Barry Sparks bass player extraordinaire.  Having lent his talent to a multitude of big names including Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker Group and most recently Uli Jon Roth, this six string bass demon has become one of the most respected bassists in the metal genre.  Join R.F.M.D. as we quiz Barry on his career past and present.

All questions by Andy Craven

[Barry live with MSG]

RFMD: The first album where you first became heard in the metal world was on Guy Mann Dude's 'Manic Distortion' album, how did you hook up with Guy and what are your recollections of that period?  
BS: Hmmm,  lets see, I think a friend of mine told him about me,  it was a really rockin band, we were real heavy,  the best way to describe it was , it was kinda like Metallica's "Master Of Puppets",  it was a lot of fun, we did a tour in Czechoslovakia, (well that's what it was then!) and it went really well, it should have gone farther than it did, but , you know how these things go sometimes! I was youngster back then so I learned a lot from Guy, he was a very talented guitar player that was once a drummer for Steve Vai!

RFMD: Next you hooked up with Yngwie Malmsteen for 'The Seventh Sign' tour and recorded the 'I Can't Wait' ep and 'Magnum Opus'. How challenging musically was it playing with Yngwie?
BS: I don't know, I think I was ready for that gig musically, but, I did get a lot better from playing with him! being on the road constantly took my bass playing to a new level!  I think the hardest part was just surviving the road with him! The alcohol that was consumed during those tours could have supplied an entire country!

RFMD: What were your favourite Malmsteen songs to play live, and what did you learn from your time with him?
BS: I think my favorite songs were probably....Trilogy, (I was so proud of myself that I could pull that off without using a pick!, oh....but did he ever hate me for it! we had many an argument about that issue!)) and ....."Far beyond the sun", I guess, because its such a classic tune of his. Lets see here, I learned a lot about the classical side of music, well at least what he does, harmonic minor, phrygian. Looking back, its kinda funny because everyday something completely wacky would happen, club owners hated us! and we left a little black cloud of destruction everywhere we went, but somehow, (I don't know how!) everything seemed to just keep on truckin', like a finely tuned machine!, (must have been that deal with satan at the crossroads!)

[Magnum Opus era YJM [L to R]: Mats Olausson, Shane Gaalaas, Yngwie, Barry Sparks, Michael Vescera]

RFMD: You played bass on Michael Vescera's first MVP album 'Windows', how come you were not on the follow up 'Animation'?
BS: Gee....I don't know? good question!  I think I was maybe on the road with Michael Schenker or something? can't remember, I think he was putting a band together using people that lived on the east coast and well, I live in Tucson, so that might have had something to do with it.

RFMD: Next you joined MSG [Michael Schenker Group] which in between other projects has been your longest running gig, how did you hook up with Michael?
BS: I think the whole "Yngwie" thing led to that. Michael was my all time favorite guitarist so it was pretty cool getting to play with one of my heroes.

RFMD: 'Written In Sand' marked a return to form for Schenker, did you feel at the time that it would lead to a resurgence in his popularity?
BS: I knew we wouldn't be in the top 40 or anything, but I did feel really good about that album and I know Michael is also very proud of it. But it was kinda sad seeing something that could have been amazing... not happen, for really stupid reasons!

RFMD: In Yngwie's band and MSG you paired up with drummer Shane Gaalaas and become one of the hottest rhythm sections on the scene, is there a special chemistry when the two of you play together?
BS: No, we actually hate each other! (just kidding!) Shane is one of my closest friends, we have been through so much together on the road and have played so many gigs together that we just really seem to gel and I am always learning from him (he knows about all kinds of different styles of drumming and I am a bonehead rocker so he seems to keep me on my toes!  

RFMD: John West's 'Mind Journey' was another excellent album with your involvement, from what I understand you were extremely rushed recording it, yet it sounds great [esp 'Fair Trade'] - are you pleased with how it came out?
BS: Considering how it was done,  I am. It was a tough thing to get done so fast! by the time I was done recording my brain felt like it had been run through a meat grinder, but then again that might be why the playing is so slick! there was'nt time to sit back and say " hmmm, should I try that again?"

RFMD: You are involved in a project called 'Cosmosquad' with Jeff Kollman and again Shane Gaalaas, is this a project that you would like to see get more recognition than it has?
BS: Yes, for sure. Its a really great band!  some of  the most challenging music I have ever played! We have just finished our second cd so hopefully it will be released soon.

RFMD: You then went back to John West for his second solo album 'Permanent Mark', work wise was it a case of deja vu?
BS: Yes, a little bit, but it was quite a bit different because Shane and Jeff were on it as well and I actually missed alot of the rehearsals! I got there a day before we started recording! so I had to learn the songs as I recorded them! that was'nt easy! but somehow I pulled it off!

RFMD: In 98 you teamed up with Mike Vescera and Mike Terrana again for Roland Grapow's 'Kaleidoscope' album, I thought the album was excellent, particularly the raw sound of the album, it sounds like you guys were having a lot of fun recording it with that energy captured on disc, are there any plans to collaborate with Roland and Mike again?
BS: Yes, I had a lot of fun playing on that record. It was recorded in Hamburg at Roland's studio. I didn't actually get to jam with everyone at the same time, I came in and recorded my bass right after the drums were recorded, but it does have a real "live" sound to it.  I would have loved to have been a part of the tour they did, but I was on the road with M.S.G at the time so I missed out on that.  I hope to be a part of the next one!

