I was able to concentrate 100% on WildeStarr.
Q.2 Who were the recording members of GENERATION NEXT? Who played the drums? Have you already played both the guitar and the bass since then?
Dave: Generation Next was the demo song that we did after I was through with CHASTAIN and VR. We had a guy named R.R. Valdez on drums, along with London and I. I did all the guitars and bass myself. It was a low budget demo recording that we posted on our myspace site, and it got us alot of initial attention. That was the first time people heard us, and the response was great. I was still not sure if I was going to play all the guitars and bass myself on the upcoming CD, but the response we got to the demo song.... really helped my decision. I was a bit nervous at first, since everyone knew me as a bassist only. I did not know what people would think about my guitar abilities.
Q.3 After that, two more years have passed until the release of ARRIVAL. During those days, were you having trouble with finding the right drummer or other members?
Dave: It was not our original intention do do things this way, having me play all the guitars and bass. My original idea was to get help from some of my friends like Brad Gillis, Vinnie Moore, and David Chastain. And we had a really hard time trying to find the right drummer until we got Jim Hawthorne, who was recommended to us by Brad Gillis. It took a few years to get it all sorted out, but we finally got all the songs together and I worked on my guitar chops enough to feel that I could do it all myself. Not just do it all myself, but to play with a level of seriousness and professionalism that would make people take us (and me) serious.
Q.4 In 2008, Jim Hawthorne joined the band and the next year saw the release of ARRIVAL. But on this recording, you still played both guitar and bass. Have you ever got official guitarist or bassist in this band even once?
Dave: Like I said earlier, it was not my intention to play all the guitars and bass, but that's the way I did it and I am very happy with things this way. I think it makes the CD a more personal statement form London and I, as apposed to having guest musicians playing here and there, or having people join the band and then leave for one reason or another and not stick with us. I worked very hard to get good on the guitar, and I think the results speak for themselves.
Q.5 After that, a new drummer Josh Foster came in. Then you started to record new album in 2010. And it took another two years to get the album done. On the album A TELL TALE HEART, once again you are the guitarist as well as the bassist. Did you not try finding the official guitarist or bassist prior to this recording? Or did you determine that this is the side project so that you do not need to have the official lineup?
Dave: Josh did an amazing job on the new CD, he really made a difference in our sound. As for me, while getting ready to go into the studio and record the new CD, I decided once again to play all the guitars and bass. Its alot of work for me, I am basically playing the role of 3 musicians in WildeStarr. But, I am very happy with the results. I will most likely keep doing things this way. I have total control over what I am doing, and I like that. I don't have to deal with other peoples drug problems, personal problems, bad attitudes, etc.
Q.6 Has WILDESTARR played live? If yes, who were in the lineup? Who was the drummer, official guitarist and the bassist?
Dave: We have not played live or toured yet. It is something that we think about, and if the right situation presents itself we will explore it. Right now, we exist in the studio, in videos, and on the internet. Obviously, if we tour I will hire musicians to complete the Live band.
Q.7 By the way, you have been well known for the bassist of VICIOUS RUMORS for Hard Rock / Heavy Metal listeners. How did you start your career as a guitar player? What was the motivation of it?
Dave: I was originally a guitar player, and switched over to bass in 1981. None of the bands I was in could find a bass player, so I decided to do it myself. It opened alot of doors for me and I stuck with it for a long time. When London and I began WildeStarr, I was not very good on the guitar. I quit drinking in 2005, and that really changed my life in many ways. I did not want to be a bassist for the rest of my life, and wanted to do new things with my music career. I got very good, very fast. By the time we recorded the ARRIVAL CD, I had only been playing guitar seriously for a few years.
Q.8 Who were your guitar heroes when you started?
Dave: Lots of them. KISS got me started, so thats where it all began for me in High School. Ace & Paul, KK Downing, Glen Tipton, Scott Gorham, John Sykes, Gary Moore... all the Thin Lizzy guys for sure, and Phil Lynott especially. Michael Schenker as well. I could go on and on.
Q.9 Even in the era of VICIOUS RUMORS, you were an unusual bassist because you were already playing the 8-string bass at that time. Do you see that you had the guitarist-kind of mentality since those days?
Dave: The 8 string bass is actually 4 x 2, set up like a 12 string guitar where you have a root note and an octave string to go along with it. I used them on the 3rd and 4th VR CD's for a few songs here and there, and on the "WarBall" CD I played 8 string bass on all the songs. Its part of my sound, I love the huge tone it gets. I used 8's for everything on the CHASTAIN "In an Outrage" CD, and everything on both WildeStarr CD's as well. Its hard for me to think about going back to a 4 or 5 string bass again. For me, its 8 string all the way! I am surprised more bass players do not use them.
