Randy Hope-taylor
The extraordinary Randy Hope-Taylor has played the world’s stages with Incognito, Jeff Beck, A-Ha and a stellar cast of musicians. We meet the man for a look back and forward
The Incognito, Jeff Beck and session star meets the editor for a catch-up and a look back
What are you up to these days, Randy?
The last high-profile gig that I did was with Jeff Beck in 2004. That was a great band to be with – Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Jason Rebello on keyboards, Jeff and myself. The first time I worked with Jeff, he had another guitarist, Jennifer Batten, who did all the MIDI work and emulated the keyboards. The drummer then was Steve Alexander, who got me involved. Pino Palladino was doing the bass at the time, but he was in and out of Jeff’s band. He went off to play with D’Angelo, and at that point the doors opened for me. I stayed with Jeff until ’04, when I became a dad again and decided to stay home. My wife is a schoolteacher and wasn’t at home, and we already had a little girl who I missed, so when my son was born I ended up playing bass in church, which is what I continue to do now.
How did you get into bass?
I was born in London, but my parents were from Barbados and they relocated there when I was 15. I spent three years there. While there, I was heavily influenced by American music because of the military bases on the island. I started out as a singer, but I thought it would be nice to play bass, so I took a sixstring guitar, spaced out four of the strings and tried to play bass that way. I would learn bass parts, even though I couldn’t physically play them. When I finally got my hands on a bass around 1973, which was a Fender Mustang, the strings felt like cables!
Why did you move back to London?
I had known I wanted to be a musician since I was five years old, and I knew I needed to be back in London to make that happen. My first gig back in the UK was as a guitarist, but I knew I was lacking in skill so I picked up a bass, which was easier although I didn’t know any scales or anything. From the age of 18, I never looked back.
What music influenced you?
I liked Steely Dan, James Taylor, Motown, Trojan Records, Herbie Hancock and Earth, Wind & Fire. The first album that I ever bought was Fresh by Sly & The Family Stone.
Did you learn music theory?
Everything I’ve done has been by ear; I’ve only started to get into theory in the last five years. I was very good at remembering things, and recognising rhythms by ear. I could also read chord charts. Most of my sessions didn’t call for reading music, although I think now that I probably missed out on a lot of theatre work because I couldn’t read.
What was your first major gig?
The first high-profile gig I ever did was with Five Star. I did two tours with them, and then I did DC Lee, Matt Bianco and A-Ha, who I toured with for a year and a half in 1988 to ’89. I was asked to do a third tour with Five Star, but something in me said no, and I’m glad about that because there were complications and the tour was cancelled.
You played with a whole series of big names.
Yes, especially when I recorded with Martyn Ware [producer, Heaven 17] and his B.E.F. Project’s second album [Music Of Quality And Distinction Volume Two, 1991], which had Chaka Khan and Lalah Hathaway on it. It was so nice to work with these people and have them on my CV. Then there was Jocelyn Brown, Mica Paris, and then Incognito, who I toured and recorded albums with for eight years. At one point I did a couple of recordings with Jamiroquai, before Paul Turner joined them. He’s a good friend of mine and an incredible bassist.
How did Incognito come about?
One of the first drummers that I met was Trevor Murrell, who went on to work with Wham! He introduced me to the Foundations, who were one of the first bands that I ever worked with. We both then moved on to [renowned soul band] Gonzalez, and that’s when I met Bluey [aka Jean-Paul Maunick, bandleader], who had recorded the first Incognito album with the late, great Paul ‘Tubbs’ Williams on bass guitar. Not too long after that, Bluey and I started working together.
You were a fixture on the UK soul scene for a long time.
True, but I didn’t want to be seen just as a soul and funk player. I liked the idea of stadium gigs too, and that opportunity came with Jeff Beck. It was a privilege to have toured with one of the players from that generation.
Do you miss being on the road?
No, because I wanted to spend more time with my family, and I still do. I do miss being in a rehearsal room with a bunch of musicians, taking the time to learn things, and I’ve played with function bands and so on, but last year I decided that I was done with that. I enjoy the church stuff, and anyway, I look at some of the young bassists now, and they have a lot of techniques that I find very inspiring.
“IN CHURCH MUSIC, THE IDEA IS TO GO WITH THE FLOW ”
How does playing church music differ from being in a conventional band?
In every performance within a service, the musicians have to be spiritually alert and responsive. At the Pentecostal church, it’s all to do with what we call the moving of the Holy Spirit. The idea is to go with the flow of the Spirit, because anything can happen. You need to know your instrument and you need to know how to move with the flow.
What gear are you using these days?
I’m using EBS for backline in church, and Neil Whitcher [head of A&R] at Fender has been very good to me. I play Fender Dimension and Jazz basses, and Nathan East’s signature Yamaha five-string, which I tune down to low A. I also use a Roland GR55 synth unit; I used that on a lot of dance music for a while. My strings are Dunlop Super Brights — I’d like to send my gratitude to Darryl C. Anders for those.
How has your tone changed over the years?
In Incognito it was mainly Fender Jazz basses; that was what I was known for. I endorsed Hartke, and then Eden, but as I’ve gotten older, my concept of sound has changed because of the music I’m playing. In gospel music, the bass should sit really low but still be full.
Do you prefer to have a range of tones?
Personally, when I move from playing slap to fingerstyle, I prefer the tone to stay the same; I don’t want to be flicking switches. I like to have a high, sweet top end, a punchy low end, and the mids almost like a synth bass. That’s developed over the last five years for me. I feel better for it; I can hear myself more clearly. You need a tone that works for the band, rather than the one you want for yourself.
There’s a lesson there for all of us.
Well, if I’ve influenced people and made them comfortable, I’m very happy with that. I love passing on what I’ve learned to my son and daughter, as well as to other young people. I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to achieve what I’ve achieved.