Bob Erickson

 

I've been interested in music from a young age. My mom used to play piano and I was always in awe of how cool it was that she could make music come out of that big thing up against the wall in our living room. I have been told that when I was 5, I taught myself an old classic on the piano called "The Elephant Walk".  My mom heard it and supported my efforts. She signed me up for piano lessons. I hated the exercises and elementary chops I had to do, so I quit. What a dope! If I had stuck with it, I would have a better understanding of music theory as I am a true believer all music is based around the keyboard.  But again, I was 5.

 

When I was 6, I took up the violin at a Catholic school. Not a lot of satisfaction with that endeavor either. I quit. When I was 9 I started playing the coronet. Joined the 4^th grade band with a real creep for a band leader. I quit. Beginning to see a pattern here?

 

My sister who was 6 years older than I (she recently passed away) was into the Beatles, Stones, etc. She had a piece of crap 6 string acoustic guitar that I played along with the albums she had. I learned the songs by ear and I liked the satisfaction of being able to play some sort of resemblance of how the songs were recorded.

 

Fast forward to 6^th grade. I met someone at Lincoln Jr High that said he had a band and they needed a bass player. I had never played bass, but I told him I could play. The next thing I knew, I was learning the bass licks for Spencer Davis's Gimme Some Lovin'. I told my dad about it and he bought me a Hofner copy violin Beatle bass and a 15'' Sears Silvertone amp. I was hooked. And, the bonus was that since I was, and still am, such a poor dancer, I would play with these guys at parties. I didn't have to dance, because I was in the band!

 

I have been playing ever since and will continue to play until I take my last breath. I've played in just about every scenario out there. Wedding Bands. Acoustic Bands. Jazz Fusion. Blues. But my love is Rock. Mainstream Rock, Southern Rock or Metal.

 

The highlight of my career has got to be when I was in a Band called Vagabond in the late 70's, early 80's. Bill Dougherty on Guitar, Scott Novak on drums and Jerry Dwyer singing lead. We did copies and played Chicago venues such as Beginings, Haymakers, Rush Up and 76. Our main competition was bands like Survivor, Cheap Trick and Off Broadway. We wrote some originals and did some studio work at Heddin' West which is where Styx did all of their recording. We would get studio time when they were done, usually starting at midnight, but we were able to use their engineers along with interns and their 72 track board which was huge back then.

 

 

 

We got airplay. We were on our way to at least make some sort of mark, but it all fell apart due to internal conflicts. I call it "as the band turns". I have had the pleasure of playing with some great local players over the years; Ron Kremer, Randy Haas, Jimmy Johnson, Thom Ballistrieri, Paul Dispensa (no relation), Bill Techenbrock, Eric Dahlberg, Susie Gleason, Greg Brandt, Mike Gregg, Doc Savage, Craig Vocelka,  the Vincent's……….. the list goes on and on. I've learned something from each of them.

 

 I enjoy playing with these guys (Last Call), not only from a musician's standpoint, but they are great people to work with. It is truly a team effort.

 

My stuff: For you musicians and techies, here is what I have:

 

My main axe is a 1978 Rickenbacker 4001 with tight round wound 100's which I play through a Sunn 300T and a Hartke 3000. Both heads are 300 watts, but the Sunn is tube and the Hartke solid state. I like how they compliment each other when I play in a Bi-Amp set up.  Bottoms they power are two Hartke VX410's and a Hartke VX115. If I play a larger venue, I also have two Sunn 215S bottoms, which create nothing short of stage thunder.

 

Other axes I have:

 

1967 Hagstrom 8 String

1974 Guild SBII 4 string

Ibanez SR 480 active 4 string

Ibanez SR 305 active 5 string

Washburn XB 102 4 string

Washburn Bantam fretless 4 string

Fender Squire Jazz Bass 4 string

Oscar Schmidt ¾ depth Acoustic/Electric 4 string

Yamaha Acoustic 12 string

 

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