Jason Momoa names the greatest bass player of all time: “He was unbelievable”
One of the best things about enjoying a famous actor’s work is when you catch a glimpse into what they’re like in real life, and it turns out they’re absolutely sound, the kind of person you’d want to knock about with in real life.
Jennifer Lawrence gives off these vibes, as does Ryan Gosling. Same with Tom Hardy, Emma Stone, and, without doubt, moving his way to the top of the “A-lister you’d want to have a few drinks with” pile is Game of Thrones legend Jason Momoa.
Recently he showed off exactly why that’s the case when doing some press for his latest project, Apple TV+’s Chief of War, during which he invited posh YouTubers Josh and Ollie, or ‘Jolly’ as they’re known, to eat copious amounts of chicken with him at a place called Zippy’s in Hawaii. By the end of the 20-minute interview, after munching his way through several fried birds and downing cans of Guinness, Momoa is covered in food and drink, has recreated the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene, declared it the best interview he’s ever done and uttered the brilliant line “Good job, you silly little Englishmen”.
What’s evident in the interview is that Marvel star Momoa is genuinely a very warm, funny guy who just enjoys a good time and is loving life. But what else could you add to the Pacific Islander’s armour that could make him even more likeable, even more salt of the earth? Well, it’s playing the bass of course, the instrument of the dependable everyman, the foundation on which great songs are built.
Bass players tend to just be decent types, not showy, content to be in the background but fulfilling an important role nonetheless. Drummers are mental, singers are narcissistic and lead guitar players love the sound of their own solos. But bass players will generally get the job done, stand stage left without attracting too much attention while adding that fantastic “I can feel it in my chest” element we all love at gigs.
Momoa had been playing the bass for some 20 years or so before he finally did a live gig last year with two old friends after forming a trio called Oof Tatata, calling on his Minecraft mate Jack Black to add some extra star power. The band covered tunes by the likes of Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix and Metallica, the latter of which has been a huge influence on his musical tastes.
While he appreciates bass playing icons like Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus’ Les Claypool, it’s the late great Cliff Burton of Metallica who he sees as his true inspiration. He told Guitar World, “Oh, let’s talk about Cliff! The first song I’m dedicated to learning is [Burton’s 1983 solo piece] ‘(Anesthesia)—Pulling Teeth’. That’s the reason why I have my Rickenbackers, because of him. I fucking love Cliff.”
He gushed further about his impact on his life, saying, “He was unbelievable… I’m all old Metallica, bro. I probably listen to Ride the Lightning and Kill ’Em All every week, if not every other day”.
Burton’s time with the Los Angeles metallers was sadly a very short one. An insanely gifted player, he was just 21 when Metallica released their first album Kill ‘Em All in 1983 and rapidly progressed as an influence in the band, getting six songwriting credits out of eight on the follow-up album. He was also something of a pioneer in the use of effects pedals, which was showcased throughout the four albums he made with the band before he was tragically killed in a tour bus crash at the age of just 24.
