BIO - HAAS:
Jim Haas
Singer, song writer, recording engineer, guitar and bass player.
Jim’s musical journey began at the age of 9, when he started taking private guitar lessons. He formed his first band, Twilight, in the seventh grade. This is about the time he started singing, as well. Jim explains, “The band needed a lead vocalist and no one else wanted to sing so, just like that, I was the front man.”
Throughout junior high and high school, Jim would be involved with several bands, as well as the high school’s jazz band. He recalls, “I think it’s fair to say that playing in my high school jazz band taught me a great deal about groove and feel and arrangement. It was a great experience. Sure, I took a lot of ribbing for being a ‘band nerd’ but I’m still doing what I love. I’m certain that the quarterback from my high school is no longer playing football.”
After high school, the music in Jim’s life only became more of a priority, as well as, a passion. In 1997, he recorded a CD with his rockabilly/blues band, Far Less Ladylike Tendencies. It was distributed through Hep Cat Records and received a lot of positive feed-back. The band played all over Southern California for the better part of three years, including opening twice for blues legend, James Harman. The project eventually ran its course and the members called it a day in late 1999.
Without skipping a beat, Jim joined 70’s glam rock tribute band, The Mod Squad. “At the time, I was beside myself”, he says. “Jaime St. James was the lead singer. I used to listen to his band, Black N Blue, all the time. The 80’s L.A. rock scene influenced me greatly. And now, here I am, playing with Jaime. He later went on to front Warrant, replacing Janie Lane. It was a pretty big deal to me.”
After Mod Squad several bands followed. Some cover bands, some original music. In 2007, and again in 2009, Jim recorded CD’s with his band, Jimbo’s Wild Ride. His drive to play more gigs grew more each day. He always tried to involve theatrics to his live shows. Comedy would play a big role in his music and his on-stage banter. “The band that left the biggest impression on me was the Tubes”, Jim says. “I saw them in 1984. Their stage show was huge. There were costume changes, dancers, cheer leaders, you name it. It was funny, it rocked, it was beyond just a rock and roll show. I try to capture that kind of fun energy when I play. There’s nothing more boring than a band that just stands there and plays, no matter how good the music might be.”
Jim reflects…. “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to jam with some of my musical heroes. Paul Warren [Rod Stewart/Joe Cocker/Richard Marx], Andy T. [the Smokey Wilson Band], Preston Smith, Lucky Lloyd, Jackie Enx [Rhino Bucket], Bruce Gary [The Knack], and J.J. "Bad Boy" Jones, to name a few. When you’re playing in Los Angeles you never know who’ll show up. One night we were jammin’ with Bobby Blotzer, from RATT. That was fun. We played ‘Round and Round.’ I remember looking to my left thinking, wow I’m playing a Ratt song with a member of Ratt. Pretty cool. A similar situation happened more recently when Rikki Rockett, from POISON, stopped by a bar we were playing and sat in with us.”
Recently, Jim was asked to use 4 of his songs in the feature length movie, Time Again. Currently, He plays bass guitar with two bands. Jimbo’s Wild Ride, where he also handles lead vocals, and Gravel. The following is a break-down of each band.
JIMBO'S WILD RIDE - Original hard rock & covers. Everything from the 60's to the present. Always a party, always a good time. If Sammy Hagar and Jimmy Buffet has a baby, it would be this band.
Jim Haas - bass guitar / vocals
Chris Cardenas - guitar / vocals
John Aungst - guitar / vocals
Gabe Padilla - drums
GRAVEL - Killer cover tunes. Happy stuff, angry stuff, dance then mosh. This was John Aungst's band before JImbo’s Wild Ride was formed. Over time the band took on several different line-ups, broke up, reformed, so on and so forth. Anyway, John decided to put the band back together last year. They needed a bass player, so here I am.
Willie D. (formerly of WILD BOYZ) - lead vocals
John Aungst - lead guitar
Lonnie Silva - drums
Jim Haas - bass guitar
PAST PROJECTS:
CHARACTER ASSASSINS (hard core original metal)
HFI (cover tunes, party songs)
FAR LESS LADYLIKE TENDENCIES (original rockabilly & blues)
The MOD SQUAD (70's rock tribute)
MALE ORDER BRIDES (cover tunes)
The BLUES BARRIES (blues covers)
BRAIN HOOKY (blues & classic rock covers)
CROSSFIRE (original hard rock)
INFLUENCES:
Bass players - Rick Anderson, Billy Sheehan, Rocco Prestia
Vocalists - Sammy Hagar, Fee Waybill, Paul Stanley, Robin Zander, Michael Sweet
Bands - Cheap Trick, The Tubes, Kiss, Supersuckers, Tower of Power, George Thorogood, The Beat Farmers, Stray Cats
EQUIPMENT:
Bass Guitars - Fender "P bass deluxe" / Peavey "Fury" / Rogue “acoustic” / Spector “Legend-4” / Haastyle (homemade bass - it actually works, too) / Yamaha "TRB1004"
Amps - SWR 400 watt bass head w/ Goliath Jr bass cabinet (4x10"). Carvin 610 bass combo amp.
Guitars - Charvel (electric) / Peavey (electric) / Applause (acoustic)
OFFICIAL CD RELEASES:
Far Less Ladylike Tendencies "Roll Those Dice" (1997)
Jimbo's Wild Ride "Still Rollin'" (2007)
Jimbo's Wild Ride "Lifestyles of the Poor and Famous" (2009)
Character Assassins (TBA)