jazzmyne

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 2000

MICHAEL BRADFORD TURNS UP THE BASS ON KID ROCK TOUR

(Producer/Engineer/Musician On the Road with Kid Rock –

His Bass Adds Bottom to Tour In More Ways than One)

From Chuck Berry, to Little Richard to Jimi Hendrix, African Americans have greatly influenced the course of rock music. Bassist Michael Bradford realizes the legacy of rock music’s rich culture. As the bass player and engineer for Kid Rock, rock music’s current Number One hero, Bradford is keenly aware that he is filling some big shoes. With rock music credited with spawning pop, r&b and even rap, Bradford is taking the genre to the next level.

Originally, from Detroit, the “Motown” city, Bradford has been performing professionally since his teens. In fact, his first gig was with the reggae group, the Heptones, opening shows for Bob Marley and the Wailers. That led to a straight -ahead jazz stint, then tours with Anita Baker, Earl Klugh, Grant Green and even B.B. King. After years of playing, Bradford decided to explore the recording and engineering side of the business. He then relocated to Los Angeles, and established himself as one of the industry’s top programmer/ engineer.

Bradford and Kid Rock have been friends for several years. Bradford came across the fellow native Detroiter when someone passed along to him Rock’s independent cassette. Their friendship evolved into a productive musical collaboration with Bradford initially setting up a state of the art recording studio on Rock’s tour bus.

Explains Bradford, “I set up this entire Pro-Tools system on one of the buses and hit the road as Kid Rocks’ new traveling engineer. Not only were we recording songs for the New Kid Rock record, we were also working on tracks for Uncle Kracker, Kid Rock’s DJ, who is signed to Atlantic. We then did a Run DMC track, Tommy Lee’s Methods of Mayhem and a few Kid Rock song remixes for the Al Pacino blockbuster, “Any Given Sunday.”

The concept of recording, while barreling down highways between tour dates, has certainly attracted the music industry’s attention. The studio is set up for video editing as well.

Tapping into the full range of Bradford’s skills, Rock eventually requested that his road engineer also become his on-stage bass player.

“I love playing bass with Rock. I love the interaction, I love to get in somebody’s face and get a reaction out of them,” Bradford beams. “I also love doing all the show off stuff too, the double hammer-on soloing and tricks with all the overdrive and distortion.”

Indeed, Bradford’s presence on stage is not likely to be overlooked. His “chunky style” bass lines lend bottom to the show in many ways!

With rap and rock merging as a musical genre, Bradford has positioned himself as an musician that can do it all, and do it all at the same time if necessary. Proficient on guitar, keyboard and drums as well as bass, this sideman has evolved into a musical wizard.

Engineer, remixer and programmer, his credits run the gamut of mainstream performers like the Spice Girls and Madonna, to underground artists like Mankind Liberation Front on RCA, Terrence Trent D’Arby and Virgin Record’s Neneh Cherry. His film credits include not only “Any Given Sunday,“ but also Paramount/Showtime’s “Mean Streak” and “The Fan” starring Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes.” His own new musical endeavor, an electro-influenced project that combines the best of underground music with classic soul and funk is sure to turn some heads.

As Bradford concludes, “ It’s interesting how many music related careers are out there as long as you open yourself to the opportunities and educate yourself. Since I’ve worked in so many musical styles over the years, I can bring it all into what I am doing. From reggae to jazz to hip hop to rock and roll, I’ve got all bases covered.”

Bradford is a stunning example of a musical Renaissance man. As he continues to command the stage during the current Kid Rock tour, it is very likely that Jimi Hendrix, one of his greatest inspirations, is somewhere up there smiling.

For more information on Michael Bradford, hit his site at www.chunkystyle.com.

Photo Caption: Guitar master, Kevin Eubanks (left) kicks it with engineer/ bassist Michael Bradford (right) after Kid Rock’s appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” (Photo courtesy of NBC-TV.)

Note to Media: Michael Bradford is available for interview.