As he prepares to celebrate his 73rd birthday this week, iconic bassist Billy Sheehan is reflecting on his monumental career with a surprising level of humility. During a recent appearance on the “Mind Behind The Music” podcast hosted by John White, the bass virtuoso opened up about his continuous drive for self-improvement and why he actively avoids letting his ego take control.
When asked if there was a specific moment he felt he had truly discovered his own unique voice on the instrument, Billy Sheehan offered a profoundly grounded response (as transcribed by Blabbermouth):
“Not really. I don’t really think much of myself. I don’t really think anything about my playing. I do what I do. In my mind I suck all the time because I’m always trying this new thing and I’m this far away from it. So once I get that, I don’t throw a party and congratulate myself and put a crown on my head. Now I find the next thing I suck at and work at that. So it’s always a challenge. I’m always challenged and challenging myself, so I never look at myself as anything other than some bass-playing schlep who’s trying his best to survive somehow on bass. So, yeah, I’ve never really looked into it.”
The veteran musician further emphasized the importance of maintaining a humble perspective, pointing out that true mastery requires acknowledging the vast amount of talent that exists in the world.
“I think it’s really, really important for any musician to really dig deep and dive into the deep end of humility, because no matter how good you think you are, somebody out there is way better, no matter what. And so I’ll see some Chinese girl sit down and do Rachmaninov on the piano and it’s, like, ‘Who am I kidding? This kid is a genius player.’ Yuja Wang is her name. Look her up on YouTube and watch her playing ‘Flight Of The Bumblebee‘. Not one of my favorite pieces, ’cause it’s pretty cliché, but she plays it like a fiend. And any musician anywhere, especially in the rock world, who looks at that and doesn’t go, ‘I suck’, then you need help. It’s really an important thing for musicians because you stop yourself from moving forward, if you think, ‘Oh, I’m pretty fabulous at this,’ or ‘I’m pretty awesome at that.'”
Concluding his thoughts on the dangers of praise, he added:
“So, yeah, I think it’s really important to be really careful about what you think about yourself. I avoid any praise as best I can. It’s important, because you really do shut the door to improving, I believe. There can be no other way, really, if you really wanna continue to grow.”
Billy Sheehan has undoubtedly cemented his legacy as one of the most innovative and celebrated players in rock history. After rising to prominence in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, with the hard rock trio Talas, he catapulted to international fame in 1985 when he joined former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth‘s solo band, alongside guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and drummer Gregg Bissonette. The lineup recorded two commercially successful albums before Billy departed to forge his own path.
In 1989, he formed the melodic hard rock supergroup Mr. Big. The band achieved staggering global success, particularly with their acoustic smash hit “To Be With You“—featured on their second Atlantic Records studio album, Lean Into It—which claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts in the U.S. and 14 other countries.
Throughout the decades, the highly sought-after session player and clinician has continued to push musical boundaries. In 1996, he founded the progressive fusion trio Niacin featuring legendary drummer Dennis Chambers, and more recently, he teamed up with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen to form the powerhouse rock trio The Winery Dogs. He has also notably lent his extensive talents to the progressive metal supergroup Sons Of Apollo.
