By Phil Lacombe
From the sands of the Coachella Valley to the global rock stage, Scott Reeder has carved out a legacy that’s as heavy, raw, and real as the desert winds that shaped him. Best known for laying down the thunderous bass lines that powered Kyuss, The Obsessed, and Fireball Ministry, Reeder remains one of the true pioneers of the desert rock sound, a genre born in our backyard and echoed worldwide. With his signature left-handed, upside-down bass style and a lifetime of riffs, sessions, and stories, Scott continues to be both a legend and a local. CV Weekly caught up with him to dig into the music, the memories, and the moments that still drive the desert’s heartbeat.
CVW: You’ve helped define what the world now calls “desert rock.” When you think back to those early Kyuss days, did you have any sense that this sound would become a global movement?
Reeder: Noooo… It just felt like running with the same old template – a three-piece band with a singer. They’d been influenced by my earlier band, Across The River; so I think it felt very natural for them and for me when I joined – it was quick, easy, and seamless. I was playing with The Obsessed when they asked me, and things were going well, too – I was the first one out of our little desert scene to get over and play in Europe a few times; and we were just about to sign with Columbia Records when those Kyuss guys hit me up… So of course, the second I joined, I was bugging the hell out of them and their people to get the band over to Europe – I knew things would go great for Kyuss over there! It took a couple of years before we finally went over; and I was right! Towards the end of it, though, finally hitting our stride, I knew we were a pretty tough act to follow when we were on!
CVW: You’ve played in everything from The Obsessed to Fireball Ministry, what do you think ties all those projects together musically or spiritually?
Reeder: Well… In my earlier band Across The River, we were growing as young musicians from our punk rock roots, and absorbing everything we could hear or see. One week, we’d be at a Ramones gig with Black Flag opening; and then we’d be seeing Slayer with Venom opening… At the apartment, we had everything from Pink Floyd to Mountain to Sabbath to the Dead to Neil Young to Devo constantly playing… Our music got heavier, and we had lots of jammy instrumental parts – not just a guitar solo over the same old riff, but full on departures where everyone could have room to say something – sometimes it was just abstract noise jams with feedback and rumbling… We loved taking the generator out into the desert at night and just jamming together… I’ve tried to bring some of that into every band a bit. Kyuss fully embraced it, too; and you’d have the little break in 100 Degrees with each guy taking turns getting two beats to go off; or a piece like Gardenia where half the song is basically just jamming in C; or the noise section of Asteroid. It was exciting having the longer sections… If everyone was on and we were firing on all cylinders, some of those jams felt transcendent; but on an off night we’d completely fall flat on our faces. That was exciting!
CVW: Your bass tone is instantly recognizable, gritty, soulful, and massive. What’s your secret weapon when it comes to crafting that sound?
Reeder: Tone-wise, it’s very simple, with no pedals. I plug straight into an old tube amp, a 1970 Ampeg SVT, with all of the tone controls completely cranked to the right. That’s where that pure overdrive comes from. The volume sits at only 3 or 4, or else it breaks up too much… Other than that, it’s just in the hands – I thump the strings like piano hammers, and the strings are pinging off the top frets also causing crazy random harmonics and overtones… I’ve got some weird techniques playing with the strings upside-down, droning open strings, hitting chords using the side of my thumb, and stuff… Dave Grohl used to talk about trying to hit 2 or 3 things at once to make his drums sound as big as possible – that always stuck with me. I also love bending the strings like crazy, so I stay away from heavy gauge strings – I use a medium gauge set tuned low to keep things flexible and squirrelly.
CVW: You’ve produced and engineered a ton of bands out here in the desert. What draws you to being behind the console as much as being onstage?
