Now That’s Bass
Now That’s Bass is a podcast about the real world of professional bass playing, hosted by bassist Pete Roythorne. It features frank conversations with working bass players — touring musicians, session players, educators, and gospel players — about what it takes to sustain a career in music. The show avoids fantasy and gear flexing, focusing on the reality of the job. Pete, who was made redundant just before Christmas and is approaching 60, shares his mission to get back into the bass world. Each episode asks what it actually takes to make a living playing bass, build a reputation, and stay in the game long term.
Episodes
What Playing with Robert Plant & Jimmy Page Taught Me — Charlie Jones
What gets you hired as a professional bass player — and what does it take to stay relevant across decades of musical change?Charlie Jones has worked with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, spent around 18 years with Goldfrapp, produced and co-written music with Siouxsie Sioux, and toured with The Cult.Chapters01:03 Life off the road: The Cult, recording and creativity03:33 From a Woolworths bass to earl
How Richard Jones Got the Bryan Adams Gig — and Kept Getting Called Back
What would you do if Bryan Adams called and gave you six days to learn his arena set? Richard Jones nearly said no. In this episode, The Feeling bassist explains how he tackled the challenge—and what years of gigs, setbacks and unexpected opportunities taught him about earning a living in music.Richard joins Pete Roythorne to explore why having your own sound can make you the right person for a gi
How I Got the James Blunt Gig — And Kept It for 18 Years | John Garrison
What does it actually take to build — and sustain — a career as a professional bass player?John Garrison has spent 18 years playing bass with James Blunt and has recorded with artists including Lewis Capaldi, Ed Sheeran, Christina Aguilera, Josh Groban, Passenger and Benson Boone. But his route into that world wasn't built around sight-reading, virtuosity or chasing the spotlight.In fact, John
Nick Owen on the Bass Centre, Gary Barlow and Vintage Bass Bargains
Nick Owen spent ten years at London’s Bass Centre during an era when it brought together bass players from around the world. He remembers the famous names who passed through, the clinics, the unlikely encounters and, above all, the community that formed around a shop where people could try an instrument and talk to someone who knew it inside out.What did working there teach him about basses and th
Guy Pratt: Pink Floyd, Madonna & the Truth About Making It as a Bass Player
Guy Pratt has played bass with Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bryan Ferry, Robert Palmer and some of the biggest names in music.But behind that extraordinary CV is a much more interesting story about confidence, instinct, relationships — and what it actually takes to survive for decades as a professional musician.In this episode of Now That's Bass, Guy talks candidly abou
“Playing Music Shouldn’t Feel Like Work” | Nathan Mays on Music, Burnout & Finding a Better Way
What happens when the career you spent years building starts taking away the thing you loved about music in the first place?
Nathan Mays has been playing bass for more than 23 years, working across country, variety bands, musical theatre and more experimental music while also studying music composition to Master's level.
But after years of gigging, Nathan found himself becoming increasingly disill
“They Made Me an Offer I Couldn’t Refuse” | Morgan Nicholls on Muse, Gorillaz & 30 Years of Saying Yes
Morgan Nicholls has built the kind of music career that's almost impossible to plan.
From starting out with Senseless Things to playing with The Streets, Gorillaz and ultimately spending 15 years onstage with Muse, Morgan's story is one of versatility, relationships, being in the right place at the right time — and being ready when the phone rings.
In this episode of Now That's Bass, Morgan talks
“Bass and Drums Aren’t Two Instruments… They’re One” | Smiley Barnard | The Rhythm Section
The Rhythm Section: Smiley Barnard
What do bass players look like from the other side of the drum kit?
Welcome to The Rhythm Section, an occasional Now That’s Bass series where I turn the tables and talk to drummers about the bass players they’ve worked with, what makes a great rhythm section — and what bass players can do to make drummers love playing with them.
And there aren't many better peopl
“You Can’t Just Be a Bass Player” | Marcel Pusey on Building a Life in Music
Bass player, composer, producer, educator and music entrepreneur Marcel Pusey has built the kind of career that rarely gets talked about enough.
Rather than relying on one gig, one band or one big break, Marcel has spent decades creating a sustainable life around music — performing with Bassistry, composing for television and media, developing music education programmes, working in music technolog
“Nobody Cares About Your Degree” | Philip Mann on What Actually Gets Bass Players Hired
What actually gets a bass player hired — qualifications, chops, contacts, versatility… or something else entirely?
