William Sheehan (born March 19, 1953
) is an American musician. He is best known for playing the
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...
with acts such as Talas,
Steve Vai,
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Best known for his wild, energetic stage persona, he was the original lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen across three stints, from 1974 to 1985, in 1996 and again fro ...
,
Mr. Big
Mr. Big may refer to:
Entertainment
In film and literature
* Mister Big (James Bond), a villain in the novel and film ''Live and Let Die''
* ''Mister Big'' (1943 film), a 1943 musical
* ''Mr. Big'' (2007 film), a 2007 documentary
In televisi ...
, Niacin, and
The Winery Dogs. He is also known for his "lead bass" playing style, including the use of
chording, two-handed
tapping, "three-finger
picking" technique and controlled
feedback
Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to ''feed back'' into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handled ...
. Sheehan has been voted "Best Rock Bass Player" five times in ''
Guitar Player'' readers' polls.
Career
Early years
Billy Sheehan's first electric bass was a
Hagström FB, which was soon joined by a
Precision bass. After acquiring the Precision bass, he removed the frets from the Hagström. Over the years, he heavily modified the Precision bass as well,
scalloping the five highest frets, adding a neck pickup and additional support for the bolt-on neck, which Sheehan considers the instrument's greatest weakness. The neck pickup was added for what Sheehan referred to as "super deep low end" modelled after
Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Granville Samwell-Smith (born Paul Smith, 8 May 1943, in Richmond, Surrey, England) is an English musician and record producer. He was a founding member and the bassist of the 1960s English rock band the Yardbirds, which launched leading g ...
of the
Yardbirds and
Mel Schacher of
Grand Funk Railroad. The
Gibson EB-0 type pickup in the neck and the original split-coil Precision bass pickup each have their own separate stereo output jacks on the bass itself, allowing for control of the tone via the bass. The Precision bass has since been retired, but Sheehan still affectionately refers to it as "The Wife". Sheehan's signature Yamaha Attitude bass is patterned after this instrument. Sheehan also uses two amps to achieve his signature tone, one with full distortion and high pass filtering to sound more guitar-like, and one super-clean for the low end of the neck pickup.
Talas

Sheehan's first full-time band was Talas, a power trio with Dave Constantino on guitar and Paul Varga on drums. The band played a mixture of cover songs and original material, and all three instrumentalists alternated on lead vocals.
Talas was a popular local band in Buffalo for over a decade, attaining a cult status which spread into the northeast US and into Canada. In 1979, Talas released their eponymous debut album, which generated the regional hit single, "See Saw". It was during this time that Sheehan wrote "Shy Boy" (later re-recorded with David Lee Roth), and "Addicted to that Rush" (later re-recorded with Mr Big).
In the late 1970s, Sheehan also played in a band called Light Years with drummer Ron Rocco who had earlier played in a band called Black Sheep with Foreigner singer Lou Gramm in Rochester, NY. After Sheehan returned to Talas they opened a show for UFO in Buffalo. This led Sheehan to an association with guitarist Michael Schenker and also helped land him the job touring with UFO in 1983.
Talas' first national exposure happened in 1980, when they opened thirty shows for Van Halen. However, success was elusive, and even as their brand of what came to be known as "glam metal" gained popularity over the next few years, Talas remained an unsigned act, partly due to poor management. They independently released their debut "Talas" LP on Evenfall Records (reissued by Metal Blade), and then "Sink Your Teeth into That" on Relativity Records.
Seeking to take Talas further than just regional success, Sheehan reformed Talas with another drummer (Mark Miller), guitarist (Mitch Perry, also later of Heaven), and a dedicated vocalist, Phil Naro, with whom in the late 1970s Sheehan had previously worked in his side project (the Billy Sheehan Band). Talas would release only one more album, Live Speed on Ice. After Mitch Perry left the band, he was replaced by Johnny Angel, who played guitar with them for their 1985/86 US tour opening for Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. There was a fourth Talas record, tentatively titled "Lights, Camera, Action" to be issued on Gold Mountain/A&M, but it never got past the demo stage due to Sheehan leaving to join David Lee Roth's solo band. Talas did briefly continue on under Phil Naro sans Sheehan, enlisting
Jimmy DeGrasso on drums,
Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.
Career
Early career (1982–1995)
Pitrelli attended the Berklee College of Music ...
on guitar,
Bruno Ravel
Bruno Ravel (born May 1, 1964) is a bassist and guitarist, best known for playing in the band Danger Danger in which he is the main composer.
