Journey touring bassist Marco Mendoza talked about how he learned to play bass guitar during his recent interview with Jon Liebman’s For Bass Players Only. The musicians also gave important advice for those who wanted to be bass players by highlighting its essential parts.
Marco Mendoza started his professional career as a bassist when Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward recruited him to play in his debut solo studio album, ‘Ward One: Along the Way,’ released on January 10, 1990. Then, he worked with several musicians and bands, such as Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, and Lynch Mob, for their live performances and recording sessions. Also, he was appreciated a lot by his performances in The Dead Daisies and Thin Lizzy.
A short time ago, Journey members hired Mendoza as their touring bassist to replace Randy Jackson while recovering from back surgery. His bass playing received very positive reviews from the band’s fans after a couple of live shows, so he seems to be the right person to ask for some advice. In his interview, the host wanted to share his ideas about the crucial things to do or know for the people that wished to be bass guitarists.
The famous bassist emphasized that he learned from the best musicians and bands, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones, The Cats, Chris Squire, Tony Levin, and Great Lakes, probably by playing their songs repeatedly until he learned them. Mendoza stated that repetition, patience, and tolerance are necessary to become a successful bass player even though humans always want to know everything easily and quickly.
Here’s what the host asked:
“What advice do you have for somebody like that who wants to learn to play bass? What do you think is important for them to do or to know?”
Mendoza said in his interview that:
“I believe as far as bass playing, I learned from the best. My teachers were Paul McCartney’s and Jack Bruce’s, John Paul Jones’ The Cats.’ Later on, I got a little more advanced, Chris Squire’s, Tony Levin’s, Great Lakes’. I went through my thing, but I have to say I got out of it what I put in repetition and being tolerant and very patient with myself.
Unfortunately, human nature, and I’m really guilty of that because I want everything to happen like that even now. You find something that’s pretty intense, and you want to pick it up and play it. Guess what? Sometimes you have to put some time in, so it’s very important in my opinion to be able to willing to put the time in.”
You can check out the interview below.
