Artists :: Bootsy Collins
BiographyYou've been a TASCAM user since the beginning. Yeah, for me and I would think a lot of us musicians, the TASCAM Portastudio [Model 144 - 1979] was our first introduction to having 4 good analog tracks to record your ideas too. It even got to the point that sometimes when you recorded on this machine it actually wound up on the 2 inch recording of the real record, simply because the performance you did on the 4 track was more authentic and felt better than when you had a chance to practice it and get good. But then you loose the passion and drive that you had in that moment with the 4 track. I loved this machine. Then the 8 track came out sometime in either the late 80's or early 90's, I recorded the whole album of "The Zillatron" and "Bucketheadland" on my then new 688 MidiStudio [1989] with MIDI and sync code. It was truly awesome. Then the DA-88's came out [1993], I made sure I had 24 tracks because I felt like this is going to be my core of recording at my home studio. Being replayed by its big brother the 24-bit DA-78HR. It’s what I have now as back ups for my TASCAM X-48, which works flawlessly with Pro Tools, and any of my other gear. I also have the TASCAM DM-4800 digital board. When TASCAM made their first DAT machines, you'd better believe that I had one and then the next newest one. Now I got the DV-RA1000 DVD Recorder which is amazing. I carry my new DP-008, which is the digital 8 track portable recorder. I have the new DR-05 stereo mic recorder for recording rehearsals and things on the fly. As you can see, TASCAM gear has been a key for me. Just so you know, all of my old TASCAM gear I still got and it all sits at the ready when and if I need them. That should tell you something about my gear and how it was built to last, they all still work. The people at TASCAM customer support was always there for me and I stayed up on keeping my equipment ready to rock-funk & roll because you never know when that creative bug jumps on you. When you hear the horn blow, you'd better be ready to go your nearest TASCAM dealer and say, Bootsy said y'all can help funk me up! You've just released a new album called THA FUNK CAPTIAL OF THE WORLD which I understand TASCAM played a small part in.
Actually TASCAM played a major part in recording of the album. I recorded about 75% of this album myself on my DA-78HR's and my X-48 hard disk recorder. This process works really good for me and the live performers that come to my studio to record. Artists that appear on the album include Dr. Cornel West, Musiq Soulchild, Samuel L. Jackson, Victor Wooten, Bela Fleck, Dennis Chambers, Steve Jordan, Rev. Al Sharpton, George Clinton, Sheila E, Buckethead and Bobby Womack. You'll also be "taking it to the stage" in support of this release. We have a tour coming up which I will be using an X-48 hard disk recorder to record every live show, which will be archived and produced in an up and coming live CD. The tour will start in June and run through August. We will have some of our alumni P-Funksters like Bernie Worrell, Frankie Kash Waddy, Joel Razor Sharp Johnson, Blackbyrd McKnight along with some other additional musicians added to the band like T.M. Stevens, Brian Hardgroove of Public Enemy, Razzberry Hershey, Kyle Jason, the Cincy-Nasty-Horns and some special drop in guests that may show up on any given funk night. "Dean Collins", tell us about FUNK University. It has been such a blessing to start this and see how master bassists and the students have grown into a small community that is feeding and learning from and with each other. Our first semester really has set up the second semester as being something to really look forward to with the addition of Professor Larry Graham, Professor Verdine White, Professor Ron Carter, Professor Jack Bruce, and Professor Stanley Clarke. For me to be surrounded by so many great bass players is really amazing to me. So you can only wonder how excited the students are. We live at Funk U by example and so to show the students that we can get along at work together, at play together is a great lesson in itself for today’s students that are really directed towards playing with ones self. There is some joy in that, but when you are challenged by another's presence, that will bring out some other real things that you may not experience by just playing with yourself. We on the other hand encourage playing together and sharing with each other what you have learned or learning. For me it goes beyond just being a teacher of bass, but also a example of how we can and should continue to get along with each other. We encourage playing and learning to be a solo player, but we also teach the importance of skills and being disciplined whenever it is time to be. In order for a musician to survive you must learn how to get along with your fellow musician/artist.
Tour Dates
Thu Jun-2 Travel to Los Angeles, CA (Press)
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