An Interview with Bassist Keith Ash of The Guessing Game and Strong Suit

 

By LarissaR

Yes, we here at Flashwounds have loved The Guessing Game and their debut album Holy Crow for a while (and if you did the SMART thing and got yourself a copy of Holy Crow, you love them and their music now, too…which puts you in very good company, since they count amongst their biggest fans one Mr. Duff McKagan, formerly of G n R but for well over a decade of his own band, Loaded…) ~ and were thrilled for the band when, to no-one’s surprise, the album sold out on Amazon before its official release date and then The Guessing Game debuted the video for their first single, “Someday, So Clear” and it became an instant hit.

There’s no doubt, The Guessing Game, the creation of Loaded’s bassist Jeff Rouse (spoiler alert, might just want to stay tuned to Flashwounds for an interview with Jeff coming soon, too!), is leading the new breed of Seattle-area mega-groups…and wouldn’t be where they are and where they’re headed without the talents of each and every band member.

One of those band members, bassist Keith Ash, dropped me a note a day or so after Flashwounds featured a group of Seattle-area bands in an article. He gave us props for highlighting acts coming up in the scene (probably one of the closest, most supportive, colections of musicians I’ve come across in a while), offered some very much appreciated suggestions on other local bands who deserved some love (and yes, we’ll be giving them that love in the next installment of “Seattle Saturday”), and then thanked me for having mentioned his band as the kickoff to the article.  Not necessarily the brightest bulb before I’ve had a cup or seven of coffee, I was a little confused because I could have sworn the article started off with a band called Strong Suit…and then the bulb got significantly brighter as I realized that Keith Ash of The Guessing Game was also Keith Ash of Strong Suit…

I confessed my…let’s call it momentary…confusion to Keith and once he finally stopped teasing me (he actually showed, I later learned, amazing restraint, since he’s got a great sense of humor and fun), we struck up one of many subsequent email conversations…and I knew almost immediately that I ~ and you, our readers ~ needed to find out more about Keith and his two bands…and not just the kind of info you can find on Facebook pages and websites.

So it’s an honor to now present to you a not-exactly-your-average interview with the very artistic and very witty Mr. Keith Ash, bassist for both The Guessing Game and Strong Suit.

Settling into the different “vibe”/interaction you have with each band…immediate or did it take a while? Instant with both.  I feel very lucky to be playing with so many good and talented people. It makes vibe/interaction part very easy.

If artistic differences arise, how does The Guessing Game handle them vs. Strong Suit? Thumb wrestling and slap fights.  You’ll have to figure out which band uses which technique. (See?  This is what I mean…smartass!)

Any redeeming parts to the recording process other than it [generally!] results in an album or EP or is it just long hours and mounting tensions?  In general I love the recording process.  I look at it as sonic sculpturing.

Has Strong Suit ~ Sean P Bates, vocals and keyboard, Justin S. Davis, guitar and vocals, Gary Westlake, guitar and vocals, Chris Friel, drums, and of course you on bass ~ ever opened for The Guessing Game?  We have played together a couple times. Doesn’t matter who goes first, it’s just fun to play with everyone.  In general, though, I prefer to stick with one band per performance, unless it’s something special like the Team McCready benefit where both bands played together recently. 

Everyone in Strong Suit has an additional gig ~ be it theatre or another band.  Never mind how you all manage to get together in one place at one time to record/perform, how do you find the time to write, assuming it’s a collaborative process?  There is lots of emailing when it comes to scheduling. Otherwise Sean Bates usually comes in with a song or some ideas for a song and we go from there.  Often he and Justin Davis will have worked the song up for a bit before it’s brought in.

Not to get political/hot topic-y, but…your thoughts on having music classes available in all schools? Gut instinct answer is yes, but I do very much believe music, and art in general, is something that can be accessed and learned about outside of school as well, so I can’t honestly put it at the top of the educational list. For many people music and art are their escape from things like school.

