bassmagazine.com ; ISSUE 4 ; BASS MAGAZINE 35
Juan Alderete
players, because they were having hard time
finding someone. They went through all these
shredders, and nobody got the gig. I went in
there with the attitude of, “I’m going to play
exactly what’s on this record.” And they loved
it. That’s exactly how you approach gigs.
Why do you think nobody else cut it?
I think all the other guys were going in
with their own style and placing it upon
this band, whereas I went in there think-
ing that the band made a record, and they
want to sound like that record, so that’s what
we should represent. Look, I was trying to
work, so I just figured I would ease my shit
in. And you always do; you eventually ease it
in. When I went out for the Mars Volta, I did
my best to cop what Flea did on De-Loused in
the Comatorium [2003, Universal], and then
eventually, the situation became my own. On
the second record, Frances the Mute [2005,
Universal], I’m playing fretless, I’m playing
a ton of effects, I’m shredding. I created my
shit within that.
Is it the same with the rap artists you work
with?
With Deltron, I listen to what’s on the re-
cord and then eventually, live, I find where I
can use a bit more effects. With Dr. Octagon,
I’m adding in tons of effects because I played
a ton of effects on the record. It’s my gig now
because [Dan the] Automator trusts me and
he knows me now. When I get called to do
the rap shit, they don’t call me because they
want me to sound like a studio dude. They
call me because they know I’m going to give
them some weird angle. Those are the kinds
of situations, like with Frank Ocean, I can get
as wild as I want. But that’s what they ask for.
On a gig you’re usually helping out.
What’s the takeaway from understanding
that you’re “helping out”?
The most important thing about this situ-
ation is understanding that the artists are in-
secure in a lot of ways, so you’ve got to make
them feel comfortable and earn their trust ...
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