Episode 565 – LA Studio Bassist Paul ILL

In this week’s podcast episode, my guest today is is one of my oldest and dearest friends – Los Angeles studio bass player Paul ILL.

I’ve known Paul for such a long time that I sometimes forget what a heavyweight musician he is, as he’s played with a wide variety of great artists both in the studio and on the road.

This includes superstars like Tina Turner, Pink, Gwen Stefani and Alicia Keys, to legends Bob Weir, Mike Love and producers Michael Lloyd and Linda Perry, among a long list too vast to mention.

During the interview we spoke about:

how his gear has evolved over the last few years,
his journey as a mental health professional and his work with musicians through Music Cares
what it’s like playing with a full orchestra
how the studio scene has changed in Los Angeles
how he brings more to the table than just expert bass playing, and much more.

I spoke with Paul from his studio in Los Angeles.

Paul has also appeared on Episodes 92 and 239.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction to Mental Health and Music

00:00:19 – Guest Introduction: Paul Ill

00:00:30 – Paul’s Musical Background

00:01:01 – Gear Evolution Over Seven Years

00:01:21 – Gearaholics Anonymous

00:02:13 – Gear from 2018

00:03:06 – Current Gear and Setup

00:04:33 – Amplification Changes

00:05:33 – Quad Cortex and Its Impact

00:09:06 – Playing with Orchestras

00:10:37 – Reading Music and Preparation

00:11:13 – Using the Quad Cortex in Live Settings

00:12:05 – Direct Box Preferences

00:15:15 – Physical Ailments of Musicians

00:20:00 – Generational Changes in Musicians’ Health

00:21:03 – Session Work Changes Over Time

00:22:08 – Remote Session Dynamics

00:24:06 – Producer Expectations in Sessions

00:27:32 – Collaborative Technology in Music

00:28:16 – Experiences with Bill Ward

00:30:00 – The Importance of Tone and Gear

00:31:29 – Misunderstood Musicians: Songwriting

00:33:07 – Upcoming Solo Album

00:34:38 – Multi-Instrumentalist Approach

00:35:29 – Mental Health Professional Side Hustle

00:36:37 – Conclusion and Future Plan

Additional Resources:

Learn more about Paul ILL at: https://www.instagram.com/paulillmusic, https://www.facebook.com/paulill