Before Danger Danger, Ravel was in the band Hotshot, along with original Danger Danger lead vocalist M ...
on bass and Gary Bivona on keyboards but by this time Talas was dead and Ravel formed
Danger Danger. Sheehan also auditioned for
Toronto based rock band
Max Webster, being a long time friend of Max Webster singer/guitarist
Kim Mitchell.
In the early 1980s, Sheehan became involved with the proto-thrash metal band Thrasher, during this time he shared the stage with future Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz. His involvement with Thrasher did not last long but he did play on the self-titled LP, reissued on CD in 2008.
David Lee Roth band
:''See
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Best known for his wild, energetic stage persona, he was the original lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen across three stints, from 1974 to 1985, in 1996 and again fro ...
.''
Mr. Big
:''See
Mr. Big (American band)
Mr. Big is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1988. The band was originally composed of Eric Martin (lead vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Pat Torpey (drums). Though primarily a hard rock band, they are also ...
.''
Niacin
In 1996, Sheehan formed the jazz fusion band Niacin with drummer
Dennis Chambers and keyboardist
John Novello
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
.
The band's name comes from the timbral foundation of the
Hammond B3 organ; vitamin B
3 is also known as
niacin.
Niacin released their first studio album in 1996. Their music is primarily instrumental, with the exception of their third studio album, ''
Deep'' (2000), which features vocals by
Glenn Hughes Glenn Hughes or Glen Hughes may refer to:
*Glenn Hughes (musician), born 1951
*Glenn Hughes (American singer) (1950–2001)
*Glenn Hughes (cricketer), born 1959
*Glen Hughes
Glen Hughes is an Australian former professional rugby league footbal ...
of
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
. The album also includes guest guitar by
Steve Lukather
Steven Lee Lukather (born October 21, 1957) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, best known as the sole continuous founding member of the rock band Toto. His reputation as a skilled guitarist led to a stea ...
of
Toto
Toto may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Pets
* Toto (Oz), Toto (''Oz''), a dog in the novel and film ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''
* Toto, in Japanese ''The Cat Returns#Plot, The Cat Returns''
Characters of agency
* a ...
.
The Winery Dogs and Sons of Apollo

Sheehan toured with PSMS (
Portnoy / Sheehan /
MacAlpine /
Sherinian), an instrumental supergroup, in the second half of 2012.
[Prokofiev, Dane (October 6, 2012). . Retrieved 2012-10-19.][Cavuoto, Rob (December 2013)]
"Tony MacAlpine Interview: New DVD Release Live In Tokyo"
. ''Guitar International''. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
Sheehan, along with Portnoy and
Richie Kotzen, recorded the debut album for their new band
The Winery Dogs in August 2012. The
self-titled album was released on May 5, 2013 in Japan, and July 23, 2013 worldwide. Their second album ''
Hot Streak
''Hot Streak'' is an Australian afternoon game show aired on the Seven Network in 1998, hosted by James O'Neil.
This show was based on the short-lived 1986 America format called ''Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
''Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak'' is ...
'' was released in 2015.
In August 2017, he joined another band with Portnoy, a progressive metal supergroup named
Sons of Apollo and also featuring keyboardist
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, and Joe Bonamassa, among others. He was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994 to 1999, is the founder of Planet X and ...
, vocalist
Jeff Scott Soto and guitarist
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.
Personal life
Sheehan has been an active member of the
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a scientology as a business, bu ...
since 1971, having converted from Catholicism.
Partial discography
With Talas
*1979: ''Talas''
*1982: ''Sink Your Teeth into That''
*1984: ''Live Speed on Ice''
*1990: ''Talas Years'' (compilation)
*1998: ''If We Only Knew Then What We Know Now'' (live)
*1998: ''Live in Buffalo''
*2022: ''1985''
With Thrasher
*1985: ''Burning at the Speed of Light''
With Daniel Piquê
*2009: Boo!!
*2012: Chu (websingle)
*2013: Oldboy (websingle)
With Tony MacAlpine
*1986: ''
Edge of Insanity
''Edge of Insanity'' is the first studio album by guitarist Tony MacAlpine, released in 1986 through Shrapnel Records. In 2014, nearly thirty years after its release, MacAlpine performed the album in full during a series of shows in California and ...
