ALICE THOMAS
TALIA
What was your way into bass? I used to play double bass as a kid. When I was 18, I tried to play guitar but I realised that I was only enjoying rhythm guitar and playing along with the drums, so I switched to bass. It was a five-string Jazz. I was so proud when I went into this tiny shop in Paris and said ‘I want this one!’ because five strings seemed so exotic to me. My bass teacher then told me I should have bought a four-string to begin with, but even so, I sold my Jazz to buy a five-string Warwick. My first band played metal and b the guitarists tuned to E , but I didn’t want to tune my bass down, so I used the fifth string to reach the lower notes.
What bass gear do you currently use?
I play a Nash PB 63 and a 1988 Fender Precision. We also have a ’73 Precision that I only use in the studio. I have a Darkglass B3K and my amp is a Markbass Little Rocker 500 head with a Gallien Krueger 2x15 cab. We have an endorsement with DR Strings – their strings are great for my bass.
What’s the best advice you can give us about playing bass? Practice, practice, practice – and stop telling female bass players that our bass is bigger than we are.
Who is, or was, the greatest bass player ever?
I’m going with Duff McKagan, because he has great skills, great riffs, great basses and he’s handsome – but there’s definitely too many awesome bass players. I also like Mike Dirnt, Cone McCaslin, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Jennie Vee and Corine Marienneau from the French band Telephone, even if I hate this band. And it might seem a bit cheesy, but the bass player of the band Tantric, Jaron Gulino, is one of the most incredible bass players I’ve ever seen onstage. We toured with them in November 2019 and he was amazing every night.
What are your current projects?
Our band Talia’s fifth album is out soon. We’re French, but our record label, Pavement, is based in Chicago, so we try to come to the States as often as possible to tour.