Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva Gardner.
Eva, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in Hollywood, CA and I knew I wanted to be a bass player before I even really knew what it meant. My Dad was a bassist from London and part of the British Invasion scene of the 1960s and 70s. He eventually moved to LA in 1975 where he continued to play music and started a family with my Mom. In 1982 Dad decided to open a British Pub in Hollywood (called the Cat & Fiddle https://www.thecatandfiddle.com) because there wasn’t one! Pub culture is big for the Brits, so he created a place for all walks of life, entertainers from near and far, to have a pint and a laugh together. I was raised around a bunch of wild rock ‘n’ rollers and that was my “normal” when I was growing up! Being raised in Los Angeles (and in a Pub) has been a gift as far as the ability to hone my craft and create a network. My mother is a music lover from New Orleans and is of Lebanese descent so between the 2 of my parents, I was exposed to so many wonderful aspects of those cultures – British, Southern and Lebanese. I decided I wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps and started to take bass seriously around the age of 13.
All of his (and his friends’) stories about music and touring in the 60s and 70s were so epic – I knew that was the life I wanted as well. I did two years at an all-girl Catholic high school called Immaculate Heart and then decided to make a shift into music full-time. I did my last two years of high school in the music department at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). All throughout school I played in local bands and performed all over the city – anywhere from backyard parties to The Whisky A Go Go. I went to UCLA for college and got a degree in Ethnomusicology. I learned so much about music from all over the world and it broadened my artistic and cultural perspective in more ways than I could have imagined. After graduating college, I pretty much hit the road and never looked back! My first touring experience was with a band called The Mars Volta. We were traveling in a van playing sweaty clubs and sleeping on floors and it was everything I ever wanted and more – creating and touring with a musical family. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to work with so many incredible people.
In 2005 I auditioned to be in the house band for a television show called Rockstar: INXS. I didn’t get that gig and I was disheartened to say the least. But in 2007 I got a phone call from the musical director who remembered me from that audition two years prior! He said that P!nk needed a bass player and asked if I wanted to try out. Did I ever!? My audition went well and I ended up getting that gig – that was 12 years ago and I just finished my 5th world tour with her! The band has pretty much been the same since I started and it’s a really magical tour family. So much love, support and badassery from everyone involved. In between P!nk tours, I’ve been fortunate to work with other amazing artists like Gwen Stefani, Cher, Tegan & Sara and Moby. My musical family keeps growing and I feel so much gratitude for all of the opportunities I’ve had and the wonderful people I’ve met along the way.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was a pretty bumpy road from the beginning. I was met with resistance from my father when I expressed interest in becoming a bassist – it could have been for a variety of reasons. For the most part, his instruments were off limits and I had to borrow a bass for several years before I proved that I was serious about it. But in a way, I’m glad that it happened like that. Being told “NO” made me realize I really wanted it and made me work harder for it. It wasn’t until Dad’s best friend (producer/engineer Andy Johns) came over with a bass and a pignose amp and gave me my first bass lesson that things started to turn. Dad finally realized I was serious about it. But when I decided to go to music school, I failed my audition! I was told “NO” once again! So I decided to take the steps to getting better and I auditioned once again – successfully this time. I was pushed harder than I’d ever been pushed and was around musicians that were so much better than me – but that’s how you grow. The dynamics of playing with other musicians, protecting yourself as an artist, navigating the choppy waters of gender issues – all of that has made for a wild ride over the years, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. My work ethic was formed from all of the challenges. Eventually, I started to realize why Dad may have wanted to protect me from the long and often tumultuous road that is the music business. It’s also a constantly changing landscape. But they say that nothing worth having comes easy!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a bassist by trade but over the years, I have expanded my skillset to become a more well-rounded and versatile player – I’ve added percussion, upright bass, key bass and vocals to my skillset. It’s important to have a team player in our world – we are playing music together! Things are constantly evolving so we should be too. I’m always continuing to learn new things – I’m currently enrolled in a music recording/production course so I’m looking forward to becoming more proficient in those areas as well. I have developed a very strong work ethic and I want people to know that they can depend on me for quality and dependable performance. It’s important to do what it takes to get the job done well.
I recently put out my first solo release – an EP called Chasing Ghosts https://ffm.to/chasingghosts I wrote and recorded a lot of it on days off while on the Pink tour. I travel with a recording rig so it was perfect to use in hotel rooms. It’s been a lot of fun putting my own music out there. I’m currently in the process of writing and recording my next one!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.evagardner.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evagardner/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEvaGardner/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/evagardner
Image Credit:
Bianca Buder, Le Tanguerrant, Denise Nicolay
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