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An Interview with
Kerry Hiles |
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| I met Kerry at The On The Go Show, a local talent contest held annually in Port Elizabeth. This was about 10 -15 years ago. She was just starting out as a bassist, with her band "Turbo Beat" from East London. That was probably one of the first times she performed on a big stage. A lot has changed since then... Why bass, and how long have you been playing? I was thrown into it, really. I joined a teen band as a guitarist, but there were already two other guitarists in the band who knew a lot more about their instruments than I did, so I was voted bass-player by default. Which actually suited me fine - I'm not a guitarists' bum! Also, my parents had made me aware of the bass in their favourite pieces of music (Uriah Heep, Beatles, Rolling Stones) since my earliest memories, by cranking up the volume as loud as possible. My learning process was limited to copying tunes from the radio (Radio Algoa's playlist from 1990 onwards) and from my parents' tapes and records. Various garage bands followed, introducing me to gospel and heavy metal. I joined the school jazz band in its infancy and faked reading music. Left school and stopped playing for about two years, as I was studying Drama. Did a show in Durban and as a result, got a gig on the Symphony cruise-ship, where I faked reading music again. 12 years on from my humble teen-band beginnings, I'm working regularly as a show bass-player. What a life! Who are your favourite artists/bands? The people who have had the greatest influence on me or who have inspired me the most are Paul McCartney, Sting and ...gulp ...Suzie Quattro (not because she's a great player - 'cos I don't believe she's fantastic - but because she showed that girls can play. Sound too feminist? Anything but that...!). For favourites, Cassiopea is up there (although I don't own any of their music), a band called Supergroove, and Bonnie Raitt. My favourites do seem to change from time to time, though -hey, I'm a woman, what do you expect?! Where could we hear recordings of your playing or catch you live? The Girl Talk Original Cast recording is about the only place I've ever been captured playing. And a couple of demo tapes I have lurking around at home, but those are top secret. I'm sure there are some bootleg recordings of dodgy gigs...Live? Same places you hang out, really. What instruments do you currently use, and what is your choice of amp? Aria Pro 2, 5-string, with recently-added Warwick active pickups. Man, what a difference! From now on, I want everything to be battery-powered (oops, did I say that out loud?). Amp? Marshall, of course! It's a Dynamic Bass Combo, 150W - I believe - with all sorts of knobs, just the way I like it (oh, there I go again!) What was the worst gig you ever played? I can't actually recall a particularly bad gig, although I do remember a particularly hung-over Sunday morning jazz attempt in Haenertzburg (on the way to Tzaneen), which also happened to be the morning Lady Di died. What's the most fun you've had with your bass on? I can't recall one moment, but the ship gig was an epic of a great time. Also, playing bass in "Roll Over Beethoven" has got to rank up there with my favourite gigs - nice challenging stuff to play (more difficult and musical, I think, than "Amadeus"). I enjoy playing jazz, but I wouldn't call that "fun" - I'm concentrating too hard! What are your desires for your bass-playing future? I would love to be able to go anywhere in the world, be listening to any old band playing any style of music, and if their bass-player had to drop dead on the spot, my ambition is to be able to pick up his axe and finish the gig. I'll never be a burning player (I'm far too lazy for that), but I hope to develop enough of an ear and enough of a knack for any groove that I could hold my own. I want to be able to inspire future generations, not with any great knowledge that I might impart (ha ha ha), but just to "go get it", whatever "it" may be. |
