bassmagazine.com ; ISSUE 4 ; BASS MAGAZINE 31
J
uan Alderete is a master of versatility. From the
progressive rock of the Mars Volta to the alterna-
tive hip-hop of Deltron 3030 and Dr. Octagon to
backing up singer/songwriter Emily Saliers (Indi
go Girls) and blasting out high-octane punk-rock shows
with actress Juliette Lewis, Alderete has performed in
just about every genre of popular music over his 30-plus-
year career. But it hasn’t always been that way. Alderete
cut his teeth as a “band” guy, first in ’80s shred-metal
act Racer X and then the Scream, a blues-rock outfit that
included one-time Mötley Crüe singer John Corabi. “It
was always my own band, so it was basically my rules —
meaning how I approached playing bass and songwrit-
ing,” he recalls. “When those two bands ended, really, the
only way to do shit was to play for other people. It was a
lot of figuring out how to get work.”
Clearly, he’s figured it out, as his ethos has led him
to some unique gigs, most recently a coveted post in
Marilyn Manson’s band. He joined in November 2017,
did a year-long tour in the States and abroad, and is
now contributing to Manson’s forthcoming record,
which is being produced by Shooter Jennings. When
he’s not on tour, he’s also been successfully squeez-
ing in original projects. His collaboration with vocalist
Lisa Papineau in Big Sir is two decades strong now. It’s
a passion project that allows him to focus on his sub-