BASS AUDITIONS - A Road Story

Dave Hull joins The Sinners!

“So I Am Over You” was the first song on The McCready Demos. (Listen to the demo in last week’s post HERE.) The week before that, I mentioned how it was the first song we recorded during the sessions for my debut album, Necktie Second. (See that post HERE.) Often it was the first song in our live set. And it was the first song I ever played with bassist Dave Hull.

For bass auditions in 1995, I gave all auditioners the same few songs to learn. “So I Am Over You” was one of them. I’ll never forget how great the band sounded when Dave came into the fold. As a rhythm guitarist, I reveled in the deep, wide groove he laid down.

At the time, Dan McCarroll was in the drum chair. He suggested Dave for the gig. Before the three days of auditions, Dan suggested we schedule Dave last or near the end. He prophesized, “Here’s what’s going to happen… we’re gonna listen to a bunch of bass players, and many will be good. A few will be great. Then, Dave Hull will come in and blow them all away.” Well, that’s precisely what happened!

All smiles with Dave “The History of Rock and Roll” Hull.

Finding a replacement for the great Robert Cooper was a big relief. For evidence of Rob’s talents, listen to Necktie Second. That’s Rob holding down the low end on that album. I was sorry to see Rob go when he quit, but I understood his reasoning. He was offered the opportunity to form a band called Perfect with Tommy Stinson of The Replacements. With me, he’d always be a side musician. With Perfect, he would enjoy being a full-fledged band member.

A big highlight from this round of auditions was playing with legendary bassist Tony Sales. The son of Soupy Sales, Tony began his career playing with Todd Rundgren in the band Runt. And that’s Tony and his brother Hunt laying down the rhythm section on Iggy Pop’s classic Lust for Life album. And, he was in a band called Tin Machine with a guy you may have heard of… David Bowie!

I was blown away when I heard from management that Tony had contacted us wanting an audition. I guess I should not have been too surprised; I was all over the radio at the time and about to head out on Tom Petty’s Dogs with Wings tour. It was a pretty good gig.

It was a joy jamming with Tony. I especially remember a spirited jam over the outro on “Mr. Jade,” where he really lit a fire. Even though Tony brought the goods, the chemistry was there with Dave. So Dave won the gig, hands down.

Our first drive with Dave was memorable. Los Angeles to Denver. Our bus, “the bookmobile”—immortalized in my latest single, “Fading Fast”—had a broken air conditioner. And we were traveling thru death valley in the summertime. It was 110 degrees outside, and I swear it must have been 125 inside the bus. We passed small fires on the roadside. It was like driving thru hell. And to make it even more hellish for Dave, he had poison ivy! I still can see Dave sitting in the front lounge of the bus in just his shorts, covered in lotion and sweating. “Welcome to the gig, Dave. Away we go!”

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete