David James discography

.....Bass players rarely front bands in Nashville; they’re usually relegated to the back of the
stage, where they provide strong, self-effacing support-but that’s not the case with David James. In addition to being a versatile session man, James stands front-and-center in Music City’s premiere roots-rock band, Fish Heads & Rice, singing his own compositions with a soulful, blues-tinged edge.
.....Like many bassists, David first learned guitar. In 1978 he moved to Colorado to play rhythm
guitar in his brother’s band, and when the bass player quit, James was drafted to replace him. “I listened to recordings by Booker T. & the MG’s, and immersed myself in Duck Dunn’s playing,” he says. “He’s so basic and straightahead, and I still play that way.” Another great groovemaster who caught his ear was Pops Popwell. “Pops had a great, basic groove I try to maintain, in spite of being accused of playing too simply. I don’t mean to minimize the importance of developing technique, but you have to be able to maintain the basic groove.” [Ed. Note: For more on Dunn, see December ‘94; for more on Popwell, see March’94.]
.....This groove, combined with David’s distinctive vocals, gives Fish Heads & Rice it’s original,
blues-based sound. The pared-down lineup consists of James, Walter Ferguson on Hammond B-3 organ, Stuart Brower on Drums and Gary Talley on lead guitar. “Fish Heads is completely open, giving each player artistic space to move around. That’s not true of many Nashville gigs. Our label, Appaloosa Records, gives us total freedom to play what we want, and everyone contributes to the writing and arraigning.” (The band’s third release on Appaloosa-which is based in Milan, Italy-will be released this summer.)
.....David’s best instrument might be his impassioned voice, which spans three octaves. “I got my
touring gig with Mel McDaniel because of my ability to sing strong harmony parts,” he notes. “If you have decent vocals, you increase your presence, because people like to hire a player and a singer in one package.” Studio work is vital to David’s income, and the bassist adds that it’s essential to become part of the musical network in Nashville. “There’s a great spirit of comaraderie here,” he says. “Players recommend one another for jobs. The town does have a weeding-out process, though, so musicians need to be able to play at a fairly high level-which makes it easier to endorse the players you know.” Surviving as a Nashville musician also demands an open mind. “You might have to accept club dates and touring gigs you don’t really like. And you should be able to play some dates not for the money but for the contacts with other players they provide. That way, you’re more likely to land a future gig.”
.....James’s main instrument is a ‘71 Fender Jazz Bass, which he uses for 90% of his road work and about 50% of his studio dates. Nonetheless, his prized ‘66 Telecaster Bass is often pressed into service. “It lacks the bright edge found on the Jazz, so it’s better for traditional blues,” he explains. “I used it when I was recording with Jimmy Buffett’s harmonica player, ’Fingers’ Taylor, and also with [guitarist] Anson Funderburgh. I put a Schecter pickup on the Telecaster to reduce the noise and I also installed a Badass Bass II bridge to increase resonance, improve intonation and increase the sustain. The placement of the pickup gives me a deeper ‘thump’; flatwound strings help me get that sound, but the effect I like comes primarily from the pickup.”
.....For the rough-and-tumble world of touring, James employs a Gallien-Krueger amp he’s had since 1979. “I had a Fender Bassman, but it wasn’t really clean,” he says. “It didn’t give me the bright sound many players want, and tube amps really take a beating. The G-K delivers truly clean power, I don’t believe you could blow it up no matter how much you crank it up. You really appreciate good equipment when you’re traveling.” Depending on the size of the venue, James uses one or two Laney 410 cabinets.
.....In addition to being part of the Nashville club scene, Fish Heads & Rice has toured Europe
extensively, they’ll be visiting Croatia and Slovenia this summer. They’ll also be one of the first rock bands to play in Albania, which hasn’t heard western music since World War II. Despite the never-ending stream of road gigs, the band continues to crank out new material. “Writing provides us with the artistic freedom to explore different genres of music,” says James. By remaining independent, we can do what we like. It’s a great way to make music.”