Hello again, Minions of the Deep. Things have been pretty hectic on these parts of Bass Pl. so I’ve been holding off on equipment-related blogs until I get some time to grind those out this weekend.

Taking helm at the bottom spot this week is Rage Against The Machine bassist, Tim Commerford. Often overshadowed by the legendary Tom Morello, Commerford musical styles and personal beliefs are perfect for Rage - aggressive bass grooves and civil disobedience.

Though most hard rock bassists often play with a pick for speed and sharp attack, Commerford can be seen here plucking away with his fingers. The result is a thick, beefy tone with a lot of thunder behind it. The bass he’s playing here is an American made Fender Jazz bass.

Those who spring for the extra cost of the American made Fender basses get rewarded with a nice looking maple neck, and an added switch right on top of the first volume knob. J-basses have great versatility, boasting a wide array of tones, from jazz and Motown to hard rock and alternative.

Another attribute that Commerford brings to Rage is his general disdain for oppressive institutions. He was standing right beside de la Rocha and Morello completely in the buff on stage in Philadelphia to protest the PRMC, which was a coalition of mothers in favor of censoring music with explicit lyrics. One of my favorite Commerford anecdotes is when he protested Limp Bizkit’s victory at the Video Music Award (an extremely easy occurrence to protest). I remember watching on TV and seeing some crazed maniac climb the supports for the lighting, shaking it violently. There was a big to-do about all of it, and he ended up spending a night in jail.

Was it worth it? Damn straight. The video for “Break Stuff” sucked, along with everything else involved with Limp Bizkit, and Rage got the shaft because their video for “Sleep Now In The Fire” is one of the best music videos of the 90s. Check it out.

I wanted to embed this video right here on the page. I figured out how to do that like five minutes ago, but Rage has disabled that youtube feature. But you’ve been to youtube, right? Good, now venture away from the217 for a moment, and check out that video!

Well, I think that about does it for this edition of Bassist of the Week. Tim Commerford is a helluva bassist, who sometimes doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. I can’t wait to see him and the rest of Rage Against The Machine play at Lollapalooza this August in Chicago.

Last week, I saw Family Groove Company play their 600^th performance of their fast-growing careers at Canopy Club, and seeing as how I have enjoyed five of those 600 shows thoroughly, I have decided to make FGC bassist, Janis Wallin, 708 Bass Pl.’s inaugural Bassist of the Week.

Wallin is a graduate of Los Angeles’ famed Musicians Institute where she was named her class’ most outstanding bassist. Hailing from Pennsylvania, she met up with Adam and Jordan from Chicago, and Mattias from Sweden at M.I. and started touring as Family Groove Company.

Janis commands the low end of the groove with graceful precision and honed technique. She has quickly become a fan-favorite among the FGC audience and has even made her way to grace the front of the “What Would Janis Do?” t-shirt.

Family Groove Company covers some funky tunes such as Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” and Sugar Loaf’s “Green Eyed Lady” along with the original songs that feature tastefully juicy bass lines that were arranged perfectly within the song. The groove is delivered consistently in the pocket, and it keeps the crowd dancing the whole time.

If you haven’t caught Janis and the rest of FGC, you’re missing out, because they do not disappoint. You can check them out at House of Blues Chicago April 10^th, Friends and Co. in Charleston, IL, April 17^th, Summer Camp Festival, in Chillicothe, IL, Memorial Day weekend, or Wakarusa Festival this June in Lawrence, KS.

Drop by next week to find out who thumps out the “bottom” spot after Janis.