Willie Basse

Willie Basse
Background information
Born (1956-08-06) August 6, 1956
Odessa, Texas, United States
Genres Hard rock, heavy metal
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter, Producer, Engineer, Actor
Instruments Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Drums
Labels New Empire Media / Rocks Cool Records
Associated acts Black Sheep, Slash, Guns N' Roses, Snew, Scorpions, Kottak, Mr. Big, Racer X, Canned Heat, Lynch Mob
Website williebasse.com

Wilber Cornelius Rice, Jr., who goes by the stage name Willie Basse, (born August 6, 1956), is an American Hard Rock vocalist, bassist, music producer, engineer and songwriter. He was the frontman for Black Sheep, a 1980s metal band that featured a number of noteworthy musicians throughout its line-up changes.[1] The last known line-up consisted of Basse on bass, Marshall Harrison and Brian Conroy on guitars and James Kottak on drums.[2] Other members include, Slash,[3] Paul Gilbert, Randy Castillo, Kurt James and Mitch Perry. In 1985, the band released a full-length album, “Trouble In The Streets”, on William and Wesley Hein’s Enigma Records[4] for which Billboard Magazine noted Basse as the producer.[5] Their EP “Sacrifice”[6] was released on Quicksilver in 1999.

Early career

Basse says he began performing at the age of five. From the age of 10 to 15, he says he received classical training as a member of the Texas Boys Choir in Fort Worth, Texas. TBC performed with Igor Stravinsky, Greg Smith (choir director) and Burl Ives who were both on the Columbia label.[7] TBC’s performances with Smith and Ives received Grammy Awards® in 1966[8] and 1968.[9] "A Time Of Waking",[10] an award winning documentary about the choir’s principles and work ethic, premiered in 1969.[11] The choir performed at Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral (Manhattan) and Radio City Music Hall.

By 1976, Basse had moved from Fort Worth to Los Angeles where he is said to have met Record Plant founder, Gary Kellgren. According to his bio, Basse toured and recorded with Buddy Miles and later worked with Andy Johns, whom he met through Kellgren. Known for hosting wild parties at his North Hollywood rehearsal studio, he labeled his rock and roll lifestyle the “Sunset Strip Era”. Many of those stories are recounted in the “Tales From The Sunset Strip”[12] podcasts. According to Basse, his office and printing press even supplied flyers to Poison, Warrant, Tuff, Jade, Bang Tango, Pretty Boy Floyd during that time.

Other projects

Basse has worn many hats during his career. He has worked as an audio engineer & producer, a corporate C.E.O, studio owner, and actor who played the part of a studio engineer in “The One Where Eddie Moves In” episode of Friends,[13] also known as the “Smelly Cat” episode. As an officer and member of the Jimi Hendrix Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Basse has a three-fold task. In March 2015, he became the Resource Committee’s VP of Marketing and Celebrity Spokesperson[14] and for several years has played with The Gypsy Experience, a legacy band sponsored by the foundation.[15] Other charity work includes Cruefest and The Skylar Neil Foundation,[16] as well as Feed America – Now and Rock For Recovery. Basse is a past member of Snew and he has worked with George Lynch,[17] Slash, Stephen Stills, James Kottak, Paul Gilbert, Rob Grill, JK Northrup, Jeff Pilson, Vinnie Appice, Carmine Appice and Canned Heat.

Discography

References

  1. "Black Sheep". Racer X Online. Racer X Online. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  2. "Black Sheep Last Known Lineup". Encyclopaedia Metallum The Metal Archives. Encylopaedia Metallum.
  3. "Slash's Early Bands". Slash Paradise. Slash Paradise. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  4. "Kill From The Heart Enigma Records Discography". Kill From The Heart. Chris Hubbard. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  5. "Reviews". Billboard Magazine 97 (45): 78. 9 Nov 1985. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  6. "Sacrifice" Black Sheep Album Info". All Music. Media Network LLC. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. "Col. Bows Catalog, Yule Drive". Billboard Magazine: 3. 23 Nov 1968.
  8. "1966 Grammy Nominees". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  9. "1968 Grammy Nominees". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  10. "A Time For Waking (part 2)Texas Boys Choir Documentary". YouTube.com. YouTube. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  11. "Boy Choir Past, Present and Future". Boy Choir. Boychoirs.org. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  12. "Willie Basse 'Tales From The Sunset Strip' Interviews James Kottak and Scott Page (Pink Floyd/Supertramp)". Twin Cast. Twin Talk. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  13. "The One Where Eddie Moves In Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Amazon.com. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  14. "About Us". The Jimi Hendrix Foundation. The Jimi Hendrix Foundation. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  15. "Home Page". The Gypsy Experience. The Jimi Hendrix Foundation. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  16. "Cruefest Hollywood 2011 Press Conference Benefit For The Skylar Neil Foundation". YouTube.com. YouTube. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  17. "Lynch Mob Concert Review - February 2011". Jam Magazine Online. Jam Magazine. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  18. "Cage - Cage" (1997) Album Review". Rock & Review. Rock'n'Reviews. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  19. "Jump Children! CD Music Product Description". CD Universe. CD Universe, Muze Inc.
  20. "1999/2009 Official Releases Downloadable Discography" (PDF). Canned Heat Music. Canned Heat. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  21. De la Parra, Adolfo (June 9, 2011). Living The Blues Canned Heat's Story of Music, Drugs, Sex, Death and Survival (Third Edition, Revised ed.). eBook: eBookit.com. p. 375. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  22. "Product Description, Delta Groove Store". Delta Groove Productions. Delta Groove Store. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  23. "George Lynch To Guest On New Willie Basse Album". Blabbermouth.net. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  24. "BMI Repertoire Publishing Information". BMI. BMI. Retrieved 14 June 2015.

External links

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