The Overwater Basses Podcast

Dan Ezard Interviews Danny Miller | Bass, Big Bands, Arranging & Musical TheatreIn this episode, Dan Ezard sits down with bassist, arranger and bandleader Danny Miller to talk about building a varied and sustainable career in the music industry.Danny shares his experiences working as a professional bass player across numerous touring musical theatre productions, alongside his work as an arranger and running his own big band. We discuss the skills needed to move between theatre pits, live performance and arranging, as well as the versatility required of today’s working musicians.Danny also talks about his current work at the Edinburgh Festival, his approach to bass playing, the realities of life as a professional musician and some of the lessons he’s learned throughout his career.A fascinating conversation covering bass guitar, musical theatre, arranging, big bands, touring and life as a professional musician.Subscribe for more interviews, bass content and conversations with professional players and musicians.

This time, we’re switching things up! Sam Edgington takes over as host to interview Overwater’s own Dan Ezard.Dan shares the story of his career to date, from his musical education and early experiences through to touring and performing with artists including Gabrielle and Boyzlife. We also talk all things bass, the instruments that have played an important role throughout his career, and his work with Overwater Basses.Dan also offers some honest advice for younger bass players looking to build a successful, sustainable career in the music industry.Subscribe to the channel for more interviews, artist features, bass demonstrations and behind-the-scenes content from Overwater Basses. @DanEzard  https://overwaterbasses.com/

Paul Geary | Overwater Interviews — Tonalic, Scott’s Bass Lessons & Nick KershawIn this episode of Overwater Interviews, we sit down with long-time Overwater artist Paul Geary to talk about innovation, education, and the evolving role of the modern bassist.Paul discusses his involvement with Tonalic, a groundbreaking new music software platform. Paul also shares insight into his teaching approach at Scott’s Bass Lessons, where he helps bass players develop deeper musical understanding, stronger technique, and real-world musical confidence.Of course, no Overwater conversation would be complete without talking basses. Paul walks us through his Overwater instruments, the features that support his playing across education and performance, and why he continues to rely on custom craftsmanship to deliver clarity, balance, and musical versatility.👉 Subscribe for more Overwater Interviews, artist features, and custom bass content.https://overwaterbasses.com/

https://www.tonalic.com/

Overwater Interviews: Meelie Traill — From LIPA to the West End and BeyondIn this episode, we're thrilled to welcome the amazing Meelie Traill—an accomplished UK musical theatre bassist who’s made her mark on shows like Moulin Rouge, Six: The Musical, Aladdin, and many more. A graduate of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), Meelie dives into her journey from studying at LIPA to holding down the low end in some of the West End’s biggest productions.Join us as Meelie talks to Dan Ezard on life on tour with a top musical theatre show, how she prepares for each performance, her experiences in the pit, and the path that brought her to where she is today. If you're a theatre lover, bassist, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes world of musical theatre, you won't want to miss this conversation!0:00 Introduction1:41 Touring with Moulin Rouge 7:55 Meeting the right people 18:54 Staying creative on tour 35:40 The most important skills for a bass player 43:10 Meeting 'fixers'

Overwater Interviews | Ben Jones (ICMP)

In this episode of Overwater Interviews, Dan Ezard sits down with Ben Jones from ICMP (The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) to explore the state of music education in 2025.

We talk about how technology, online platforms, and social media are reshaping the way musicians learn, and ask whether traditional institutions are still preparing students for today’s industry. From accessibility and funding challenges to the rise of content creation and portfolio careers, this is an honest look at where music training stands today — and where it’s heading next.

🔑 Topics include:

• The current state of music education in the UK

• The impact of technology and AI on learning

• Are music schools preparing students for real-world careers?

• Content creation as part of modern musicianship

• Challenges around access, cost, and mental health

• Opportunities for the future of music training

📌 Whether you’re a student, educator, or working musician, this conversation offers valuable insights into the evolving world of music education.

👉 Subscribe to the channel for more conversations with leading voices in music.
👉 Learn more about Overwater Basses

In this episode of the Overwater Interviews series, we sit down with the incredibly talented bassist Gus Stirrat, renowned for his virtuosic playing, rich tone, and profound musicality. Join us as Gus shares insights into his journey as a professional bassist, his influences, and how his Overwater basses play a key role in shaping his sound.0:00 Introduction2:35 Tom McGuire & The Brassholes5:10 Recording at Solas Sound Studios 6:06 Tom McGuire & The Brassholes - Live!6:30 Gus's musical training and running his own studio12:41 The Scottish music scene17:09 Playing Scottish folk music on bass17:28 Gus's Custom Overwater Hollowbody 20:47 Ambient solo bass example 22:11 Guitar & Bass duet29:10 Pedal board & bass effects 35:24 Gus's Overwater J Series 5 string 48:18 The perfect In Ear Monitor tone vs Front of House54:05 The Mount Rushmore of Bass! https://overwaterbasses.com/https://www.instagram.com/gusstirrat/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/solassound/?hl=enhttps://danezard.com/

Tune in as Dan Ezard chats with talented Overwater Artist Sam Edgington. They discuss Sam's experiences playing bass in London's West End, touring with the legendary Wailers, and a very sparkly custom J Series!Don't miss this engaging conversation!Make sure to watch, listen and subscribe for more updates on future episodes and artist features.0:00 Introduction1:27 Early life, education and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO)6:10 Side hustles and starting your own function agency11:21 Depping on West End shows21:02 Can you over-prepare?23:05 Sam's very custom J Series 5 string 26:18 Sam's Overwater Hybrid fretless 538:21 Touring with the legendary Wailers 44:13 War Stories! Catching the wrong train while on tour in Japan! 47:50 Sam's Mount Rushmore or bass players. https://overwaterbasses.com/

https://www.samedgington.com/

https://danezard.com/

The UK bassist Dayna Fisher talks us through his Overwater custom bass guitars, life touring with the worlds biggest artists, gear, mentality and more!

0.00 Introduction

0.53 Jess Glynne & New Artists 

3.23 Dayna's approach to bass solo's

6.12 Gear! Dayna's bass/synth rig for Jess Glynne

7.12 Custom J Series 5 String 

8.38 Creating tones for pop gigs using pedals

12.18 Dan's recent arena tour with Gabrielle 

13.17 Dayna's custom Contemporary J Series 5 String 

18.02 Using mid-range to find the perfect front-of-house tone

20.57 High end DI's for bass guitar 

22.36 Playing in church & the UK gospel scene

26.53 What advice would you give to your younger self?

Check out Dayna on Instagram here

Check out Dan Ezard on his website here.

0.00 Introduction 0.44 Overwater Interviews 01.47 Phil’s remote bass lessons 03.04 Phil’s background and current projects 10.54 Phil’s sea foam green P Series 5 String13.54 6 String Hollow body 17.37 Phil’s custom J series 520.55 Fretless contemporary J Series 25.40 influences, Pino and John Deacon 31.49 Hot Take! Are bass amps dead?! 💀

Dan Ezard

Overwater Website

Phill's Website

Pulp - James Taylor Quartet - BIMM