Welcome to The Apex Mindset Podcast!

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and bass teacher, John Reid, a professor and performing professional musician whose journey through sound, stages, classrooms, and studios has shaped more players than most people will ever realize. From discovering Steppenwolf and choosing the low end, to navigating early bands, career pivots, and the realities of making a life in music, John shares the moments that defined him, playing bass as a left-hander in a right-handed world, and the musicians who influenced his path.

We talk groove vs. technique, why bass is more than "just rhythm," the truth behind the "failed guitarist" myth, and how music theory becomes a language, not a rulebook. John also reflects on teaching at South Plains College, what it really takes to pursue music as a career having lived the life himself, and why passion sometimes evolves into purpose.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

00:53 - The Beatles & the Spark That Started It All

02:00 - Left-Handed, Right-Handed: Playing Bass Backwards

04:10 - Why Bass? John's First Love

06:15 - The Gibson eb-0 & The "Mudbucker"

07:17 - From Underage Prodigy to Sound Tech to Texas: A Career Pivot

16:20 - Finding His Lane at South Plains College

17:50 - Why Teaching Became the Real Calling

18:58 - Canadian Bands, Cold Winters & What-Ifs

19:53 - Early Days at SPC: Patience & Personalities

22:10 - First Bands, Gigs, First Lessons

23:45 - Jerry Serrano, Alma Quartet & Recording Solitude

38:38 - Genre Shapes Technique: Playing Across Styles

40:50 - Pick vs Fingers: Finding the Right Feel

45:25 - Groove vs Technique: Speaking the Language of Bass

50:27 - Are Bassists Just Failed Guitarists? (Let's Set That Straight)

54:23 - The Bass Player's Role: Locking in With the Band

58:03 - What John's Working On Now

1:03:46 - Current Influences & Live Playthroughs

1:10:00 - The Reality of a Music Career: Fitting Into the Nashville Mold

Thanks For Watching!

Follow John:

https://www.spccreativearts.com/home/john-reid/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/john.reid.7509/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/reidjohnfrederick/

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https://www.ethanpeal.com/

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Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ethanpealofficial

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X - https://x.com/ethanApeal

Purchase the Album "Solitude" Here! - https://almaquartet1.bandcamp.com/album/solitude

Listen to the Full Album - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ki9MQcU_xm_qKxdVaeqyX2TRLGF2kL3q8

Purchase Vinyl "Legends In Their Spare Time" Here! - https://www.discogs.com/release/2248142-Mackinaw-Legends-In-Their-Spare-Time?srsltid=AfmBOoqaIkOw4oKMjmg7JadGcmZF7dQW0pNGxdtEN2DlCkDqZLY06KDH

Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7kYPLDW2Ew&list=RDd7kYPLDW2Ew&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rhup_Ikblo&list=RD4rhup_Ikblo&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvfTO-mErzM&list=RDXvfTO-mErzM&start_radio=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_T.

#TheApexMindsetPodcast #bass #performingarts #musictheory #music