''
With KUNI
*1986: ''MASQUE''
With David Lee Roth
*1986: ''
Eat 'Em and Smile''
*1986: ''
Sonrisa Salvaje''
(Spanish language re-recording of ''Eat 'Em and Smile'')
*1988: ''
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
''
With Greg Howe
*1988: ''
Greg Howe''
With Mr. Big
*1989: ''
Mr. Big
Mr. Big may refer to:
Entertainment
In film and literature
* Mister Big (James Bond), a villain in the novel and film ''Live and Let Die''
* ''Mister Big'' (1943 film), a 1943 musical
* ''Mr. Big'' (2007 film), a 2007 documentary
In televisi ...
''
*1991: ''
Lean into It''
*1993: ''
Bump Ahead
''Bump Ahead'' is the third studio album by the American hard rock band Mr. Big. It was released in 1993 by Atlantic.
Track listing
Personnel
;Mr. Big
* Eric Martin – lead vocals
* Paul Gilbert – guitar, backing vocals
* Billy Sheehan ...
''
*1996: ''
Hey Man''
*2000: ''
Get Over It''
*2001: ''
Actual Size''
*2010: ''
What If...''
*2014: ''
...The Stories We Could Tell''
*2017: ''
Defying Gravity''
With Niacin
*1996: ''Niacin''
*1997: ''Live''
*1998: ''High Bias''
*2000: ''
Deep''
*2001: ''Time Crunch''
*2003: ''Live! Blood, Sweat & Beers''
*2005: ''Organik''
* 2005: ''Live in Tokyo'' (DVD)
*2013: ''Krush''
With Explorer's Club
*1998: ''
Age of Impact''
Solo
*2001: ''
Compression''
*2005: ''
Cosmic Troubadour
''Cosmic Troubadour'' is the second solo album by bassist Billy Sheehan, formerly of Talas, David Lee Roth, and Mr. Big. Billy Sheehan sings and plays guitar in addition to his usual bass acrobatics.
Track listing
All tracks by Billy Sheeha ...
''
*2006: ''Prime Cuts'' (compilation)
*2009: ''Holy Cow!''
Terry Bozzio and Billy Sheehan
*2002: ''Nine Short Films''
With Richie Kotzen
*1998: ''
What Is...''
*2003: ''
Change''
*2006: ''
Ai Senshi Z×R
This is the discography for American rock musician Richie Kotzen.
Solo
Studio albums
* (1989) ''Richie Kotzen''
* (1990) ''Fever Dream''
* (1991) '' Electric Joy''
* (1994) ''Mother Head's Family Reunion''
* (1995) ''The Inner Galactic Fusio ...
''
With The Winery Dogs
*2013: ''
The Winery Dogs''
*2014: ''Unleashed in the East / Unleashed in Japan''
*2015: ''
Hot Streak
''Hot Streak'' is an Australian afternoon game show aired on the Seven Network in 1998, hosted by James O'Neil.
This show was based on the short-lived 1986 America format called ''Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
''Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak'' is ...
''
*2017:
''Dog Years'' (EP) / ''Dog Years: Live in Santiago''
With
Michael Kocáb
Michael Kocáb (born 28 July 1954) is a Czech composer, singer, and political activist. He is the leader of Pražský výběr, a popular music band suppressed by the Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1980s.
At the spring 1989 Kocab with Mic ...
*2014: ''Aftershocks
With Sons of Apollo
*2017: ''
Psychotic Symphony''
*2019: ''Live with the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony''
*2020: ''
MMXX''
With MIWA
*2018: ''Reach Out and Touch Me''
*2020: ''Hell Is Real''
See also
* ''
Bass Frontiers Magazine ''Bass Frontiers Magazine'' is an online publication that specializes in coverage of bass guitar via video interviews, text articles, gear and media reviews, as well as the educational aspects of bass.
''Bass Frontiers Magazine'' presently conducts ...
''
*
The Handle, a baritone electric guitar under the signature ''Billytone''
*
Shred guitar
Notes
References
External links
*
Niacin official websiteBilly Sheehan interview on Lane Music, 2021Billy Sheehan interview on Guitar.com 2014*
ttp://www.hardradio.com/shockwaves/sheehan2.html HardRadio.com interview by Joey Vera with Billy Sheehan, part 2br>
Interview with Billy Sheehan, 2009Extensive CD collection published by or with participation of Billy Sheehan—continuously updated*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheehan, Billy
Living people
Musicians from Buffalo, New York
American rock bass guitarists
American heavy metal bass guitarists
American male bass guitarists
American Scientologists
Mr. Big (American band) members
American session musicians
American male guitarists
Converts to Scientology from Roman Catholicism
20th-century American guitarists
Explorers Club (band) members
Michael Schenker Group members
The Winery Dogs members
1953 births
Favored Nations artists