Green Day’s Mike Dirnt has surely inspired many young musicians to pick up a bass over the years, but there was a time when a fellow Bay Area bassist inspired him. The veteran punk rocker recalls being blown away the first time he saw late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton play live.
Heavy Consequence recently caught up with Dirnt to discuss his new signature model Epiphone Grabber G-3 Bass, and we asked him about the bassists who most influenced him as a young aspiring musician.
Get a Mike Dirnt Epiphone Grabber G-3 Bass via Reverb
“For attitude, it was [The Replacements’] Tommy Stinson,” Dirnt told us when speaking about his biggest influences. “He was just so cool, and had some great tones.”
He continued, “For shredding, before I even knew who he was or before I even saw him in concert, I met Cliff Burton in San Pablo up in the Bay Area. Then, when I saw [Cliff] onstage at [the] Day on the Green [concert in Oakland], I was like, ‘Holy crap, I met that guy!’
“Back then I didn’t have records. My friend was listening to Metallica all the time and I heard [Cliff], but then to see him play live… he was every bit as good live as he was on [tape].”
Dirnt then referenced the Metallica instrumental track “(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth,” on which Burton famously recorded his bass track in one take. “ I believe ‘(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth’ truly was one take,” marveled Dirnt. “I put money on that. Wow!”
The Green Day bassist also named Ross Valory from Journey, and Pete Rypins from the Bay Area punk band Crimpshrine as influences, as well.
Stay tuned for more from our Mike Dirnt interview, in which the bassist details his aforementioned new Epiphone signature bass, discusses his longstanding friendships with bandmates Billie Joe Armstrong and Tré Cool, names his favorite Green Day basslines, and touches on other topics. Pick up a Mike Dirnt Epiphone Grabber G-3 Bass via Reverb or Gibson.
