Given her punk-rock background, Greta Brinkman found playing live with Moby to be a new experience. Because his music is highly produced “eclec-tronica”, Moby always plays live with pre-recorded tracks. “We’re there to add the texture and visual excitement, but there are limitations,” Greta says. “The idea is to give a show that sounds like the CD, so there’s no room for improvising, except within the track’s rigid context. And we can never drag out an ending, or bring a song down and back up.” Still, Greta is enthusiastic about her role. “Moby audiences are generally lovely people, and you never have to worry that somebody out there is getting punched in the face.”
Moby’s latest CD, Play (Mute), combines old gospel vocal samples with modern beats and other backing tracks. “With Moby, as with all the gigs I do, I strive to be as professional as possible. That means I am on time, in tune, pleasant to work with , and I never embarrass the singer onstage.” Over the years Brinkman honed her approach in a variety of bands, but her basic, no-nonsense style has worked in all of them. “I’m not a failed guitarist. A lot of bassists wanted to play guitar and switched when they realized guitarists are a dime a dozen. I’ve never had any interest in playing anything but bass; it’s all I ever listened for at shows when I was younger.” Greta, a lefty, originally played a right-handed bass turned around, she now plays a left-handed Carvin LB-70 with GHS Boomers installed upside-down. “I didn’t know any better when I started, and now it’s much too late to change. I don’t recommend it, though. It’s practically impossible to play chords, and playing poppita-poppita white-boy funk – which I hate anyhow – is out of the question!”
With Moby’s heavy tour schedule, Greta needs reliable gear. “I’m using the same Gallien-Krueger 800RB head I’ve had for 20 years. I can turn it up loud withour distortion.” The head feeds G-K 115 and 410 cabs. She carries two of everything as a backup. “With some bands I might use a ProCo Rat distortion pedal or a flanger, but with Moby I just plug direct into a Shure wireless. I love the freedom of the wireless, especially on big stages.” Brinkman played on The Beauty Process (Warner Bros.) by L.A. punk group L7, and she still does session work for other groups. A project called Lucid Nation, featuring Hole Drummer patty Schemel, will surface soon. “They don’t have songs! They turn on the tape recorder and go. It was interesting.” Greta’s thoughts on her newfound high profile? “After years of eating dirt, it’s a treat to finally get some recognition for being a good musician. I’m still enough of a fan to get a thrill out of talking to other musicians I respect, but now I can do it on an equal footing.”