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Now That’s Bass

Pete Roythorne 24 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

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

“Bass and Drums Aren’t Two Instruments… They’re One” | Smiley Barnard | The Rhythm Section Aug 19, 2026 3361 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 Aug 15, 2026 2336 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 Aug 10, 2026 4292 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 Aug 3, 2026 3803 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 Jul 27, 2026 4101 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 Jul 20, 2026 4428 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 Jul 8, 2026 3437 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) Jun 26, 2026 3421 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 Jun 20, 2026 2581 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 Jun 13, 2026 2679 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 Jun 6, 2026 2917 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 May 30, 2026 5995 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 May 26, 2026 3837 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 May 16, 2026 2752 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 May 9, 2026 2923 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! May 2, 2026 2332 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 Apr 25, 2026 3032 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 Apr 18, 2026 3357 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 Apr 11, 2026 3550 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 Apr 4, 2026 2412 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 Mar 28, 2026 2770 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 Mar 21, 2026 2444 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 Mar 13, 2026 2407 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 Mar 7, 2026 2449 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’

Now That’s Bass

Episodes

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