Philip Mann has spent nearly 30 years building a career across performance, education and publishing. He studied with Jeff Berlin, has worked with artists including Van Morrison, Leo Sayer and Billy Bragg, performed in West End shows, written extensively for the bass press and develop
The Bass Found Me | Dan Hawkins on Building a Life in Music, Teaching & Never Stopping Learning
What does a sustainable career as a professional bassist really look like?
In this episode of Now That's Bass, Pete sits down with bassist, educator and online creator Dan Hawkins to explore the journey from an 11-year-old schoolboy discovering the bass to performing in the West End, touring with major artists and teaching thousands of bass players around the world.
Dan shares how incredible teach
The Secret Isn't Talent, It's Consistency | Jimmy Sims on building a lasting bass career
Everyone talks about getting "the big break."
Jimmy Sims doesn't believe it exists.
Having toured and recorded with artists including George Ezra, Brian Ferry, Amy Macdonald, Mika and Dido, Jimmy has built one of the UK's most respected freelance bass careers—not through luck alone, but through years of quietly building relationships, saying yes to opportunities and constantly improving his craft.
Nobody Owes You a Gig | Chris Horrocks on Building a Modern Bass Career
What does it actually mean to be a professional bass player in 2026?
Chris Horrocks (That Guy On Bass) joins Pete to talk honestly about building a sustainable music career that combines session work, weddings, content creation, YouTube and podcasting.
From getting made redundant and deciding to go all-in on music, to balancing gigs with running a successful business, Chris shares a refreshingly r
From Postman to Paul Weller | Andy Lewis on saying yes to everything
Most musicians spend years trying to plan the perfect career.
Andy Lewis did something different.
From discovering bass through Mod music, soul and funk... to becoming Paul Weller's bassist almost by accident... to building a hugely varied career as a producer, DJ and songwriter, Andy's story is a masterclass in following opportunities rather than chasing status.
In this episode of Now That's Bass
How Bass Players ACTUALLY Build Careers in 2026 | Jenn McCarron (Savage Fridays)
In this episode of Now That's Bass, Pete Roythorne sits down with bassist, producer, creator and Savage Fridays founder Jenn McCarron to explore what it really means to build a music career in 2026.
After years touring with bands, Jenn stepped into the corporate world before making the bold decision to return to music full-time. Today she's built one of the fastest-growing bass channels on YouTube
I Almost Didn't Get the Amy Winehouse Gig: Dale Davis on Persistence, Bass & Finding Your Own Sound
Dale Davis is one of the UK's most respected bass players, best known as the bassist and musical director behind the Amy Winehouse Band. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Dale has worked with artists including Paul Young, Tina Turner, Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), Freak Power and many more.
Chapters
02:23 Where did your bass journey start?
05:37 Northern soul influence
10:08 Working
Play the Gig, Learn the Lesson: James Eager on Bass, Growth & Opportunity
James Eager has built a career that spans West End shows, function bands, jazz clubs, teaching, entrepreneurship and creating one of the world's largest online bass education communities through E Bass Guitar.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like, subscribe and share with another bass player.
Chapter timings
01:07 Where did your bass journey start?
04:10 When did you realise you coul
Dream Big, Prepare Hard: Vicky Warwick on Building a Global Bass Career
Vicky Warwick has built the kind of bass career many musicians dream about.
From London to New York and now Los Angeles, she's toured the world with artists including Charli XCX, Big Time Rush and Maisie Peters, performed on Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel and The Graham Norton Show, and built a reputation as someone people genuinely want to hire.
But this conversation isn't about fame. It's abo
Make The Music The Thing: Steve Lawson on Art, Audience & Authenticity
Steve Lawson: Building a Music Career Without Chasing Fame
What if the goal wasn't more followers, more views, or a bigger platform?
What if the real goal was building meaningful music, genuine community, and a sustainable creative life?
In this episode of Now That's Bass, Pete Roythorne sits down with bassist, educator, writer, technologist and PhD holder Steve Lawson for one of the most thought-
Network Like a Demon: Mike Brooks on Bass, Survival & Staying Hireable
Bass player, journalist, reviewer, YouTuber and working musician Mike Brooks joins Now That’s Bass for a brutally honest conversation about what it really takes to survive as a professional bass player over three decades in the music industry.
From discovering bass through Duran Duran and landing his first professional gigs in the ‘90s, to building a long-term career through covers bands, networki
Right Thing, Right Time: Andrew McKinney on Pulp, JTQ & the Art of Being Hireable
In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete talks to Andrew McKinney, current bassist with Pulp and The James Taylor Quartet, course leader for performance at BIMM London, and a player whose career has taken him through TV, theatre, funk, soul, session work, education and major international stages.
