Strung Out bassist Chris Aiken stopped by the Fender Showroom Thursday to show off a prototype of his upcoming signature Squier Precision Bass.
Aiken, whose SoCal punk legend band is getting set to hit the road in September with plans for a new album in 2013, took a few minutes to talk with Fender about five of his early influences on the scene when he was coming up as a young bassist.
Take it away Chris…
Tyler Rebbe, Pulley
He’s one of my best friends. We grew up together and he actually let me borrow his bass when I first got into Strung Out. I was mainly a guitar player, and he let me borrow his rig. Tyler was a huge part of my life, and I love him to death. He was a huge part of me getting into my band.
Joe Raposa, R.K.L. and Lagwagon
What an amazing bass player. He’s a guy that is just a gnarly shredder on bass, something you don’t hear a lot of. He’s a phenomenal player.
Scott Shiflett, Face to Face
Another huge-sounding bass player. He’s a guy that taught me a lot just watching him play every night, just hanging out and rubbing shoulders. It was a big influence sharing a stage with these guys.
Randy Bradbury, Pennywise
Randy’s a monster bassist. He’s another guy who I looked up to and definitely sought out when we went out on tour together.
Matt Riddle, Face to Face and No Use For a Name
It’s tough to describe the tasty things Matt does on bass, but it’s definitely a sound you know when you walk into the room or hear it on the speakers.
Jim Cherry, Strung Out
Of course, Jim is the original bassist of Strung Out, and that really shaped me, because if nothing else, I had to learn those songs and learning what the hell he was doing on bass. I was like, “Wow, this is incredible.”
Jim’s not a “plus-one” to this list, that’s the reason why I’m here right now. He passed away 10 years ago, and I have to thank him for paving the way.
For more information, visit Strung Out’s official website.
