Maverick Muse

Ed Friedland is a bassist and author who has seen it all, done it all and survived to tell the tale. We meet the master.

The music business may not be as as highly populated with genuine characters as it used to be, but there are still a few around—and one of those is definitely Ed Friedland, acclaimed bassist, author, educator, long-time Bass Player contributor, and more. Charismatic and friendly, but also more than capable of poking jabs at fools when it is warranted, Friedland spends most of his time these days as a member of the Mavericks, the renowned American roots band.

How long have you been in the Mavericks, Ed?

I joined in 2015, so it’s about four years. They basically tour all year round, so I’ve learned not to schedule too much. Every time we have a couple of weeks off, they schedule something, so I’m always on call. We do take breaks, though: It’ll be nice to have a few months off at the end of this year, although I get a little stir crazy!

You’re also a prolific author.

If you include all the different editions of the books I’ve done, it’s somewhere between 17 and 22 titles. I’m not sure if I feel the need to write any more at this point—my ideas may be too niche or too esoteric these days. But I’m also not in the mindset: I’m experiencing life as a performer rather than as a teacher or a writer. For years I was the writer and teacher, and it feels good to be on the other side for a change.

What gear do you take on the road with the Mavericks?

It’s a very basic setup, because our music— roots, or whatever you want to call it— means that I don’t need pedals or preamps or all the fancy s*** that people get all excited about. I use two basses, a KK Baby Bass and a G&L L1000, which is a great instrument that I really love. I have an A/B box, and I plug straight into my amp, and boom, you know.

What else is in the Friedland studio?