Dave Meros
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Dave Meros (born 8 February 1956 in Salinas, California), is an American bass guitar player, best known as the bass player for progressive rock band Spock's Beard. Meros has also played with such artists as Gary Myrick, Bobby Kimball of Toto, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Glenn Hughes, Mark Lindsey of Paul Revere and the Raiders and [Big Big Train]]. and worked as a tour manager for further artists. As a bassist, Meros' musical influences are varied, including Paul McCartney, John Entwhistle, Chris Squire, James Jamerson, Marcus Miller, Francis "Rocco" Prestia of Tower of Power, Chuck Rainey and David Hungate.
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[edit] Education
Dave Meros has a Business Degree from U.C. Berkeley with Music Minor.
[edit] Musical History
Meros began studying classical piano at age 9, five years formal training.
• Studied French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba between the ages of 13 – 18. - Received Bank of America award for musical achievement, 1974. - Received John Phillip Souza Band Award, 1974. - Played in Reno Jazz Festival All Star Band, 1974.
• Played bass trombone and tuba in the U. C. Berkeley Jazz Ensemble, 1974 – 1977.
• Began playing electric bass in 1976 while at U.C. Berkeley. Played professionally since 1978. Relocated to Los Angeles early 1985.
• Most recently played bass and tour managed for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Eric Burdon and The Animals, and has been touring very extensively worldwide for 20 years. His main musical venture since 1994 has been recording and touring with Spock's Beard, a progressive rock band that to date has released nine full-length studio CDs plus a large number of live CDs and EPs, Videos, DVDs, and rarities collections. Their ninth CD, self-titled "Spock's Beard" was released in November of 2006.
Also currently plays in The Kings Of Classic Rock, a band that incorporates his former "Animals" band mates plus Nick D'Virgilio on lead vocals and guitar.
[edit] Touring Experience
- Mark Lindsey (Paul Revere and the Raiders) – 1986.
- Gary Myrick (Geffen recording artist) – 1986 through 1989.
- Bobby Kimball (Toto) – 1989.
- Eric Burdon (Animals / War) – January 1990 through November 2005.
- Spock's Beard – 1994 – current.
- The Kings Of Classic Rock - 2007 - current.
[edit] Equipment
Dave's main bass is what he terms his "Fendenbacker" or "Ric-o-Jazz". It's a Rickenbacker 4001 bass that's been severely modified to serve a variety of purposes. "A buddy of mine found a really trashed Ric in a pawn shop, and I turned it into a project bass to try to make a 'one bass fits all' for myself" says Meros.
It has a set of Fender Jazz Bass pickups set in 1970s-era spacing as well as another standard set of Rickenbacker bass pickups in the traditional Ric positions. This gives Meros four pickups total to choose from, with a switch that chooses between the two fairly different "basses", Rickenbacker or Jazz. All four can also be activated at the same time. A BadAss bridge, Hipshot Bass Xtender (otherwise known as a "Hipshot D-Tuner" or simply a "Hipshot" or "D-Tuner" among bassists) for its ability to downtune the low E-string of a bass typically to D at the flip of a lever) and a string mute that Meros can raise or lower with thumb screws (which were made by Meros himself) were also added.
"I did the refinish on the front of the bass, made the pickguard and did a lot of the other little stuff myself, but I had John Carruthers (Venice, CA) do the stuff that really mattered, like route the body for the two extra pickups, cause you only get one chance to do that, and it has to be perfect. He's the man, totally. He also did a really versatile wiring thing for me and one of the most amazing fret jobs I've ever seen."
More recently, after the neck began delaminating from the body, it was completely rebuilt and beautifully refinished by Ed Roman Guitars, Las Vegas NV.
In 2007 Ed Roman built Dave a custom instrument designed with most of the same features and specs as the "Fendenbacker", with a Rickenbacker-like body shape but with a Fender scale length and neck width and more of a Fender body contouring.
Other basses Meros uses are various Fender Jazz and Precision models (One of his Fender Precision basses was used on 2005's "Gluttons For Punishment" tour" while the Rickenbacker was being repaired), a Carruthers five string, and other fretted and fretless basses.
Other items Meros uses are a Digitech RP-21D tube preamp/digital effects unit for his main tone, distortion, and other effects ("Besides the bass, that's the source of probably 90% of all the sounds that I get"), Eden amplification (Dave's usual bass amp set-up is an Eden WT-800 head, two speaker cabinets: one with 1- EV15" and an EV horn tweeter, one with 1- JBL 15", but often uses rented Eden amps and Eden speaker cabinets on tour when not carrying their own equipment, typically overseas where shipping is a major cost), DR Lo-Rider Strings, Korg Prophecy keyboard triggered by a Fast Forward Designs Midi Step pedal for bass synth.
"For live shows, I go from the bass into the RP-21, then into the amp and mic the amp. In the studio I go from the bass into both a direct box and the RP-21 / POD Pro, then both the DI and the POD go direct into separate channels on the mixing desk."
[edit] Trivia
In his spare time, Meros enjoys scuba diving, jogging, home repairs and skeleton collecting.
[edit] References
- http://www.spocksbeard.com/faq.html
- http://www.spocksbeard.com/band.html
- http://www.ericburdon.com/index.php?id=dave_meroshttp://www.globalbass.com/archives/mar2002/dave_meros.htm
- http://www.bassinside.com/2003/october/meros.htm
- http://www.myspace.com/kingsofclassicrock
- http://www.kingsofclassicrock.net
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