A View from the Side: Stories and Perspectives on the Music Business: Interviews with Bass Giants Will Lee, Marcus Miller, Leland Sklar, Tony Levin, and More (Wizdom Media)

Michael Visceglia- bass powerhouse, NYC studio legend musician extraordinaire, the bass player for the Broadway play Kinky Boots- which has won 6 TONY awards as well as a GRAMMY for best cast album , and was the bassist and musical director for Suzanne Vega for 27 years, has penned an amazing book called “A VIEW FROM THE SIDE” about the perspective of the music business from the bass chair. It’s an easy read because it glides at a great pace and each successive story keeps your fascination and interest going!This is an insider’s insight into the top levels of bass playing by household names who have played on countless hits, breakthrough records with critical bands, and established benchmarks in all genres.The interviews include Stick and prog god Tony Levin, and crème de la crème bass virtuosos Will Lee, Marcus Miller, Victor Bailey, Leland Sklar, “Duck” Dunn, Colin Moulding ( XTC) , Percy Jones ( Brand X), Dave Pomeroy ( Nashville in demand player/ “Basses Loaded” creator) Jeff Berlin, Chris Jisi ( Bass Player Magazine) and LA session monster Neil Stubenhaus. Oh yes, and Gordon Sumner … you know Gordon Sumner… “Sting” did the foreward!The interviews are heartfelt with the artists opening up more than the typical articles saying, “I use light gauge strings”. These provide a perspective “A VIEW FROM THE SIDE” as to the role of the bass player live and in the studio, the expectations and prejudices experienced as that role, and an overall summary on the music industry- its changes over the years effecting how music is recorded, played and sold.The tone and sage advice given here is priceless regarding getting known and hired, choosing the right equipment for certain circumstances and providing positive words for any aspiring musician willing to make it in these trying times. For you G.A.S. heads, Dave Pomeroy’s article gives a play by play of the different gear and instruments he shuffles and how each one is suited for the different playing style required. Jeff Berlin will give you a completely different approach to your learning, practicing and playing. That’s enough spoilers, and there are many.Every musician has their own gig war stories that we love to tell on breaks. Michael starts the book off with his own true stories about getting into the business and touring. His tales of equipment issues, tour nightmares, and the perennial groupie from Hell will curl your toes and hair and anything else not bolted down!The book can also be read as a guide on how to take excellent oral histories. A technique can be gleamed by Michael’s open ended, but direct questions, which yield insightful and positive answers.For the price of two lattes at Starbucks, $12 USD, you can possess a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for your own musical journey, that IMHO, you really can’t get anywhere else except from “A VIEW FROM THE SIDE!”

The margins were improperly set (not big enough), so on the inside of each page the type runs into the spine. It's hard to read the last word of each line. It's a shame because the book appears to be very interesting. But it is very difficult to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is very well written and drew this reader into a world of the musician's musician, a world that this reader knows nothing about. I really got the sense of the profession of those musicians who we all see playing on the side. The interviews that the author did with the bass players were done with real respect. I highly recommend this fascinating read into another world.

I read this on an airplane trip. It kept my attention the whole ride and was very interesting. It's more like a series of stories and then a bunch of interviews with players. But, good stuff in here to learn from as a musician.Lee Sklar has the longest interview, with good reason!

A slim book, of interest, I suspect, mainly to musicians. it covers a lot of ground with some fascinating interviews & anecdotes from some of the very top Bass Players in the world. On the down side, without doing some intensive research it's difficult to know when these interviews & conversations took place. The book was published in 2015 & the longest interview in there with Leland Sklar would seem to be around 2003.But all said & done a good read for those who enjoy 'behind the scenes' narrative.Ps. Make sure you've got plenty of stick tape. My copy was falling apart before I got to the middle of the Book

Real road-stories from a real working bassist.A fascinating look at a side-man's role and life.A great bonus was the interviews with legends like Lee Sklar anad Will Lee.

Ok!