Dave Meros

Dave Meros (born 8 February 1956), is an American bass guitar player, best known as the bass player for progressive rock band Spock's Beard.

- Received Bank of America award for musical achievement, 1974.

- Received John Phillip Souza Band Award, 1974.

- Played in Reno Jazz Festival All Star Band, 1974, as a member of the University of California Jazz Ensembles.

• Played bass trombone and tuba in the University of California Jazz Ensembles, 1974–1977, under the direction of Dr. David W. Tucker.

• Began playing electric bass in 1976 while at the University of California, Berkeley.

Played professionally since 1978.

Relocated to Los Angeles early 1985.

- Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and the Raiders) – 1986.

- Gary Myrick (Geffen recording artist) – 1986 through 1989.

- Bobby Kimball (Toto) – 1989.

Meros has also played or recorded with such artists as Gary Myrick, Bobby Kimball of Toto, Simon Phillips, Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders and Big Big Train, Martin Orford and played for Eric Burdon and The Animals from 1990 through the end of 2005, and was the bass player for Iron Butterfly from 2015 through 2021.

He was also tour manager for Eric Burdon and has worked as a tour manager for further artists as well.

As a bassist, Meros' musical influences are varied, including Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, James Jamerson, Marcus Miller, Francis "Rocco" Prestia of Tower of Power, Chuck Rainey and David Hungate.

Dave Meros was born in Salinas, California.

He has a Business Degree from U.C. Berkeley with Music Minor.

Meros began studying classical piano at age 9, five years formal training.

• Studied French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba between the ages of 13 – 18.

• Played bass and tour managed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Eric Burdon and The Animals from January 1990 through November 2005, and toured very extensively worldwide with various bands since the late '80s.

- Eric Burdon – January 1990 through November 2005.

From 1992 through 2002 Dave used a stock white Rickenbacker in Spock's Beard.

- Spock's Beard – 1993 – current.

• His main creative venture since 1994 has been recording and touring with the critically acclaimed progressive rock band Spock's Beard, that to date has released thirteen full-length studio CDs plus a large number of live CDs and EPs, Videos, DVDs, and rarities collections.

From 2002 through the recording of "X" (bass tracks recorded in November 2012) Dave's main bass was what he terms his "Fendenbacker".

It's a Rickenbacker 4001 bass that's been severely modified to serve a variety of purposes.

"A buddy of mine found a really trashed Ric in a pawn shop, and I turned it into a project bass to try to make a 'one bass fits all' for myself" says Meros.

It has a set of Fender Jazz Bass pickups set in mid-'70s-era spacing (the bridge pickup moved closer to the bridge than in previous incarnations, giving the bass a "tighter" and more midrange tone) as well as the standard set of Rickenbacker pickups in the traditional Ric positions.

This gives Meros four pickups total to choose from, with a switch that chooses between the two fairly different "basses", Rickenbacker or Jazz.

All four can also be activated at the same time.

A BadAss bridge, Hipshot Bass Xtender (otherwise known as a "Hipshot D-Tuner" or simply a "Hipshot" or "D-Tuner" among bassists) for its ability to downtune the low E-string of a bass typically to D at the flip of a lever) and a string mute that Meros can raise or lower with thumb screws (which were fabricated by Meros himself) were also added.

- The Kings Of Classic Rock - 2007 - 2013.

- Rolling Heads - 2010 - current.

• Played bass with Iron Butterfly from 2015 through 2021.

Meros currently plays in the Sacramento area based band Rolling Heads and prog-rock band Pattern-Seeking Animals.

- Iron Butterfly - 2015 - 2021.

Dave's current bass for Spock's Beard is a custom built hybrid between a Fender and a Rickenbacker.

It is an Alder Ric-shaped body that is contoured like a Fender, with bolt-on Fender Jazz style neck.

Dave used four Seymour Duncan Apollo Jazz Bass pickups to do this - two in the Rickenbacker locations and two in the positions where the P / J pickups on a Fender Jazz Bass would normally go.

Further customizations include a Full Contact Hardware bridge and a Hipshot Xtender tuning key that will detune the E string down to a D at the flip of a lever.

Their 13th studio album, titled "Noise Floor" was released in May 2018.