MusicRadar

Stu Hamm is smiling because he just heard a playback of his brilliant new album, Just Outside Of Normal. © Chris Walker

To bass fans across the globe, Stu Hamm needs little or no introduction. Over a career that now spans over three decades, he's appeared on albums and tours with the likes of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Frank Gambale, Michael Schenker and Yngwie Malmsteen, just to name a new.

In addition, Hamm's inventive and virtuosic bass stylings have been front and center on his own solo recordings, such as Radio Free Albemuth, Kings Of Sleep and The Urge. Live, Hamm has awarded the bass top billing on 2006's Bx3 tour (a sort of spin-off of the Satch-Vai G3 guitar extravaganza), which saw him go toe-to-toe-to-toe with fellow four-string legends Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin.

Last December, Hamm issued his first solo CD in 10 years, Just Outside Of Normal. Over the course of nine engrossing cuts, he tackles rock, classical, swing, polka (yes, you read correctly - polka!), and he even puts a surprisingly fresh spin on the Led Zeppelin gem Going To California. Notable guest stars turn up here and there (Joe Satriani, Robert Fripp, Frank Gambale), but make no mistake, Stu's the star here on what might be his finest hour - or 50 minutes, if you want to get technical.

Last week at NAMM, MusicRadar caught up with Hamm to talk about his new Washburn bass called, appropriately enough, The Hammer. But we also found a good chunk of time to discuss the recording of Just Outside Of Normal.

What is the process for writing a decidedly bass-centric album? Do you record riffs and sections, much as a guitarist would?

"I do have a lot of riffs and sections of songs, yes, but for me, a song doesn't really become real until I have a title. I need to call a piece of music something and connect with it. To me, songs are like stories. So once I start relating to them on a personal level, they become something more than, you know, exercises in G minor. [laughs]

"I've played a lot of high-octane guitar music during my career, which I certainly enjoy. But as you can imagine, on a lot of that stuff, the role of the bass is pounding out the eighth notes. So when I do sit down and write my own music or record a solo album, I try to feature other instrumentation. Making a record like this is tricky: you want the bass to play a melodic role, but it's still gotta hold down the bottom or everything falls apart."

What kind of gear do you demo on?

"At home in my SkyBluesSciFiStuStuStudios, I use a Korg D1600, and it's great. It keeps me from using Logic or Pro Tools and staring at a computer screen, which I don't enjoy when I'm trying to make music. It's terrific for getting ideas down, but I actually recorded some of the tracks that made it to the album.

"When I do my remote recording, I have the website, Tracks by Stu.com, where people send me their songs and demos. When I play on those things, I'll use the Korg for them, too. It's great for punching things in and looping and everything. If I feel that I really need to concentrate on something or if I need some room miking, then I go to this place in Berkeley, Artspoke Studios, and my engineer and co-producer, James Boblak, will get involved."

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