Q.10 In WILDESTARR, which is your priority, the guitar or the bass? Are you a guitarist at heart and play the bass because there is just no bassist or the opposite? Or, are both parts equal to you?
Dave: My main priority is the song writing with London, thats the key to everything. Since I play all the guitars and bass in the band, I think both are important, but more work goes into the guitar for obvious reasons. I orchestrate all of the guitars in our songs with multiple rhythm parts, harmony solos, etc. I tend to try and simplify things on the bass since there is so much going on with the vocals, guitars and drums.
Q.11 Please explain gears you used on A TELL TALE HEART in details. (brand names, models, etc.) Main guitar: Other guitars (acoustic included): Amplifiers: Effects:
Dave: I played 2 electrics on this CD. A 1977 Greco Jeff Beck Les Paul with EMG 81 & 89R pickups, and a 1992 Ibanez Paul Stanley Iceman with EMG 81X and 89RX pickups. I used my custom built 8 string basses with EMG Jazz Bass pickups for all the bass tracks. I did not use any amps, I went direct with a SanSamp GT-2 for the guitars, and direct with the bass as well. We recorded into the Cubase 5 computer, and there were some effects added here and there such as delay, reverb and chorus. For acoustics, I used a custom made Tacoma 12 string and a Martin OOO-15. I string everything with Ernie Ball strings, and I use COOL guitar picks
Q.12 Songs in this album include guitar sections as if it is for twin guitar players. Did you intend to make this band with two guitarists?
Dave: I love the 2 guitar sound, you can do so much more with it. I love harmony's! I took it down a notch on the new CD though, doing some solos with just one guitar part. On the Arrival CD, all the solos except for one were twin harmony guitars. At first it was a bit crazy doing all of this myself, with no other guitar player to work with... but I got used to it over time.
Q.13 What guitar part do you want the listeners to hear the most?
Dave: I think the songs themselves, thats the most important thing. Everything has its place, but thats the most important thing in WildeStarr... or any band that I am influenced by. Of course the guitar is a huge part of the WildeStarr sound, but so is London's singing and lyric writing as well as Josh's drumming and my bass playing. It all comes together.
Q.14 In 2005, you went back to VICIOUS RUMORS and made the WARBALL album. But after that, you didn’t join the tour for the album and ended up with leaving the band again. What happened between you and the band?
Dave: It was pretty much a waste of my time, and if had to do it over again... I would not have done it. There was no Carl Albert so it was not the same, or even close to it, even though it was Geoff, Larry, and myself (the core of the band going back to the very first VR album) together again for the first time in over 10 years. Maybe I thought I could go back in time, not really sure what I was thinking. My intentions were good, I know that much. Live and learn. VR was a great band, but it should have been put to rest when Carl passed away. I needed to really get back work with London and WildeStarr, so thats the main reason why I left. Also, there was to much drug use going on with those guys when we did months of pre-production work, and also when we recorded WarBall. I have been 100% clean and sober for close to 8 years, and I don't want to be around people like that. It was a very unprofessional and depressing environment, to say the least.
Q.15 What is the current lineup of WILDESTARR? Does Josh Foster still play the drums? Are there any official guitarist / bassist in the band now?
Dave: Josh is still with us, and we hope to have him on the next CD. He did a great job on "A tell tale Heart". He has a few other musical things going on that keep him busy, but we are going to work things out so he will stay with us. I am writing songs for the next CD right now, and I plan on playing all the guitars and bass again. I am the official guitarist and bassist!
Q.16 Please let me know your future plan as WILDESTARR as well as yourself. If there are other projects or bands you are involved in, please mention them too. Thank you very much.
Dave: At this time, I am writing new songs for our 3rd album. We will start recording this year, and it will most likely be out in 2014. London and I want to keep making great music with WildeStarr for years to come, this a great situation for both of us. I have been truly blessed to have a long career, and I have played with many amazing musicians over the years, and I have made lots of great records.... but what I have now with WildeStarr is the best music, the best situation, I have ever been a part of. I cant begin to explain how rewarding this is. We are also going to collaborate on a new song with great friend and singer Mario Pastore from Brazil, he is really amazing. London and I are really looking forward to that. WildeStarr pretty much takes up all of my time, I don't really want or need to do a solo album since WildeStarr gives me an outlet for everything I need.
Thanks to Young Guitar and everyone in Japan!
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