Now That’s Bass

Right Thing, Right Time: Andrew McKinney on Pulp, JTQ & the Art of Being Hireable

In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete talks to Andrew McKinney, current bassist with Pulp and The James Taylor Quartet, course leader for performance at BIMM London, and a player whose career has taken him through TV, theatre, funk, soul, session work, education and major international stages. Quick Links to Chapters 00:31 Introduction 04:15 How did your bass journey start? From Cello to BassTech 07:17 How did your first bits of session work come in? 14:03 How did your first break come about? 15:58 At what point did you think I can make this work? 17:18 How have you managed to sustain your career? 20:23 How do you stand out as a bass player? 23:19 Who's the most important person in a band to connect with? 25:46 How is it playing in bands as diverse as Pulp and JTQ 27:43 Imposter syndrome and the route into Pulp 36:14 Three things people should focus on to get more gigs 42:45 What advice would you give your younger self? 44:28 The bass line everyone should know and why? Andrew talks honestly about how a cello-playing school kid became a professional bass player, why depping has been central to his career, what it really takes to be a “safe pair of hands”, and how he dealt with stepping into very different musical worlds — from the groove-heavy James Taylor Quartet to the textural, creative demands of working with Jarvis Cocker and Pulp. This is a conversation about preparation, taste, confidence, imposter syndrome, musical relationships, and why being hireable is about far more than chops. In this episode: * Andrew’s early journey from cello to bass Studying at BassTech and choosing music over science * How early gigs turned into long-term career opportunities * The importance of depping and supporting other bass players * Why preparation and attitude matter as much as ability * Getting the call for The Richard Blackwood Show * Playing with James Taylor Quartet * Working creatively with Jarvis Cocker * Joining Pulp and touring Australia and New Zealand Imposter syndrome and learning to adapt * What makes a bass player hireable * Why “the right thing at the right time” matters * The bass album Andrew thinks every player should study Subscribe for more honest conversations with working bass players about building a real career in music. #BassPlayer #AndrewMcKinney #Pulp #JamesTaylorQuartet #BassGuitar #NowThatsBass #SessionMusician #BassCareer #JarvisCocker #Bassist

Gearing Up: Jonny Dibble on P Basses, Pedals & Becoming a Bass Content Creator

Jonny Dibble has built a loyal following in the bass world by doing something surprisingly rare: making bass gear feel honest, relatable and genuinely useful. In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete sits down with the bassist, YouTuber and co-host of the In The Pocket podcast to talk about affordable basses, social media, gear obsession, bass culture and what it really takes to build an audience online as a musician. Jonny shares how a Harley Benton review during lockdown accidentally launched his content career, why he believes flashy playing can actually make gear demos less useful, and why most bass players misunderstand what social media is actually good for. There’s also plenty of bass nerdery along the way — including P Basses, StingRays, SansAmps, preamp pedals, tribute bands, favourite bass lines, and why The Lion King contains one of the most underrated bass performances around. Whether you’re trying to grow a music channel, build a bass career, improve your tone, or just love talking gear, this is a refreshingly honest conversation about modern bass playing and online music culture. In this episode: * How Jonny Dibble got started on bass * Why affordable bass gear matters * Building a bass YouTube channel during lockdown * The truth about Instagram for musicians * Why relatable playing matters in gear demos * P Bass vs StingRay philosophy * The importance of musical and gear reference points * Why every bassist should consider a preamp pedal * Bass gear as creative inspiration * Jamiroquai, Disney bass lines and underrated musical influences If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate and share Now That’s Bass wherever you listen to podcasts.

Why Feel Beats Flash: Matt Round on Getting Gigs... AND Keeping Them!

