Ivan profile picture

Ivan

The Patron Saint of The Ibanez Bass

About Me

Thanx for stopping by my homepage to learn a little about me. Well, I sub'ed on bass with On Tracy Lane (www.ontracylane.com) while their bassist (Jerry) was going to school in Amsterdam. He is back now, so now I have been jamming with a drummer & guit-guy and we are doing rock blues. Stuff like Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, & Masters of Reality. Most stuff I have never even heard of - including the artist. But playing blues style is pretty fun on bass, so what the hell. I'd like to try to start up an Irish/Celtic rock band. Or maybe a cover band specializing in Joy Division/New Order & early electronic/techno. We'll see. Some history: I used to be in several punk bands in the early 80's and actually we were on a couple of those compilation albums the punk movement put out during those years. You can still find them on the internet on EmPty Records website (Bored of Directors & Godsmell). If you purchase one, then you will be the only one to own one of these compilations :^) By the way, the band I was in during these recordings was called "The Defectors from the KGB" Its stuff I'm pretty embarrassed of now. *** Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Let it be known that I am the Ibanez afficionado (I know, its a rather grandiose title I have given myself here)! If you have a model that you cannot identify or you want some specs on her - give me a holler! I have all the catalogs that they have put out since 1978 and I am a bit of the Ibanez historian as well. I can honestly say that I have tried out nearly every model of Ibanez bass with the exception of a couple (some of the "Lawsuit" era knock-offs). I have a 1986 Ibanez RB630 Roadstar II P-bass (The Jolly Roger). I have also have an Ibanez ATK-305 with a custom Black Pearl pickguard from Terrapin. I also have an Ibanez SR885 in all black with Black Beauty strings by DR. I use custom pickguards from Terrapin Guitars (just google it, if you are interested). I like giving John at Terrapin my business (just like I like giving Dave mine at Avatar). As for amplification - I use a Peavey Max700 thru an Avatar 2x12 cab and/or an Ashdown Electric Blue 180 for rehearsal (she's light and portable). I had to replace that crappy speaker though and in its stead, I put in an Eminence LF Delta 12. Now she rocks! My microphone belonged to none other than Queen Lesa McCabe herself! My bit of Payday Daddy memorabilia! Useful tools I use: A Tascam CD-BT1 bass trainer, a Boss FV-50L Volume Pedal, & several Danelectro pedals.

My Interests

Music with a special focus on the Bass! Musical interests: Irish/Celtic Music, New Wave/Techno (Joy Division/New Order is my fav) and classic rock (throw classic punk in there too). But classic punk has always been my favorite style. I work out and I enjoy traveling. I love communicating with people from all over the world. I grew up a military brat & was active duty for 8 years - so I traveled a lot and I miss talking to different people. Oh yes, I am a Dallas Cowboy fan. That is, until San Antonio gets a football team :^) Either way, I love football.

I'd like to meet:

I usually like to meet anyone. Not into people worship and I don't idolize anyone. I like to meet well-traveled people. I don't like pretentious snobs who think they are better than everyone else . . . its such an insult to those of us who really are :^) I have known tons of people thru the years on Activebass.com and have even had phone conversations with many of them. One called me from Egypt, another from New Zealand, and one even from my home state of Texas (yeeeehaaa!). I would like to meet them. I think this about covers it.

Music:

Keep an eye on the band "On Tracy Lane". They are a St. Louis based band (formerly based out of Los Angeles) and they rock! Also, keep an eye out for us - we don't have a name yet - but we will be playing in smoky little blues joints in St. Louis! FELLOW BASSISTS! CHECK OUT WWW.ACTIVEBASS.COM YOU WON'T REGRET IT! ALL THINGS BASS 24/7! Fav bands: The Ramones, The Offspring, Joy Division/New Order, Flogging Molly, Love & Rockets, U2, REM, Irish/Celtic music, Trans Siberian Orch, and much more.

Movies:

Raising Arizona, Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, Zoolander, (comedies in general) and Sci-Fi (in general), Band of Brothers is a great work. I like movies about rock bands too :^)

Television:

Battlestar Galactica, Lost, The Office, and Who's Line Is It Anyway! Not much of a television watcher. I do try to catch the Dallas Cowboys whenever they are on cable (which isn't too often in the St. Louis area).

Books:

History books (fact IS stranger than fiction), specifically archaeology or anything about the bass guitar . . . . that's about it. I haven't recovered from college and seminary, so I'm still boycotting any reading material that doesn't have alot of pictures.

Heroes:

Those who take care of and love people with special needs or disabilities. People who take care of, love, and/or adopt orphans. Those who boldly do what is right, no matter what the personal cost may be. Those who defend the defenseless. And, finally - those who desire and strive to live free. My anti-hero: prototypically, they are self-righteous, gossiping, slandering, pompous asses who mask their ungodliness in the form of godliness.