What’s your definition of professional [musical] success?  Does it differ depending on whether you’re referring to Strong Suit or The Guessing Game?  If I’m happy with the progress and see potential for the future then I consider something to be successful.  Thus far I would definitely consider that to be the case with both these bands.

Technical ability alone does not a good performer make ~ can stage presence/the intangible “it factor” be taught, or can it only be improved upon if it’s already a spark within someone? If you enjoy performing then you have the spark. Beyond that, I’m constantly learning how to improve my performance, especially as each situation I’m in requires a different level of stage presence.

Practice/rehearsal ~ love it or hate it? Love it!  I very much prefer to be well rehearsed. I believe that allows for a much more relaxed feeling on stage and opens the door to being successfully experimental.    

What kind of music did you listen to when you were growing up ~ and do you ever “revisit” those classics now for fun or inspiration? Everything!  And yes, I am always looking for something fun and inspiring, be it new or old.

You’re from Seattle, moved to LA in ‘77, and are now back in Seattle…Did you spend time in the LA music scene and decide that what was going on in Seattle was more in keeping with your style?  I moved to LA as a kid and I was already well into music and movies by that time, so being completely surrounded by the entertainment business was great by me. Started playing live and recording while still in college and then had a great run with a few different bands that encompassed all the music biz experiences one could hope for over the next 20 years.  We moved back to Seattle about 8 years ago to raise our kids and be closer to my family, who had moved back up here long ago.   Pretty much figured I was calling it a day on being a professional bass player at that point.  Luckily, that turned out to not be the case. It has been great to become a part of such a vibrant music scene and get to play with so many talented people here in Seattle.   I owe that to my buddy Justin Davis, whom I met shortly after moving up here. He has been my doorway into the Seattle scene.

Do you listen to your bands’ respective recordings ~ released publicly or not ~ once the recording process is behind you and you’ve had some distance from them? Yes, when the mood hits. Always fun to go back and hear what worked and didn’t work, etc.

Were you a 5 year old hauling around a bass or did you start out on (and maybe still play) another instrument? Started on piano as kid, but just for a short time. Started playing guitar at 12 and it was like a switch in my brain flipped on. I couldn’t stop playing! Started playing bass at 19 and never looked back. For me, bass is the perfect blend of everything I love about playing music.

How was The Guessing Game formed?  Word has it Jeff Rouse chose you all based on your respective work in other bands (yours in Star Anna in particular) ~ was it that simple, or were there auditions/jam sessions/different people considered so that he could find the perfect combination of individuals?  We all knew each other on some level. In a nutshell, we all got together for the first time about a year ago in the room we still rehearse in and it was magic.  We’ve all been around the block a few times, so we all knew how unusual and fantastic something clicking instantly like that is.

The Guessing Game’s debut album has done phenomenally, the first single is jamming the airwaves, the first video is a hit…are you taking some time to let that all soak in or already looking to what’s next?  What’s next! 

The Guessing Game has a full management team/record label behind it…Strong Suit self-manages, self-promotes, etc. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Do you see a time when Strong Suit may opt to go the outside management route?  If the opportunity presented itself I’m sure we’d consider it.

Nancy B. Sayle, owner of and publicist at VQPR, LLC,  is a vital part of The Guessing Game’s PR team, heads Rock Against MS, and is also very involved in animal rights, including her own Fur and Feather Animal Sanctuary.  Are there causes that are near and dear to your heart? I don’t currently have any specific causes I’m trying to make people aware of, but I’m always happy to play a fundraising show for any cause that makes sense to me.

Aside from a tragic reason like the death or illness of someone you love, is there anything that can happen before a show that will distract you from playing your best? I’m pretty good about switching into to show mode, so I’d say no.  Hopefully I will not discover differently at some point!

“Strong Suit” ~ where’d the name come from? (It’s an obvious question, but I’m always interested because answers from other bands have ranged from the relatively dull “Dunno, I think it was something I saw on a mug once” to lengthy, [intended to be] profound explanations of how the universe spoke to them one night and “whispered” the name in the wind. The honest story is Justin Davis (guitar) mentioned that naming bands was not his strong suit and Chris Friel (drums) said, “That’s it!”

