Brian Wheat From Tesla On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

“Wait… did I miss something? Why is there an article about a bass podcast on Six Pixels of Separation?”

Here’s why:
In the late nineties my first job was as a music journalist (actually, my first interview was with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue right before the band released Dr. Feelgood).
I spent many years interviewing musicians and artists for local weekly alternative newspapers, national and international magazines (and even published three music magazines – before we had the Internet).
I also studied and played the electric bass (in high school and post-secondary) and always felt like bass players never really had a chance to tell their stories.
So, about ten years ago, Seth Godin introduced me to Corey Brown (founder of No Treble – one of the world’s biggest bass platforms – and he also worked on Squidoo with Seth).
From there, Corey and I decided to try this monthly podcast where I would interview bass players and talk about their music, art, creativity and more.
I’m hopeful that these conversations will inspire your work, creativity and innovation as much as they do for me…

Brian Wheat from Tesla is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #120 – Brain Wheat.

Brian Wheat has always been a storyteller, whether through his bass lines with Tesla or his lens as a photographer. Known as the bassist for the multi-platinum rock band Tesla, Brian’s career spans decades of creating music, touring the world, and evolving as an artist in unexpected ways. Born in Sacramento, California, Brian knew from a young age that music was his calling. Inspired by his siblings’ record collections, it was The Beatles’ Revolver that first lit the spark. By 12, a broken leg led to a serendipitous gift – a guitar. Brian wanted to be more Paul McCatney than John Lennon, so he sold his Schwinn bike for $40 and bought his first bass. That moment cemented a lifelong passion for the instrument that would become his identity. In the early ’80s, Brian and his friend, Frank Hannon, started jamming in garages, first as Earthshaker, then City Kidd, before becoming Tesla. With Jeff Keith, Troy Luccketta, and Tommy Skeoch rounding out the lineup, Tesla quickly gained momentum. By 1985, they were signed to Geffen Records, and the rest is rock history. Hits like ‘Love Song’ and ‘Modern Day Cowboy’ showcased their bluesy hard rock style, and decades later, their music still resonates with fans. During this conversation, Brian shares stories about the band’s early days, the grind of touring, and his love for the collaborative process of music. Tesla’s music reflects their roots – raw, honest, and deeply connected to their fans. Despite years of global success, Brian remains grounded, finding joy in the simplicity of creating and performing music with his bandmates. But there’s more to Brian than his time with Tesla. About a decade ago, during a break from touring, he discovered a new creative outlet: photography. A vacation with rock photographer Ross Halfin introduced Brian to the Leica camera, and a new passion was born. He started capturing the world around him, seeking out unique locations and moments of quiet beauty amidst the chaos of a rock star’s life. Brian’s photography has since evolved into what he calls Enhanced Photography – a mix of photography and painting. His work combines vivid colors and textures, resulting in striking images that blur the line between photo and painting. Some of his pieces even adorn Hofner basses, transforming them into playable works of art. Brian also has a new band with AleX – an emerging singer/songwriter from the U.K. The duo has joined forces to create a new band called Violet Breed, with their debut single, ‘Awake‘ out now. Whether on stage with Tesla or behind the camera or making music for Violet Breed, Brian continues to share his unique perspective with the world, one note – and one frame/bar – at a time. Enjoy the conversation…

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #120- Brian Wheat.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends).