Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves is known for his popular movies, including the Matrix trilogy of films and the John Wick series of movies. However, he also has other talents, including playing his bass guitar in the band, Dogstar.
Now, as the band hits the road to celebrate its new album, “All In Now,” Keanu recalls the $300 Ibanez base guitar that started his music career. He also spoke of the players that shaped his musical style.
Ahead of Dogstar’s upcoming tour, the Hollywood actor and bass guitarist was interviewed about buying his first guitar and how his musical career began. Reeves spoke of his history with the bass guitar, his influencers and the musical gear he uses onstage.
Hollywood Actor Keanu Reeves & His Musical Career
Speaking to No Treble and the Bass Nerds, Keanu spoke of the origin of his guitar: “I was 22, went to Guitar Center and ended up buying a bass in the parking lot.”
As Dogstar heads out on a tour relating to its new album, “All In Now,” he spoke of the $300 Ibanez bass guitar and the players that influenced his own musical style.
In the video of the interview, Reeves spoke of his current rig, including a Fender American Ultra Precision Bass guitar and a Gallien-Krueger 2001RB Legacy head driving four 4×12 cabs.
Background To The Bass Guitar
But the conversation quickly goes beyond gear, with Reeves recalling the unlikely circumstances of his first bass purchase and the players who shaped his approach to the instrument.
“I started playing when I was 22, went to Guitar Center in Hollywood and I ended up buying a bass in the parking lot,” Reeves says. “It was a white Ibanez, four-string, with a rosewood neck for 300 bucks.”
Reeves said that from there, he moved on to Fender Precision Bass guitars, while he also spent time playing a Music Man.
“I played a MusicMan too for a little bit,” he says. “But in the progression I did a P Bass, but never did a Jazz,” he said, adding, “Now I like PJs.”
The actor referred to Precision basses, with both Precision Bass and Jazz Bass pickups, including the Ultra and Ultra II models. He went on to demonstrate what the band dubs the “Reeves’ riff,” the bass figure that formed the foundation of Dogstar’s title track and first single of “All In Now.”
Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves’ musical influences go back to defining bass sounds of alternative and punk rock. He spoke of the Ramones, Pixies bass guitarist Kim Deal and Peter Hook, the Joy Division/New Order bass player which are among his favorites. In the video, Reeves plays Hook’s bass line from Joy Division’s “Disorder.”
“I guess when I wanted to learn how to play when I was 22, it was the Ramones, a little punk rock. There was also the bass line to [Lou Reed’s] ‘Walk on the Wild Side.’ There was Kim Deal,” the actor said, while attempting to play Deal’s bass line from the Pixies’ “Gigantic.”
Reeves emphasized the bass guitar as a melodic instrument, rather than simply a rhythmic foundation, that appears to be central to Reeves from the beginning.
“Having the melody from the bass – I guess my ear always went to that… So yeah, I was drawn to that stuff.”
Reeves and Dogstar’s “All In Now” tour launches on September 29 at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. The video of the interview is included here:
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Keanu Reeves On The Road With His Band Dogstar & New Album