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Bill Clements

- Kalamazoo, MI Jazz / Drum & Bass / Classic Rock

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About

Members: Bill Clements

Sounds Like: Rocco Prestia, Jaco Pastorius

Bio: Bassist Bill Clements, began playing at the age of 13, inspired by Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, and other prog-rock bass giants. Bill decided early on, one way or another, bass playing would be his path. Forgoing a formal musical education, Bill instead embarked on an intensive program of practice an... See Full Bio

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Had a great time playing the Three Rivers Harmony Fest on Sunday, thanks to all who made it out!!

Press

“Michigan native Bill Clements had a promising career as a bass player until he lost his right arm in an industrial accident in 1989. In a tremendous display of determination and sheer guts, Bill developed his own unique one-handed style of bass playing and, remarkably, was able to resume his career. His fiery virtuoso chops have evoked comparisons to bass heroes Jaco Pastorius and Rocco Prestia, among others. Clements continues to astound audiences worldwide.”

— Jon Liebman, For Bass Players Only

“In a tiny, sweltering A-frame all ages club in Chesterfield, Indiana circa 1989, my head was blown apart by Bill Clements. He was touring at the time with a band called Catharsis - a pretty forgettable band save Bill's performance. His playing was very busy; but the lines bubbled and peculated, relentlessly pushing the band forward. Bill had a familiarity with the fingerboard that I had seldom seen. He worked the whole neck, not just the lower third (like I do) and it never seemed ejaculatory. Oh - and Bill doesn't have a right hand. That night, he wore a shiny metal hook on his forearm, almost as an in-your-face-reminder of this fact.* Watching Bill's hand span the fingerboard on that Washburn Status bass made me incredibly self conscious about not only my small hands, but my crappy practice ethic. I left the Flipside club vowing to work harder.”

— Matt, History Lesson Pt. 2 - Blog

“Joel McIver meets a bassist whose unique playing style demonstrates that if you want something badly enough, nothing will stand in your way. The Michigan-resident, Bill Clements, is our kind of guy, coming back from an industrial accident in 1989 in which he lost his right hand to develop a playing style that is entirely his own. Check out YouTube for proof, but in a nut shell his technique is based on a left-hand tapping approach, while a string damper prevents too much resonance. So what's Clements' philosophy when it comes to bass playing? He replies: 'For me, it involved having an almost instantaneous love for the sound and feel for the instrument. Then you have to be willing to find the most interesting players on the planet...and study them - even if that means just listening to them - and try not to rip them off as a matter of general respect.' He deserves more than a little respect of his own. Check out the rest of the interview in issue #62 of Bass Guitar Magazine”

— Joel McIver, Bass Guitar Magazine

“KALAMAZOO — Longtime bassist Bill Clements has released two new albums, via iTunes. Clements, who tends to distance himself from most anything commercial sounding, said (Captain Midnight) is a “benchmark” for where he was three years ago — more jazz-fusion focused. He also tried to “alienate fewer people musically” on this album. “I consider that to be a record you can throw on during a party and keep it on repeat and everybody would have a good time type of thing,” Clements said. More recently, Clements has joined forces with longtime friend and musician Herb Ledbetter (formerly of the bands Thought Industry, Waterladies), and a rotation of drummers that play Ledbetter originals, AM radio hits and old country selections. Clements said the group’s material tends to be the musicians “cherry picking their favorites.” ”

— John Liberty, Kalamazoo Gazette

“The program kept on running with the next performer, who is a truly a phenomenal bassist, Bill Clements. Bill is widely recognized as the one arm bass player. Bill is a groove machine and always pushes new territory with his band. Bill’s playing is always high intensity and always grooving. Bill’s group played an extended improvised selection to open their high energy set. Bill is truly an amazing bassist and a genuinely great guy.”

— Tim Seiser, Bass Musician Magazine

"OK, let's get this out of the way: Bill is NOT your normal bass player. His lines are fluid yet percolating, very reminiscent of Rocco Prestia…on drugs, with some Jaco thrown in on top. His drum and bass workouts are a crash course in funky grooves, interesting note choices, the art of synchopation and more. Oh, yeah…he does it with one arm."

— Eden Electronics Website

"Obsessed with Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, and the bass itself, Clements quickly developed a left-handed tapping technique, jumped right back into the local scene, and has been flying over the fingerboard ever since. Due to his physical circumstances, the garrulous Clements has a unique perspective on how to make your left hand as potent as possible."

— Alan Goldsher, Bass Player Magazine

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A-Train
I love it:)
Rocky Rogers Project
Im blown away....great sound....amazing to watch....I love it!...RR
Rick Millward
enjoyed Message of Love today!
EP Emsley
Bass playing like a deamon...I approve of this!
Reminisce 1
great music. i was locked up at a tx prison named bill clements.
Sonic Sobriety
Great music Bill.....love your funky playing! Thanks and Cheers!