name is Rich. My older brother's friends used to call me "Richman" and it sort of stuck. Years ago (maybe a decade even) when this whole online thing started happening I needed a nickname/handle etc and thought 'Richman' was great, but it needed an ending to it. I started adding some of my favorite band names to the end of it, and voila! RmR was born!
I'm currently 31yrs old, I'm mostly into progressive metal, and I love fretless bass! A bit of background on me and music. After years of failed attempts as a kid (guitar, keyboard/piano) when I wanted an electric guitar, my parents flat out said "no!". After months of nagging them, I finally got my first electric guitar in early 1993 or so. Played my first gig in 1995 while in high school opening for some big name death metal bands at the time. Added some guitars and gear, and random luck found me behind a drum kit in 1997 and helped a friend of mine's band play a show as their drummer bailed on them months before the gig. Been in and out of that band since then (or at least the founding members; currently working on a new project with him with me on fretless bass!).
After some bad luck, I had to retire my drumkit and in 2004 bought my first bass. Fretless of course. It was nothing special. Saw in ad for a Carlo Robelli 4-string fretless for $170... took a jar of coins to the bank and had enough for the bass and a new set of strings. The rest is history, as they say.
My collection consists of 4 electric guitars (one of them is a 7-string), 3 acoustic guitars (one 12-string, one steel string, one nylon), and 3 basses (one 5-string fretless, one 5-string fretted, and the 4-string fretless I started out with). I currently run my bass through an Ampeg SVT-3 Pro w/ the SVT-410HLF cabinet. My two main basses (the two 5-strings) are Schecter's. Stiletto Studio is the fretless, Stiletto Elite is the fretted. Still currently trying out different brands of strings, but the last 2 sets have been Dean Markley Blue Steel Nickel-Plated steel (round wounds).
Again, I'm mostly a metal head, though I definitely lean towards the more technical and progressive styles. I love most forms of music, but up there with metal are jazz/fusion, some funk and new-age/world music type stuff.
As far as influences go (I'll spare the guitar and drums ones as they are numerous), I'd say Jaco is probably my biggest influence. second would be Sean Malone. I also love Jeroen Thesseling, Steve Digiorgio, Patrick O'Hearn, and many more. Which brings me to a question...
Why aren't Sean Malone and Patrick O'Hearn featured in an interview!!!
Glad to see Digiorgio and Thesseling in there though! Lastly, my dream basses currently are a Warwick Thumb NT 6-string fretless, a Carvin LB76WPF, and a Warwick Dolphin Pro I 5-string fretless. Some day, I hope to own these (and more of course).So, glad to be here, and hope to chat with some of you guys and gals in the future! Cheers!