Mobb Deep, 50 Cent, Lady Gaga, Lauryn Hill, Matisyahu, Mary J. Blige. The list goes on. Grammy-nominated bassist Stu Brooks has produced, recorded, composed and directed for a string of artists who relied on his pioneering style and creative approach on the stage and in the studio.
With a CV that impressive, we were lucky to have been able to chat with Stu about his heroes, his life on the road and his tour essentials.
What was the moment that made you want to be a musician?
I went to a prep school in Toronto which had a great music program with a guitar teacher who would do private bass lessons. After several lessons, he said, “I can see you doing this as a career”. Until then, I had never considered becoming a musician as an option for a career path. When he had said that, it sort of blew my mind. Within a couple of months, I left the prep school (mid-semester) and took the rest of the semester off to dedicate time to practice and studying music. I later enrolled in an art school that helped me continue on the path of an aspiring musician.
Who were/are your musical heroes?
Around this time, and for someone growing up in suburban Canada, I had an incredible chance encounter with a bass legend named Prakash John. Around 1995. He is probably best known for playing with George Clinton and The Parliament Funkadelic, on the albums Chocolate City and America Eats Its Young while sharing bass playing duties with Bootsy Collins on tour. He also played in Lou Reed’s band and on the albums Rock n Roll Animal, Lou Reed Live and Sally Can’t Dance, as well as Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare.
Having met Prakash was a major game changer for me. Being that he was so deep in Funk, R’n’B, and Rock music culture of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, I looked to him as a mentor and I became his protege. I spent many school nights watching him play downtown Toronto with his Soul/R’n’B band at Alex Lifeson’s (Rush) club, The Orbit Room. Eventually, I moved down to Boston to attend Berklee and later moved to New York. We’ve stayed in touch all these years and he has remained a confidant and advisor.
What do you never leave home without when you’re on tour?
I think I may go above and beyond with my coffee game, relatively. I always bring an Aeropress, a Porlex Coffee Grinder, and a variety of beans, from my local coffee shops in Brooklyn. Blue Bottle is a favorite and Greenpoint’s Budin which serves Sey Coffee Roasters, Tim Wendelboe Coffee and The Coffee Collective as well, specializing in the Scandinavian roasting style.
I’ll bring hiking clothes, or whatever works for the outdoors, as I enjoy exploring nature whenever possible. And without a doubt, I bring all the yoga gear that I need for daily practice.
What’s your pre-gig ritual?
Yoga has been a daily ritual. Sometimes to get warmed up and in the zone I will listen to some music to inspire me and get my musical gears going.
When I’m playing with GRiZ we do a pre-gig group meditation. I love this. It’s really a bonding experience. Also, I’ll make an Aeropress coffee to bring out on stage with me a lot of the time. As well as a San Pellegrino and an entire lemon on ice to nurse throughout the show.
What accessory can’t you function without when playing live?
I love the M80 Betty Guitar Strap. The padding and the flex that it has is crucial. Sometimes we play 3 hour sets and any other bass strap grinds my shoulder!
What MONO gear do you use at home, in the studio or on tour?
I use the Vertigo cases for all my basses. On fly gigs I bring the Dual Electric Bass and The FlyBy. I might bring my Fader or Controller bags to a session. And of course the Betty Straps.
What’s your proudest achievement?
Man, that’s a deep question. I have been blessed in so many ways. And it wasn’t without struggle. With no bank account, and giving up the social entitlements provided by the Canadian government, being an alcoholic and addict at a young age and living in a pretty tough neighborhood in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (circa 2000), things seemed bleak for some time. It was once I quit alcohol December 1, 2001, shortly after 9/11, things started to turn around for me. Beating the disease of alcoholism may be the root of my proudest achievements.
As a bassist, it was then when I really began to conduct myself in a professional manner and became someone people liked being around! Well, at the very least, I became someone I liked to be.
I soon married Janice which is, no doubt, my greatest achievement. With her support and partnership maybe I would never have made the transition into a sustainable music career.
What would be your fantasy band line-up?
- Trent Reznor – Vocals
- Joe Tomino – Drums, Dubs
- Deantoni Parks – Drums, Synths
- Big Yuki – Keyboards and Synth Bass (I think Deantoni and Yuki need to play together in real life)
- Myself – Bass (I would have too much FOMO to miss this)
- Richard Devine – Modular Synth
- Atticus Ross – Keyboards, Synths
- DP Holmes – Guitar, Synths
- Johnny Greenwood – Guitar
Last year I put a dream band together for GRiZ. He is a DJ and badass electronic music producer. His brand of EDM is super deep funk and soul mixed with dubstep and crazy heavy bass and massive drums. Elements of swing, jazz and gospel poke through as well. He puts on an amazing show on his own, DJing and playing sax, but he wanted to do a live band version of his show as well.
So as musical director I put together a dream 14-piece funk band and recreated, rearranged the GRiZ tunes so it could be presented live. GRiZ, or Grant, wanted to have total differentiation from his usual set and not use any backing tracks or loops involved with the live band and keep it totally “organic”. The first unveiling of the GRiZ Live Band was last fall at a sold out Red Rocks in Colorado.
What’s your favorite album of all time?
This is a tough question because if you really love music how can you just choose one!? But the first thing that came to mind was The Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails. But then I immediately start thinking about Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life and now I’m going into a tailspin of ideas for a top 10 list, but I’ll just stop there LOL.
Who was the last band you saw live?
Nas, and recently I went to see Mastodon, Eagles of Death Metal and Russian Circles at Hammerstein Ballroom.
If you’d like to read more content like this, subscribe here.
You can check out the MONO Vertigo Bass Cases and Straps Stu and our full catalog here.
Photo Credits:
Sam Medina
MJPHoto
