I Just got the latest Mr. Plow CD (HEAD ON) in the mail compliments of my man Greg, thanks dude. My cd player sends thanks too. The bass lines are tight and righteous. If you like thunderous grooves and I know you do, you also need to get a copy of this ASAP.
Soultread, Bottom-Feeder
GREG of MR. PLOW
So give me some background
history (married, where from, what beer do you prefer? etc.)
I'm from a small town called Alvin that's about thirty minutes south of Houston, TX. I live in Houston. I am single (hey ladies!), and I prefer
Mexican beer. "Mexican beverage night" is a favorite around these parts...
I also surf and own a Harley-Davidson. I'm a cancer and I haven't had a real haircut in 12 years.
Who's the Simpson fan in the band? Why the name Mr. Plow?
We are all Simpson's fans to the extreme. We are also all a bunch of complete nerds which we demonstrate constantly by quoting the Simpson's. There
is a Simpson's quote to fit every occasion.. D'oh! We named the band Mr. Plow because it was the only name we could think of that didn't completely suck.
How long have you been playing bass? What made you start?
I've been playing bass for about ten years now. I started because my roommate in college played and had all the stuff right there. I started trying
to learn as soon as we moved in together and was playing in a band after about six months. I was always a big Rush fan so I started by trying to learn shit that was real groovy but
rockin', a stoner rock must. Geddy rules!
What kind of bass and amps do you use, and why?
I use David Eden amps and SWR cabs. Eden is one of the warmest, most fat sounding amps around. Tube pre-amp, and it only weighs about 30 lbs. But if
Ampeg wants to sign me up, I'm here for ya'!
My bass is a 75' Fender Precision. It's really kind of a piece of shit to look at but I love the tone it gets. I have been looking at Rickenbackers for a while now and I will
probably get one before it's all said and done. I also have a Music Man Stingray, but I don't think it works as well for the lower tunings of Mr. Plow. Just too noisy with those
damn Korn sounding clicks that you get with overly-active pick ups.
What kind of strings do you use, why? How long do you go before you change em? Have you ever boiled them (strings) before putting them on?
I use DR strings exclusively. They are, in my opinion, the longest lasting strings around. I try to change them before every show so I beat the shit out of them during practice.
I've boiled them when they started sounding flat when I couldn't afford or didn't have time to get some new ones. It makes them sound new for a little while, but it's not
long before they get polly-wolly crappy again. Poor man's new strings in a pinch.
Have you come to a point where you can request any gear you want (amps, guitars, etc.) any sponsorships? You know does Rickenbacker or Fender offer any equipment yet?
I'm quite certain that they have no idea who I am whatsoever.
How do you write your music on bass or guitar or what?
I come up with riffs that all fit together and the other guys do too. Put em all together and you have ROCK. Riffs come straight from the bongfulls of inspiration I get when I sit
around the house too long, if you know what I mean.
What is the average time it takes you to write a song, from beginning to end?
It really varies a lot. Some come together in ten minutes and some take months of revision and beers to turn it into something that doesn't suck (we hope). that's our goal:
write songs that don't have a bunch of stupid non-rockin' parts.
What bands have you been in? What band would you say you sound most like? If you could play in any other band for a day who would it be?
I was in a band called Axle Grease in college. I also played in a prog-rock group called March Hare. Mr. Plow is by far the most successful and fun band I've been in. We all get
along really well.
We sound most like the older Fu Manchu. I've also heard people make references to deliverance-era C.O.C. as well. We're fans of those bands so we find the comparisons flattering. I
just hope Fu Manchu thinks that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, instead of "Hey, those guys are ripping us off!"
Any band for a day? I'd have to say Fu Manchu just so I could jam with Brant Bjork.
Do you try to make your bass lines really tough for every song or do you go with simple sometimes?
Mostly simple with a little flavor thrown in here and there to create a sense of dynamics. We try to keep it straight ahead and rockin' at all times. As long as it grooves, I'm
doing my job.
Do you use a pick? If yes why? If no why?
I've never used a pick. Why? Geddy didn't. I don't like the tone as much with a pick. The attack seems a little too sharp and noisy. Picks are fine for speed metal or punk, but for
groove I've got to go finger-style.
How do you get ready for a show? Any warm-up routines?
Bong loads of warm-up techniques are employed by the Plow rhythm section. I try and play a little before I get to the club so I can get warm without looking like a total
anti-social band nerd sitting off in the corner playing scales. I like to talk to girls before the show begins.
What's the best thing about being a bass player? What's the worst?
I can plug in and be ready to go faster than anyone else in the band.
My shit is heavier than anyone else's in the band. All two-story clubs should have elevators.
When your dialing in your amp how do you know when you've got the sound your looking for, do your band mates have any impute on that?
I have to be able to feel it. If something seems wrong the other guys would tell me, but the Eden is really consistent with its tone. I usually leave all the knobs at six o'clock
except the volume. It goes to eleven.
Who's your favorite bass player and band?
Of course there is Geddy, but Scott Reeder is one of my all time bass heroes. Also Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten and Jaco are right up there although they aren't playing stoner rock.
They're just badasses. My favorite band right now is Natas. I heard they're on their second bassist now, but the playing on Ciudad de Brahman is totally grooved out. Kyuss is
another all time fave that needs to be mentioned.
What CD's are in your CD player right now?
The new Sade is super bass-heavy and slicker than eel shit. I have also been burning a hole through the new Lowrider disc, Ode to Io.
How do you feel about NAPSTER?
I like free stuff. I want people to hear us and I don't really care how that happens. Mediocre bands are the only ones with anything to loose, because people will just download the
one song they like from their album. If you like an entire album, you'll buy it. Anyone can feel free to record our shows, burn copies of our CD, and make mp3s of our songs. If
someone comes up to me and tells me that they listen to our CD on their way to the beach to surf, my mission is accomplished. Metallica sucks my ass now, and Lars Ulrich is a
pussy-ass whiner. Oh, I'm sorry; did I say that out loud?
Last question, what are you going to do for New Years Eve? Any resolutions?
Mr. Plow new years eve party this year at our guitar player's new house. Low-key shindig watching the fireworks go off in downtown Houston. Maybe I'll get kissed at midnight.
Hopefully by a girl.
My resolution? To keep the rock alive for one more year, and to make it through that year without getting a haircut!
