INTERVIEW: Doug Wimbish of Living Colour

Whomever is credited with the phrase “Never meet your heroes, because they’re sure to disappoint you”, must have experienced something the writer of this feature hasn’t.

If you are a bass guitarist, one whose performance is steeped in the school of funk-metal, a style of music whose foundations owe a massive debt to the music created by the musicians in Living Colour… heroes don’t come larger than Doug Wimbish.

Wimbish’s resume as a bassist is tremendous, he’s also one of the most down to earth and engaging musicians around. It’s interesting to also note that he almost collaborated with The Rolling Stones on their 1997 studio album, Bridges to Babylon.

The reason for the conversation with Wimbish is to spread the word about Living Colour’s December 2018 Australian tour. The tour advertisement below this feature sports a massive reference to the album that broke the band internationally, Vivid (’88). On first impressions one may even assume that Living Colour are doing what so many bands have done in recent years; play a classic or fan favoured album from start to finish.

“I saw the way it’s advertised. It can be easily interpreted that we are playing Vivid in its entirety. We have already done that a couple of years ago here in States. Then we went to Australia, but in light of when we were there before we played a good majority of stuff. So, this time, what we’ll do is, we won’t necessarily, it’s like playing as I saw it, it was playing the best of Vivid, along with other songs from Living Colour’s catalogue.”

There you have it, expect a greatest hit’s set with a choice cuts beyond the singles released from Vivid.

Incidentally, Muzz Skillings was the bassist on Vivid, it wouldn’t be until the epic Stain (’93) that Wimbish would feature on a Living Colour album. Given it is the 25^th anniversary of Stain, will there be a significant cohort of songs from that album performed as well?

“What you ask for is pretty much what we have on the table. It’s an anniversary for Stain. It’s all starting to come in series now, from the time Vivid came out to Time’s Up (’90) to Stain, to Collideøscope (’03), Chair in the Doorway (’09), and now Shade (’17). They’ve all kind of, a good six records, maybe I’m missing one.. but anyway, maybe Biscuits (EP- ’91) or whatever, but let’s just say, those three records that I say were before the band took the hiatus (’95-’00) and after the band took a hiatus.”

When the band played at the Triffid in Brisbane in mid 2017, guitarist Vernon Reid experienced technical difficulties during the cut “Mind Your Own Business”. In Reid’s sonic absence, Wimbish and drummer Will Calhoun offered a lesson via stunning deep funk groove until Reid was audible again. Has Wimbish thought about touring or putting on some shows demonstrating his considerable chops?

“Well, you know, we have a group that’s been in hibernation for a while, Head Fake, which served that purpose. It also served the purpose of, not only as a duo, and also drum and bass duo, but also Will gets to expand on things he’s doing, and I get to expand on things I’m doing sonically, spiritually.

And it lends itself also for us to be able to do exactly what you’re saying, do a gig, but maybe during the pre-gig, is getting some lads to come by, lads and girls come by and sound check and we kinda go through a few different things so that we get a chance to do it and also people get a chance to see it.

By people being there, gives us a chance to do it even more, or else is at stage when you’re on your own, it also just becomes a moment that’s never on repeat, which is good as well… Will and I really enjoy that it gives us the opportunity to evolve more than what we do with the brand that we have, the other brands that we represent.”

Don’t miss your opportunity to watch the masters in action across selected Australian capital cities this December!

Click here for ticket information.