"Some day you'll know just how I feel.
Zakk Wylde
PERSONAL BIO
I was born in Rockford, Illinois on September 19, 1966 but I didn't stay there very long. My family moved to Lexington, Kentucky when I was around two years of age. I grew up in a religious enviroment with my father BILL being a minister and my mother MARY teaching Sunday school, which could be the beginning of my musical inspiration. I took piano lessons early on but gave up through a lack of interest and skill. It wasn't until my teenage years that I really became interested in playing music. We lived out in the country and I didn't have a lot of friends that lived close by. A friend of mine, MIKE HALL, started playing acoustic guitar and singing so I picked up the bass guitar to be able to have something to do while he was playing. I took lessons for about a year to learn some theory and to read music but gave up on them when my teacher stopped teaching to go to law school (damn lawyers). From then on it was garage bands and cold winter hands, and playing music for the sheer thrill of learning things your idols could play.
I caught my first big break when I joined the band JUSTICE which was the house band at the AUSTIN CITY SALOON, home of JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY. This experience really broke me into the bar scene which was totally new to me. Loud guitars and honky-tonk bars had me hooked. From there I went to a southern rock band named MARAUDER and we played locally for awhile. My then brother-in-law, DWAYNE CAMPBELL was our lead vocalist and one of my personal heroes. Never have I known an artist with as much passion for his love as DWAYNE. God bless him.
Later, after a few stints with a couple of different blues bands, I got a call from a Richmond, Kentucky based band SOUTHERN YANKEES. The drummer, BOB DOOLEY, convinced me to join and we had a great time for nearly a year and a half. But alas, I needed a change to take my playing in a different direction and to allow for more time on the road, so I ended up on the doorstep of WESS MILLS and HASTY STREET.
So far it's been a blast. We play to great fans and friends and we keep extremely busy, which is what I was really looking for at the time. I really enjoy travelling and seeing new faces and places. Well, I guess you've got the idea of how it happened, let's just hope it never ends. This is like a dream that I don't want to wake up from anytime soon.
HEROES & INFLUENCES
Growing up in the late '70's and early '80's, I became entranced with the Southern Rock movement. Some great players came from this generation such as TOMMY CALDWELL OF THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND, CHARLIE HAYWARD OF THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, BERRY OAKLEY OF THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND and GREG T. WALKER OF BLACKFOOT. These bassists were not only impressive soloists, but more importantly, the strong foundations of their respective bands. Since my formative years, I have enjoyed other great bass players. The late ALLEN WOODY OF GOVERNMENT MULE was, and is still, one of my favorites. He embodied what I think a strong bassist should be, the foundation that songs are built upon. He could solo with the best, but realized it was his sound that molded where the songs could lead the listener. I also love JOHN MYUNG OF DREAM THEATER, BILLY SHEEHAN OF MR. BIG, STANLEY CLARKE, RANDY COVEN, JEFF BERLIN, and of course GENE SIMMONS OF KISS. There are many others, too numerous to mention, that I enjoy listening to, but for the most part,
CURRENT GEAR
I currently use six different bass guitars, a TOBIAS "GROWLER" 5 string model, a YAMAHA RBX6JM JOHN MYUNG OF DREAM THEATER 6 string model, a SPECTOR REX2000 five string, two SPECTOR five strings and my newest addition, a PEAVEY CIRRUS five string.
My current setup is this: I use a CROWN 2000 watt digital amplifier along with a BBE B TUBE pre-amp for power and control. This combination gives me the power I need to keep up with Wess's driving rhythms and it also allows me to "tweek" my settings for differnt venues. In addition, I use a SHURE wireless system . All of this is funneled right into a SWR "Megoliath" 8x10 cabinet. I always run everything in my rack through a JUICE GOOSE power conditioner. Sometimes I find it really cool to use a BOSS CEB-3 bass chorus pedal for those moments when a ballad needs a thicker tone.
I certainly hope I didn't bore you to death with details, but as a player I always like to know what "the other guy" is playing on and through.
PHOTOS
Some more photos can be seen at:
JOHN'S MEMORY LANE
DEDICATION
All of the success I will ever achieve in this life, whether it be small or large, is dedicated to the memory of my brother,
JOHN'S WEB LINKS
Dane Cook
You left me there twice before.
Some day you'll know just how it feels,
Shattered, cast aside, stripped of all your pride,
Like you were never nothing special.
Made to feel like another spoke in the wheel." 
MEET THE BAND
these players have helped form my sound, as meager as it is.
I'm new to the world of the 6 string bass guitar, but so far I'm really enjoying it.
Michael Alan Ransford.
He passed from this Earth on May 16, 1979 and not one day passes without his hand guiding my way. He lives eternally in my heart. I love you Mike.
My brother, Mike.
MEET THE BAND
Edwin McCain
SWR Sound
VAI.com
Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society
