James Jamerson

For many, Black Sabbath are the purest, primordial sound of metal music. And, indeed, the groove bassist Geezer Butler brought to the band — plunky, soul-searching melodicism with a slinky, sometimes sinister twist — is ground zero for rhythm-stringing in the genre. Notably, he pulsated through the earliest bits of the Sabbath catalog with an icon in its own right: the Fender Precision Bass “If there weren’t any Fenders, I’ve no idea what I would play. It’s like an extension of your hand,” Butler reveals in a new conversation with Foo Fighters’ Nate Mendel, as part of the guitarmakers’ latest “Lowdown on the Low End” episode celebrating the 75th anniversary of the P-Bass. Butler flung bass lines through the first three Sabbath albums — Black Sabbath, Paranoid and Master of Reality — while holding a pair of P-basses, cementing the Fender instrument’s place in the annals of heavy-metal history. Mendel suggests in the episode that the riffs in songs like “War Pigs, “Sweet Leaf” and more have become engrained in the fabric of metal, and have become “the sound of every Guitar Center.” A humble Butler notes, “Well, that was Tony [Iommi]… but this was the bass that backed Tony’s riffs up.” To celebrate the Diamond anniversary of the P-bass, Fender have launched a line of limited-edition models presenting the double-cutaway instruments with single-coil-spanky pickups, flametop finishes and more. All are touted as bringing together “classic Fender design and ingenuity with a modern flourish.” Revolver also had a chance to talk-up Butler on his love of the P-Bass, further discussing how his hands of doom first got their rhythm, the Canadian customs guard that brought the hammer down on Sabbath’s music, and more. What led you to pick up a bass in the first place?GEEZER BUTLER I have been in a band since I was 15 and playing rhythm guitar, mostly Beatles, Kinks, Cream [and John] Mayall covers. When I formed a band with Ozzy [Osbourne], Tony and Bill [Ward], we were mostly playing blues covers. There wasn’t room for a rhythm guitar, so I decided to switch to bass.Can you tell us about your first bass guitar? Whose riffs were you picking up as you were getting a feel for the fretboard?I bought a cheap [Teisco] Top Twenty originally, just to see if I could actually play bass. After a few gigs I felt that playing bass was right for me. I traded in my Fender Telecaster for an old, beaten-up P-bass. Since we were a blues band, I taught myself how to play 12-bar blues bass, but after I saw Cream, I played a lot of Jack Bruce bass lines, bending the strings like he did. In your talk with Nate Mendel, you pointed out that the P-Bass you’re holding is the one you’d played on Paranoid and Master of Reality. What had you played on the first album? And if it wasn’t a P-Bass, what made you make the switch?I played the old P-bass that I’d taught myself on. I always regretted trading that bass in for a new P-bass, but money was very scarce back then, and I couldn t afford to have two basses. The finish on the body of that second bass is wildly worn down on the front — you’ve definitely put the work in on that instrument. Is that damage natural wear and tear, or have you had any major accidents with that bass over the years?Its natural wear and tear — it was my only bass through two albums and several tours, and transport wasn’t like it is now. It was frequently loaded into the hold on planes with regular luggage, so it was roughly handled. The fretboard was actually smashed with a hammer by someone when it was flown from Detroit to Toronto. How many different P-basses have you recorded with over the years?Only those two on Sabbath albums, and one I bought specifically for Ozzy’s No More Tears album. Can you tell us about the most recent acquisition? Is it one of these 75th anniversary models?I’m still waiting for the 75th anniversary bass — hurry up, Fender! My most recent acquisition is a 1953 P-bass, in mint condition. It cost a bit more than the 120 pounds I paid for that first P-bass! What are the characteristics that make the P-bass stand out to you the most?To me, I love the balance of the bass. It just sits right on me. I also love the simplicity of the controls, so easy to go from full bass to treble, and from low to full volume. The wider fret board really suits my playing style, lots of room to bend notes. Ryan Piorkowski What’s your favorite Sabbath bass line that you specifically wrote on a P-Bass?That’s incredibly hard to say. Maybe “War Pigs,” which really gave me the chance to go off on a tangent and fill things in behind Tony’s guitar and Bill’s drumming — especially in the guitar solo section. Is there anything you can share about where you’re at with your next solo album? How far along are you in the process?I have been writing more than ever. Over the years I have written tons of songs, and now I’ve had the time to update everything. Most of the songs have rough vocals on them, but on some of the newer stuff I have been using an AI singer, just to see how my lyrics fit with the music I have been writing. When it works, it’s much easier to give the human singers the ideas I have. Then they can put their own versions on my songs. Who is your favorite bass player right now, heavy or otherwise?My favorites have always been Jack Bruce, James Jamerson and Paul McCartney — three totally different players. When I saw Cream, Jack Bruce amazed me with his playing. His whole approach was almost like playing a lead guitar, and Cream were one of the first bands I’d seen with just one guitar, no rhythm guitarist or keyboard player. Paul McCartney’s bass playing is like no other, some of his walking bass lines are pure genius. “Something” has my favorite bass lines ever. Jamerson was another genius. His bass playing with Motown absolutely makes those songs.You’ve written tons of memorable lines over the years. Whether it’s Sabbath, GZR, other projects or even someone else’s song, do you have a go-to riff you play the second you put a bass in your hands?Probably “N.I.B.,” because it’s easy to play and it was the first riff I ever wrote. This interview has been edited and condensed for flow and clarity.