How Keanu Reeves Learns Impromptu Bass From Fate

Keanu Reeves (Instagram @dogstarband)

JAKARTA - Keanu Reeves revealed that he had learned to play bass from Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The John Wick star, who also plays bass in the Los Angeles Dogstar grunge band, spoke about the meeting in a video posted to Fender's YouTube channel.

"I remember one time I was shooting a movie and Fate was in it, or I was playing a movie with Flea," he said.

And I remember there was a house, and there were amplifiers, instruments, and the like.

And I was like, 'Hey,flea, can you teach me?' And he said, 'Of course, guys!' And he did a complicated bass solo movement. And I, 'OK, so?' Then he, 'Just feel it, friend. Just play.'And I said, 'OK.'

Reeves and Flea both appeared in the film My Own Private Idaho directed by Gus Van Sant and released in 1991.

Dogstar together for eleven years between 1991 and 2002, released two studio albums: Our Little Visionary (1996) and Happy Ending (2000). During the 2020 lockdown, the band began to spend time together in quarantine, writing enough material to form a new album.

Reeves et al released their third full album, Feeling Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, earlier this month.

Dogstar made their first two-decade live appearance at the BottleRock Festival in Napa, California in May, debuting several new songs.

Speaking of how he became a bassist, Reeves said, 'I thought I was a wild animal playing with a piece of wood. I didn't learn a lot of songs. I didn't listen to a single song and tried to find out. Man, I'm sorry. If you're studying an instrument, it's nice to know what people have done before, but I didn't. So I'm just going to play. So I don't have a theory.'

He continued, 'I was asked what my first bass was. I've tried to remember it, but it looks like 1986. I went to the Hollywood Guitar Center with a play to get a bass guitar.'

'I end up... I don't remember, but there was a man there selling bass. He was with a friend. Not in a shop, like a parking lot sale. I feel like I'm doing drug transactions.'