RFMD: You seem to have worked with some of the best guitarists on the scene, as well as the aforementioned Malmsteen, Schenker and Grapow you have worked with many more equally talented players such as Vinnie Moore, Jeff Kolman and George Bellas. What is it that you find so appealing playing with players that tend to be more towards the neo-classical end of the market, and what have you learnt from each?
BS: That kind of music requires some real "bass chops" and because I am kind of known for being a "technical" kind of  player I seem to end up on a lot of these kind of albums and  I feel very lucky to get to play with such great guitar players, most of which I grew up listening to! I think  I learn something new from each of those guys, they all have their own "thing" that they do, so maybe I get to steal a little bit from each of them!

RFMD: You contributed bass tracks to Uli Jon Roth's phenomenal latest album 'Transcendental Sky Guitar', I know Uli and Michael Schenker share management so was this were the liason started or did you know Uli prior to your current involvement?
BS: That obviously helped, but I did meet Uli in England in 1995 during Yngwie's "Magnum Opus" tour. I  went to see Rainbow with Yngwie at the Apollo and Uli was also there, so I got to hang out with him a bit then.   I think he might have remembered me from that time.

RFMD: Uli's talent is hard to describe, but what is it about his playing and compositions that makes it exciting for you to be involved with him?
BS: Its very challenging playing with Uli.  You have to always listen to what he's doing because we never really seem to play a song the same way twice! and if your not on your toes your gonna  look like an idiot!  and believe me, its easy to look like an idiot trying to keep up with Uli's guitar playing and Don Airey's keyboard playing!

RFMD: Will you playing on his forthcoming concerts? If so how has the workload been learning the material?
BS: Yes , we are going to be in Japan very soon, I am really looking forward to this because he has not been to japan since 1978 with the Scorpions! so I think the tour is gonna be a pretty special thing.  The workload has definitely been learning the material. There is so much to remember for one show! and we never end up doing what we talk about a month before the tour, its usually a day or two before the tour starts and he says..." oh by the way, we are gonna also do this this little 25 minute classical epic" but don't worry, its real easy! (yeah, sure!)  but so far my brain is still intact!

RFMD: Your most recent release has been Michael Schenker's 'Dreams & Expressions', I have only had it a few days but I am amazed how good it is.  I believe it was recorded in a day, had you heard any of the progressions prior to this or was it a case of Michael playing you the main parts and then winging it?
BS: No I didn't get to hear a thing. The guitars were pretty much done I think? So I came in and they pushed record and I just started playing, actually, its kind of funny, because Ralph, the engineer would call out the chords as they were coming up, so some of  what you hear is also the first time I heard it too! it actually took maybe two days because there were some studio problems which led to me sitting around quite a bit! and It wouldn't have been so rushed but we were not originally going to be on the album because of financial disagreements, then I got a panic call from them, which cleared up our financial disagreement!

RFMD: Out of all the different tours you have done which have been the most challenging? the most fun? or the biggest nightmare?
BS: I think, no let me rephrase that, I know, the most challenging thing I have ever done musically was the Uli Roth concert with the Detmold Orchestra! whew! that was tough. We played almost three hours of classical music, including Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and I don't really read music! (bonehead!) so I had to remember all of it! I was the only one out of like fifty people without sheet music! (what an idiot!) but it also gave me an edge  because it enabled me to really "play" the music with some real "feel" which I think you lose a bit of when your eyes our on a sheet of paper. I also think Uli was quite surprised that I could remember all of the millions of changes! it was like the biggest game of "Simon" ever played!  

RFMD: As well as all the many projects you have done with others you have managed to release a solo album 'Glimmer Of Hope', this cd is completely out of style of your more well known projects, how did it turn out completely acoustic?
BS: That's a good question! I guess because I was really influenced by Michaels acoustic stuff  it didn't seem to need any bass or drums. I have always played guitar, but not too many people know that, so I think some people thought I was a little nuts, but for me guitar is actually a lot easier for me to play because I am used to playing a six string bass, the next is much bigger and its physically much harder to play than guitar so when I pick up a guitar it feels a little bit like a toy.

RFMD: Are there any artists you would like to work with?
BS: Of course, I would really love to be part of a real "band" like Metallica! (hey there's an idea!) Steve Morse is an another hero of mine, I would love to work with him or maybe even something completely different like Collective Soul or Garbage, that would be a blast!

RFMD: If you could point to one album that you have been involved with you are most proud of, which one is it?
BS: "Glimmer Of Hope", my acoustic album, because it was the first time I had done something completely on my own and I learned so much from that.  Its kinda cool because every time I give someone a few cd's I have played on they always comment on that cd the most!

RFMD: Fun time, you are the musical director of a Super Group of your own making, you may include yourself, who would be your surrounding personnel?
BS: Lets see here.....
Barry Sparks-bass
Carmen Electra- lead vocals
Catherine Zeta Jones- lead guitar
Nikki Cox- keyboards
Ashley Judd- drums
Jenny Mcarthy- bass tech and towel girl.

  ok...get real!

  Barry Sparks -bass and  Geddy-like vocals
Neil Peart- drums
Alex Lifeson- guitar
Jenny Mcarthy- bass tech and towel girl.

  "Blasphemy"!!!!

  RFMD: What are some of the albums/influences that have shaped your playing or your attitude to music?
BS: Rush..."Caress Of Steel", "2112", "Hemispheres" .
Iron Maiden...."Killers", "Number Of The Beast" .
UFO..."Obsession", "Lights Out".
Yes..."Close To The Edge", "Fragile".
Black Sabbath..."Heaven And Hell" "Mob Rules".
Stanley Clarke..."School days"

RFMD: Finally any funny stories you would like to share with us from any of your projects?
BS: Any given day on tour with Yngwie Malmsteen! ( ahh... I'm just kidding!)

That sums up the interview, I would like to thank Barry again for agreeing to the interview.
Now check out Barry's Official Site

More interviews