In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete talks to professional bassist Matt Round, known for his long-running work with James Morrison, as well as playing with Archive, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, and currently holding down bass duties on the spectacular ABBA Voyage show. Matt brings a refreshingly honest, funny and grounded perspective on what it really takes to build a long-term career as a working bass player. From the pressure of auditions and the realities of rejection, to why “always be good” matters on every gig, this is a conversation packed with practical advice for bassists who want to work, improve and stay employable. There’s also plenty for bass nerds: ABBA bass lines, Carol Kaye, The Chain, the beauty of whole notes, and why playing less can often make you more valuable. In this episode * Playing bass on ABBA Voyage * Why ABBA bass parts are “bonkers and brilliant” * How Matt landed the ABBA gig * Why auditions are such a strange way to choose musicians * Handling rejection without bitterness * Why every young musician needs thick skin * Finding your lane as a player * Building a career by saying yes early on * The importance of networks and real relationships * Why social media is now a musician’s calling card * Matt’s long relationship with Ashdown * Why being reliable matters as much as playing ability * The two biggest rules for getting more gigs * What bass players should learn from good drummers * Why bass is a supportive instrument * The art of playing for the song * Why whole notes can be harder than flashy runs * Bass lines everyone should study, from Carol Kaye to Fleetwood Mac YouTube hashtags #NowThatsBass #MattRound #BassPlayer #BassGuitar #ABBA Voyage #JamesMorrison #BassPodcast #WorkingMusician #SessionMusician #BassLessons #BassCareer #MusicCareer #BassGuitarist #BassPlayersOfYouTube #CarolKaye #TheChain #AshdownEngineering

From Yorkshire Pubs to Bassist of the Year: Danny Sapko on Punk, Playing & Finding His Lane

Danny Sapko joins Now That’s Bass for a frank, funny and insightful chat about punk bass, originality, YouTube, AI, and the reality of building a career in music. From his early love of McCartney and the Stranglers to becoming one of the most distinctive voices in the online bass world, Danny talks about finding success by finally being himself — Yorkshire accent, humour, opinions and all. We also dig into the harder side of modern musician life: session work, side hustles, wedding gigs, copyright blocks, AI-generated music and why more players need to protect the human side of art. Topics covered: * Finding your voice as a creator * Punk bass and lead-line playing * Influences: McCartney, Bruce Thomas, Graham Maby, Norman Watt-Roy and more * Why Danny never had a bass lesson * The pressure of being known as “the comedy guy” * Bass playing vs content creation * YouTube, gear demos and copyright strikes * AI in music and visual art * The real economics of being a working musician * Advice for younger players #behs #DannySapko #NowThatsBass #BassGuitar #BassInterview #PunkBass #BassistOfTheYear #BassPlayerLife #MusicianLife #BassYouTube #WorkingMusician

The Bass Player’s Superpower: Yolanda Charles on Feel, Leadership & Career Longevity

What does a 35+ year career as a working bass player really look like? In this episode, I sit down with Yolanda Charles MBE — one of the UK’s most respected session bassists, whose credits include Paul Weller, Robbie Williams, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Jimmy Somerville, and work alongside legends like Brian May and Hans Zimmer. We get into the real story behind that career — from random phone calls that led to major gigs, to the relationships and reputation that kept the work coming for decades. Along the way, Yolanda shares hard-won insights on musical feel, why bass players are often the true bandleaders, and the skills that actually separate working musicians from everyone else. This is an honest, grounded conversation about longevity, musicianship, and what it really takes to build a life in music. No fantasy. No gear flexing. Just the reality of the job. Key topics: * How Yolanda got her first big break (and why it was random) * Why networking still matters more than talent alone * The 4 real ways musicians get work * Why bass players make the best bandleaders * The hidden “superpower” of bass players * Why feel and dynamics matter more than theory * The truth about imposter syndrome in pro music * Why session work isn’t always the dream path * How to build a long-term career in music * Why younger players might actually have it harder today #BassPlayer #YolandaCharles #BassGuitar #SessionMusician #MusicPodcast #BassPlayers #MusiciansLife #Groove #MusicCareer #NowThatsBass