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Juan Alderete

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File:Juanalderete2.jpg
Juan Alderete, circa 2001.

Juan Alderete (September 5th, 1963) is an American bassist known for his work with the band Racer X, where he is credited as John Alderete. Although he still is with Racer X, Juan currently dedicates most of his time to the band, The Mars Volta, which also brings him much recognition.

Biography

Juan Alderete was born in Los Angeles, CA to a family of Hispanic heritage. He began to build interest in playing music when he was a teenager, although he has been exposed to it for almost his entire life; his father, although not a musician, was a big fan of jazz music, and often played it around the Alderete household. He also recalls listening to his brother's rock albums as he was growing up. He started learning the basics of the bass guitar when he was 16, and was influenced by such players as Jaco Pastorius, Geddy Lee, and Stanley Clarke. Apparently, his fascination with the bass guitar revolved around it being a somewhat "underappreciated" instrument at the time.

After high school, Juan enrolled in a college named Musicians Institute in Hollywood (Los Angeles, CA). He enjoyed his time in the school, explaining that he was able to learn techniques and styles that he had never even considered prior to his enrollment. Also during this time, he met a younger guitar player named Paul Gilbert, and the two quickly joined forces to form Racer X.

However, four years afterwards, Paul Gilbert left Racer X to form the band Mr. Big. The remaining members of Racer X decided to stay active in music, although they went their separate ways. For the next ten years, Juan would be involved in several different bands (including The Scream, Big Sir, and Distortion Felix) as well as becoming an instructor at Musicians Institute. Not long after, he released his first instructional video on bass techniques and modulation.

Although Extreme Volume II: Live was released in 1992, Racer X was not actually reunited. That year, Paul Gilbert was touring with Mr. Big, and Juan was recording with a hard rock band called The Scream. In actuality, the album was just a compilation of songs that were recorded in concerts before the hiatus. However, around 1999, Juan got a telephone call from Paul Gilbert, who asked if there was any possibility of recording another Racer X album. Juan agreed, and Racer X reunited to record Technical Difficulties, which features new material as well as older songs that were never recorded.

In 2004, Alderete joined The Mars Volta and recorded Frances The Mute that same year. The band has brought him a considerable amount of recognition: since joining the band, he has played at Madison Square Garden and was featured on the front cover of the March, 2005 issue of Bass Player Magazine.

File:Album racerxstreetlethal.jpg
Street Lethal (1986), by Racer X. This album marked Juan's first appearance on a studio album.

Forming Racer X in 1985

Juan and Paul Gilbert, who were two students of Musicians Institute, started their musical relationship during an audition that Paul held to find a drummer. Juan showed up at the audition, bringing a drum-playing friend named Bill. Although Bill was turned down for the part, Paul was impressed with Juan's bass playing; the two quickly sought to form a speed metal band that would incorperate Paul's guitar shredding techniques with Juan's solid bass lines. To complete the band, Harry Gschoesser joined to fill the drummer position, and Jeff Martin became the vocalist; the group named themselves Racer X (a title that Bill had suggested). With this lineup, the band released their debut album, Street Lethal, in 1986. Juan has been recording with Racer X ever since (note: there was a ten-year hiatus starting from 1989), and their latest album was released in 2002, titled Getting Heavier. Juan is credited as John Alderete on all Racer X albums.

Technique and Equipment

Influenced by players like Jaco Pastorius, Juan's main playing technique is to use the "standard" fingers to pluck the strings with his right hand (two fingers: index and middle). He will occasionally use Dunlop Gel picks, as well as his signature picks. He is also known to use two-handed tapping techniques and even slapping/popping.

For equipment, Juan almost exclusively uses vintage Fender basses - in particular, the Precision and Jazz Bass models. As mentioned above, Alderete uses picks manufactured by Dunlop. He also uses effects pedals by Dunlop, BOSS, and MXR, as well as amplifiers made by SWR and Ampeg.

Discography

Here are a list of albums that Alderete has appeared on:

  • Racer X - Street Lethal (1986)
  • Racer X - Second Heat (1988)
  • Racer X - Extreme Volume: Live (1988)
  • The Scream - Let It Scream (1991)
  • Racer X - Extreme Volume II: Live (1992)
  • Distortion Felix - Record (1999)
  • Distortion Felix - I'm An Athlete (1999)
  • Racer X - Technical Difficulties (2000)
  • Racer X - Superheroes (2000)
  • Big Sir - Big Sir (2000)
  • Big Sir - Now That's What I Call Big Sir (2001)
  • Racer X - Snowball of Doom (2002)
  • Racer X - Getting Heavier (2002)
  • Racer X - Snowball of Doom 2 (2002)
  • The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute (2005)
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