What are the bass sounds in here?

Most of the chord progression, everything. Other than the guitar soloing on top, which is my friend Zane Carney. He came over and we had a couple of nights of sitting there watching Fist of the North Star. Zane is a massive guitar player and I really appreciate that he would even take the time to come over and add to things. He immediately got what I meant, I guess. He went for it, and every time I hear it, his parts are so prominent. As subtle as it feels, this guy is doing some old Ren & Stimpy, he’s going! Those chord progressions are pretty, they’re moving and he just was like, “Oh, let’s go!” I’m like, “Yeah, dude!” Other than that, it’s all bass.

You’re engineering your own bass sounds, or how do you get the different sounds and tones?

It changes. Sometimes it’s post-effects, sometimes it’s pre-, or post-recording. I don’t know. It’s just messing around with the instrument. There’s also Flying Lotus sitting there. Trying to take on different roles with the instrument again. Trying to convey the idea the way you mean it to be from this instrument. It takes on many different frequencies and many different forms and stuff.

Why did you settle on the six string?

The six string became the tool that I would write from more. As I would write from it more, I’d feel comfortable playing it live because some of those parts are really, these thick harmonies and stuff where my hands are coarse, stretched out all weird and stuff. At the same time, that’s what I write with, so that’s how I play it live. There was one point where I was like, “I got to have two bass players.”

It worked to some degree, but then when I started to look at it as I have to play both roles, I stopped being so afraid and then tried to go with it.

I had to not be afraid of that. I also have a friend of mine that is an outstanding piano player by the name of Dennis Hamm, whose brain is just twice as fast. He would play bass every now and again on keys.

Do you feel your brain is slower when you’re drunk?

Yeah, absolutely.

Is that why you say you can’t play when…

Yeah. I never tried to, my whole entire life. I’ve never tried to play drunk. Maybe one time. I’ve never tried to mix those two. Other than a couple of times, maybe.

It’s the after-party?

Yeah, it’s the part where everybody wants to TALK and everybody wants to… socialize.

You don’t like the talking, social bit?

There’s levels. There’s a part where I can keep up. I’ve toured for years with people where that’s just part of what comes with it. Then there’s the part where you win a Grammy and then everybody wants to talk to you longer. You’re just kind of like, “What’s going on right now?”

Would you enjoy being a musician more if it wasn’t for the shit after?

No, I think the whole idea is that it’s all part of it – it’s embodied in what this idea of a musician is. It comes with what we do, it’s a beautifully distorted thing. It’s just saying that it can play a role in what you do. Would I enjoy being a musician more if I didn’t drink? I enjoy being a musician thoroughly. It’s not a thing of me enjoying it or not.

It’s just a part where it has its ups and downs and twists and turns, inside of the drinking. There’s life lived that you can’t make up for. It has its own merit I think, even if there’s denotation to other things when you get drunk. That’s a whole other person. You’re not talking to the guy that can level and reason. You’re talking to a person whose reasoning has been altered.

What was the night with the hot sauce?

Oh my God. Everybody every now and again sees me and this guy on the internet hanging out. He’s the only guy I talk to on the internet. He’s named Zack Fox, some people may know him as Bootymath. He’s been working on the album artwork with me. Also, he’s just a real genuine friend that I’ve known for a couple years now. So, this is the hot sauce story: Me and him had been watching a series that’s on YouTube, called “Hot Ones,” and I’m sure lots of people have seen it.
They’ll do anything from T-Pain, Eric Andre, to Action Bronson, they have all these different people in it. We watch it and it’s very funny because once they get to the fifth hot wing, they’re in genuine pain, physical pain. Coolio went on the show and had to go to the hospital or something.

We were watching the show, so Bootymath goes, “You know they make other hot sauces that are hotter?” I was like, “Oh really?” At this time we had already gone and tasted the hottest sauce at a restaurant. We had this full-on psychedelic experience with this hot sauce. So we go on Amazon and get this hot sauce, and we’re sitting here having our own Hot Ones challenge with just full-on physical damage happening, straight up. Zack’s falling all over the place. I’m partially – I can’t – my body’s convulsing because it’s intensely hot. I’m trying to act like I’m chilling but this thing is… you know.

We’re like, “Oh cool.” Then I was like, “Let’s do it again.” We keep doing it, so later that night I’m just, I’m completely checked out. He couldn’t leave the house. He was supposed to come to the show with me and he was just like, “I can’t go man.” He’s like, “I can’t go.” He’s out of commission. I was like, “It’s cool. I’m going to go.” There’s still more to the story, there’s the part where I accidentally wipe it on my butthole. Then there’s the part where I accidentally rub it in my eyes the next day. I’ve always been one that enjoys shenanigans. It’s all fun and games until somebody’s eye actually gets poked out I guess. Thank God, I still have both my eyes, basically.

Thundercat in conversation with Red Bull Music Academy