Reeder: I’ve been engineering just about as long as I’ve played bass. When Renee and I first married, we lived in LA while I worked for a few studios doing a crazy variety of stuff, from film and commercials, to sound effects editing, to working with some huge artists at Cherokee Studios. I worked with everyone from KISS to Wayne Newton during that time out there. I feel like I know way more about recording than playing bass – I feel really good when I’m imparting some of that knowledge when bands come in to record; whereas I don’t feel like I can really teach anyone much about the bass, because I do it all wrong, playing left-handed and strung upside-down! I got to hang and work around lots of great producers back then – Paul Rothchild, Bernard Edwards, Dust Brothers, Giorgio Moroder, Ric Browde, Marvin Hamlisch, DJ Jazzy Jeff… This was all before my Kyuss days!
CVW: You once auditioned for Metallica, came close, even. Looking back, how do you feel that moment shaped what came after for you?
Reeder: That was thanks to Josh recommending me to Lars way after we’d toured together in Australia in 1993… It would’ve been a trip; but I would’ve missed out on a lot of interesting detours in my life over the years! It was an honor to be asked; and it’s always fun to hang out with those guys once in awhile! Rob is really great and was a perfect fit. We both endorse Warwick basses; so, I get to see him the most at parties and events – he’s a good man!
CVW: You’ve mentioned turning down an offer from Josh Homme in the early QOTSA days. What went into that decision, and do you ever think about the “what ifs”?
Reeder: Well, John Garcia was my best friend at the end of Kyuss; so shortly after the split when Josh asked me if I wanted to come over to the studio across town to put on some bass with him and Alfredo, I was like, “So basically you want to do Kyuss with no John??? Thanks, but no thanks.” I think Josh ended up doing the bass parts himself; and that ended up being the first Queens album. Not sure. I couldn’t listen to any of it for years – I would’ve been picking it all apart imagining what I would’ve done with it… But way down the road, Josh invited me and Renee to a gig where he played that whole first album, and I gave it a listen first without being so damn judgy, and I loved it! I’m bummed that it took me so long to let go of the whole Kyuss thing and to just enjoy Josh’s new direction. I love going to his gigs, now – it always feels like a family reunion! I’m proud of him for sticking to it and surviving some crazy shit over the years! I’m not always the easiest person to be in a band with, so it’s probably a blessing that I wasn’t in the band. Our friendship means much more to me now. Continuing to be bandmates back then could’ve screwed that up forever. We got to hang briefly when we were both in Vegas in November – it was fun! He was in good spirits, looked great, and that band was on fire!
CVW: The desert rock scene continues to evolve, younger bands are coming up strong. Who or what in today’s scene gives you hope or excitement?
Reeder: Fever Dog is the one I hear about the most – I’m glad they’re getting around a bit! I always brag that their guitarist Quanah’s mom Mickey cuts my hair every few years! And his dad Herb was in my first two bands, Subservice and Dead Issue back at the beginning of the 80’s; so it feels like they’re family.
CVW: Gear talk: what’s one piece of equipment you’d never part with, and what’s one you wish you still had?
Reeder: I use the “Sky Valley” Ampeg SVT amp on everything I do – it was on every Kyuss recording I did, and everything since, including the Sound City song with Grohl that was #1 on radio and scored a Grammy! I’m a hoarder; but I traded my first Kustom amp with Mario Lalli for his fried Music Man amp that blew up when Across The River played the Cathay De Grande in 1985… It was recently refurbished, though, and sounds killer!
CVW: After all these years and all those riffs, what still lights that creative spark for you every time you pick up the bass?
Reeder: When I’ve got a bass task to perform, a recording to complete… playing it can feel like finding that special magical item in a video game that opens up powers that make anything become possible! It can be elusive; but when you find yourself getting into that sweet zone, it’s the best!
CVW: Where can fans find you?
Reeder: I’m on most of the social medias – I’m not difficult to find.
From underground desert jams to world stages, Scott Reeder has stayed true to the sound that started right here in the Coachella Valley, heavy, honest, and straight from the soul. His basslines helped build the blueprint for desert rock, and his passion still fuels the next wave of musicians coming up under these same desert skies.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Local Music Spotlight, shining bright on one of the valley’s most influential and enduring artists, Scott Reeder. Long live the desert sound, but the party doesn’t stop here. Hit the shows, feel the beats, and keep the valley’s music scene thriving. Because around here, the next song that changes your life might be playing tonight.
