Tony Levin
We celebrate five great - and less great! - albums on which a notable bassist appears
THIS MONTH
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Tony Levin’s stellar career in progressive rock, jazz, and world music can be tracked through an estimated 500 album appearances. He has been a long-term member of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel’s band, as well as his own outfit, Stick Men, which he formed in 2010. Whether playing a traditional electric or stand-up bass, occasional keyboards, or the Chapman Stick with itsblend of bass and high-register strings, Levin has always been in demand as a session player. He has worked with John Lennon, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Paul Simon, and Stevie Nicks, and has toured extensively with Herbie Mann, Peter Frampton, Judy Collins and many more.
An innovator and sonic explorer, his inventive methods of manipulating his equipment with all manner of weird and wonderful household goods are legendary. Levin is regularly voted one of the greatest bassists of all time, and the Boston-born musician continues to work with a variety of artists. We spoke to Tony recently, and he talked us through some selections from his mighty back catalog, including the importance of the drummer-bassist relationship and the role his two-month old daughter played in one particular incidence of instrument manipulation.