As a member of The Guessing Game, you’re part of a band that’s being referred to as a new Seattle supergroup…is that flattering, a lot of pressure, a moniker you hate, or a combination thereof? I take it as a compliment.

Future plans for Strong Suit? More music! (And incidentally, please check out the band’s latest EP here.)

Do you all just wear whatever you’re feeling for a gig or are there ever any discussions about what each band member has on for a show? “It is better to look good than to feel good.”  We’re all self stylized, so no need for discussions.  Though we did decide it was not a good idea for Strong Suit to go by initials only. (One of the bands I managed a few years ago was named Switchblade Suicide…and we, too, made that same decision…just no way around it.)

It’s a pretty sure bet that The Guessing Game is going to tour in the not-too-distant future.  If you’re on the road for a significant period of time, do those of you in Strong Suit have the kind of connection that will allow you to pick up right where you left off, regardless of the time that has elapsed? Absolutely.

Things go wrong when you play live.  ‘Tis a fact of life.  Have you ever played one of those shows when the “wrong” wasn’t something that only members of the band or other musicians would notice, but the “absolutely no hiding it” kind, like when most of Poison started playing one song and CC DeVille started playing another?  No question. And I’m sure I don’t remember it very well! 

The Guessing Game has a female member, the very talented Kathy Moore.  Does having a female in the band make any difference in terms of having a non-male perspective on writing, performing, etc., or ~ within the context of a band ~ is there really no difference between genders? It’s just nice for me not to be the only girl in the band! (FYI, Keith and I made a deal that if the tabloids offered me any money to submit a fake story about having met “Kelly Ash,” his alternate persona, we’d split it 50/50.)

Now you’re used to being around [other] people considered celebrities in the music world.  Were you ever star struck at the beginning of your career?  In LA I grew up with many celebrity neighbors, so it has never freaked me out. Famous show biz people are just like everyone else, except they’re recognized by a lot more people. Some are better at dealing with that part than others. The art and the artist that creates it can be very different things. 

Any particular artistic talent that you don’t have that you really wish you did?  Painting?  Sculpting?   I’d like to study the art of time management.

At the moment, Strong Suit plays to smaller crowds than The Guessing Game will be.  Is one scenario more nerve-wracking than the other? I don’t get nervous. I really can’t imagine making a bigger fool out of myself than I already have many times over.

Does the music that either Strong Suit or The Guessing Game puts out have a “higher meaning” overall (as opposed to perhaps just some tracks that are weightier or more thought-provoking), or is it there solely to entertain (a very laudable goal, if you ask me)? Ultimately I think music is a collective spiritual experience and that’s what makes it entertaining. They’re always intertwined, regardless of whether someone experiences that from a certain song or from a collection of songs on an album or at a live performance.

Since you are an accomplished musician, can you attend a show ~ whether small and local or a huge festival ~ and be “just” an audience member, or do find yourself unintentionally noticing flaws in performance, lighting, sound, etc.?  I’m always looking for ideas to steal. (So bands, if you see Keith in the audience at one of your shows…beware!)

Best and worst thing about being in a band?  Dealing with musicians all the time is the answer to both.

Seems from Strong Suit’s website that you personally are known for never standing still (which would help explain how you manage double band duty)…are you perpetual motion, a 24/7 kind of person, never relaxing and always needing to “do?”  Or are you just that way when it comes to your music? What was that again? Sorry, I was answering some emails and texting while telling my kids to get their homework done.  (Told you…he’s a witty one!)

 

And on that note (no pun intended), I’ll thank Keith for his time, good nature, and the contributions he’s making to music through both Strong Suit and The Guessing Game…and encourage you all to stay updated on what both bands have going on:

Official Strong Suit Facebook Page 

Official The Guessing Game Facebook Page