Quick Links to Chapters
00:31 Introduction
04:15 How did your bass journey start? From Cello to Bass
Gearing Up: Jonny Dibble on P Basses, Pedals & Becoming a Bass Content Creator
Jonny Dibble has built a loyal following in the bass world by doing something surprisingly rare: making bass gear feel honest, relatable and genuinely useful.
In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete sits down with the bassist, YouTuber and co-host of the In The Pocket podcast to talk about affordable basses, social media, gear obsession, bass culture and what it really takes to build an audience
Why Feel Beats Flash: Matt Round on Getting Gigs... AND Keeping Them!
In this episode of Now That’s Bass, Pete talks to professional bassist Matt Round, known for his long-running work with James Morrison, as well as playing with Archive, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, and currently holding down bass duties on the spectacular ABBA Voyage show.
Matt brings a refreshingly honest, funny and grounded perspective on what it really takes to build a long-term career as
From Yorkshire Pubs to Bassist of the Year: Danny Sapko on Punk, Playing & Finding His Lane
Danny Sapko joins Now That’s Bass for a frank, funny and insightful chat about punk bass, originality, YouTube, AI, and the reality of building a career in music.
From his early love of McCartney and the Stranglers to becoming one of the most distinctive voices in the online bass world, Danny talks about finding success by finally being himself — Yorkshire accent, humour, opinions and all.
We also
The Bass Player’s Superpower: Yolanda Charles on Feel, Leadership & Career Longevity
What does a 35+ year career as a working bass player really look like?
In this episode, I sit down with Yolanda Charles MBE — one of the UK’s most respected session bassists, whose credits include Paul Weller, Robbie Williams, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Jimmy Somerville, and work alongside legends like Brian May and Hans Zimmer.
We get into the real story behind that career — from random phone ca
Plant Your Flag, Be Yourself: ian Martin Allison on Bass,. Creative Freedom & Finding Your Voice
Ian Martin Allison joins Now That’s Bass for a brilliant conversation about bass, teaching, social media, creativity and building a career on your own terms.
From the story of how he first picked up the bass, to the bad teacher who shaped his approach to education, to the way he built a loyal audience online by leading with value, Ian shares honest, funny and thoughtful insights throughout. This e
Play It Simple, Play It Right: Russell Carr on Groove, Gigs & Staying in the Game
Session bassist Russell Carr joins Pete on Now That’s Bass for a refreshingly honest conversation about what it really takes to build a long-term career as a working bass player.
From playing with Skin and The Blockheads to teaching, function gigs, gear choices and the power of word of mouth, Russell breaks down the real-world side of life as a musician: groove over flash, professionalism over ego
Stay Hungry, Say It Straight: Reggie Parker on Bass, Legacy & Hard Truths
Pete Roythorne sits down with acclaimed bassist Reggie Parker for a powerful conversation on gospel bass, creativity, confidence and the realities of a life in music.
Reggie shares how he got started, the players who inspired him, how he found his sound, and what it really took to rise through the gospel world in the 1990s. Along the way, he opens up about creative risk, paying dues, iconic sessio
Hold the Groove, Lose the Ego: Jonathan Noyce on Bass, Tone & Career Longevity
Jonathan Noyce has built a remarkable career as a bassist, working with artists including Jethro Tull, Gary Moore, Take That, Archive and The Divine Comedy, as well as on major film soundtracks. In this episode, he shares the lessons that shaped that journey — from studying music seriously and landing early breakthrough sessions, to learning the discipline, taste and integrity needed to sustain a
Play Everywhere, Regret Nothing: Becky Baldwin on Bass, Bands & Breaking Through
What does a real career in music actually look like?
In this episode, Pete sits down with Becky Baldwin, one of the UK’s busiest rock and metal bass players. Becky performs with King Diamond, Merciful Fate, Fury and Delilah Bonn, and has built a career that many musicians dream of.
But unlike the myth of the “big break”, Becky’s journey has been built on years of small steps, networking, relentles
From Building Sites to Bootsy Collins: Greg Hofmann on Gear, Gigs & Finding Your Thing
Greg Hofmann has toured the world for over 15 years, played with artists including Bootsy Collins, Candace Springs, Rick Astley and Jess Glynne, and built a parallel creative path through teaching and pedal building.
In this episode, Greg talks openly about his journey from South Africa to London, the grind of trying to survive as a musician, and the moment he realised that chasing every gig wasn’
