Tim Commerford

Infobox musical artist
Name = Tim Commerford

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Img_capt = Tim Commerford on stage playing with Audioslave.
Background =
Birth_name = Timothy Robert Commerford
Alias = Timmy C
Y.tim.K.
Tim Bob
TIM.COM
Born = birth date and age|1968|2|26
Irvine, California, U.S.
Died =
Instrument = Bass, Backing vocals
Genre = Alternative rock
Rapcore
Alternative metal
Funk metal
Hard rock
Funkcore
Post-grunge
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1990 - Present
Label = Interscope, Epic
Associated_acts = Rage Against the Machine Audioslave Puscifer
URL = [http://www.ratm.com ratm.com]
Notable_instruments =

Tim Robert Commerford (born February 26, 1968 in Irvine, California), also known by his various monikers/stage names (Timmy C., Y. tim K., Simmering T, Tim Bob, and tim.com) is the bassist/backing vocalist for American rock band Rage Against The Machine and was previously for now-defunct Audioslave.

Personal life

Tim was born the youngest of five children in his middle class California family. His father was an aerospace engineer, and worked on the Space Shuttle and his mother was a teacher/mathematician.He is of French and Irish descent. When Tim was in fifth grade, he met Zack de la Rocha. Around this time, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly thereafter Tim's father divorced and remarried, his mother was forced to move to Sacramento, California to live with her sister, while seeking treatment. Tim remained with his father, who Tim claims abused him. Around this time (age 15) Zack introduced Tim to bass, and Tim soon found an outlet in music, and poetry. Tim’s mother died of brain cancer in 1988.

In 1993 Tim was introduced to mountain biking by his future father-in-law Jimbo Insko. Tim has since become an obsessive mountain biker, even going so far as to thank all of his bikes in the liner notes for "The Battle of Los Angeles".

In 2001 Tim married his longtime girlfriend Aleece Dimas, who is an AIDS activist and medical professional. Tim and Aleece have had two sons together, Xavier and Quentin, the family lives in Malibu, California, which is well-suited for mountain biking.

Tim is known for his numerous tattoos. His first tattoo was a solid black band around his left arm to remember his mother by. He soon had half of a face tattooed on his back, and various other designs on his arms. [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/Before.jpg] In 1993 he began work on an intricate design on his left leg. By 1996 this tattoo evolved into a Westernized Ta moko or Maori warrior tattoo that now covers over 65% of his body (covering his arms, left leg, chest, back, and two swirls on his posterior). [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/culorizado.jpg]

Tim is also a vegan.

Career

Rage Against The Machine (1991-2000; 2007-Present)

In 1991, guitarist Tom Morello quit his band Lock Up, in the hopes of forming a new outfit. He began to frequent local clubs, and viewed Zack de la Rocha rapping. He soon called Brad Wilk, who had auditioned for Lock Up. Zack de la Rocha convinced Tim, who had been a longtime friend at school, to play bass. After frequenting the L.A. club circuit, Rage Against the Machine signed a record deal with Epic Records in 1992. That same year, the band released their self titled debut. They achieved a phenomenal amount of mainstream success and released three more studio albums.

In late 2000, after Tim’s stunt at the VMA’s, the disgruntled de la Rocha quit the band. On September 13, 2000, Rage Against the Machine performed their last concert at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The remaining members formed Audioslave with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell.

On April 29, 2007, the band reunited at the Coachella Music Festival. The band played in front of an EZLN backdrop to the largest crowds of the festival. The performance was initially thought to be a one-off, this turned out not to be the case. The band played 7 more shows in the United States in 2007 (including their first non-festival concert in 7 years at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin), and in January 2008, they played their first shows outside the US as part of the Big Day Out Festival in Australia and New Zealand.

The band has since continued to tour around the world, headlining many large festivals in Europe and the United States, including Lollapalooza in Chicago. In 2008 the band also played shows in Denver, Colorado and St. Paul, Minnesota; the locations of the Democratic National Convention and Republican National Convention, respectively.

Audioslave (2001-2007)

After Zack de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine, music producer Rick Rubin suggested the three remaining members of Rage get together with former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, and "see what happens."

By May 2001, they had begun to work in the studio, writing their first song “Light My Way.” By April 2002, the newly formed band had split due to “outside” pressures, mainly from management companies. They soon got back together though, and on November 19, 2002 they released their eponymous debut, which would attain triple platinum status. Audioslave attained a large amount of success, and released another two studio albums. On May 5, 2005 Tim & Audioslave played a free concert in front of 65,000 Cuban fans, becoming the first American rock band to play a concert within Cuba.

On February 15, 2007, Chris Cornell officially announced his departure from Audioslave, disbanding the band.

ide Projects

Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk contributed in Maynard James Keenan's side project Puscifer and his album ""V" Is for Vagina" on the track "Momma Sed."

Equipment overview

*Amplifiers and Effects: Tim has used a wide variety of effects and amplifier setups throughout his career. Tim began to bi-amp for the recording of Evil Empire, and has since moved to tri-amping in Audioslave onwards. He primarily uses Ampeg speaker cabinets and amplifiers and often drapes an inverted American flag over the setup. He is known to tinker with things, even going as far as to build some of his own effects.

*Basses: Tim has used a variety of instruments throughout his career, all of which have been heavily customized. For Rage Against the Machine’s first studio recording (1991), and ensuing tour, Tim used an Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray. For the recording of Evil Empire (1996), Tim switched to Fender Jazz Basses. In 2008, Tim has started using Lakland Jazz Basses.

*Bass Necks: Tim is known to install Fender Precision Bass necks on some of his Jazz Basses. [ ”Tim Commerford: Audioslave’s bassist talks Fender, touring, Rage, Rush and the Police …” by Fender News http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=75 ]

*Bass Tuning: Tim has used different string tunings over the years. Including E-A-D-G (standard), D-A-D-G (Drop-D), [With the use of Hipshot D-Tuners] , and B-E-A-D (Five string bass tuning, minus the G-String.)

*Bridges: During the RATM era, Tim exclusively used Leo Quan Badass II Bridges. With Audioslave, Tim uses both Leo Quan Badass II, and Gotoh bridges.

*D-Tuners: Tim uses Hipshot D-Tuners on some of his basses. (D-Tuners allow you to simply flip a switch to tune down the E-string of a bass a D-tuning, then back up when the switch is reversed.)

*Thumbrests: All of Tim’s basses have a thumbrest installed on them, all of which are presumably homemade.

*Pick-Ups: Around the time Tim had switched to Fender Bass, he bought a pair of vintage pick-ups, took them apart, and re-wound them by hand. He used this specific pair of pick-ups in his 70’s Natural Jazz Bass. During this time, he is known to have hand-picked each pair of pick-ups for each of his basses. After he smashed that bass, he salvaged the pick-ups, and the Fender Custom Shop made several copies of these pick-ups, he now uses them as backups in his current bass lineup. [ ”Tim Commerford: Audioslave’s bassist talks Fender, touring, Rage, Rush and the Police …” by Fender News http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=75 ]

*Strings: Commerford is an endorser for Ernie Ball Slinky Strings.

*Strap Locks: Commerford does not use conventional strap locks, but rather continues to use the rubber tops of Grolsch beer bottles as he did in his youth, claiming they are more reliable than commercial ones.

Rage Against The Machine Basses & Amplification (1991-2000)

*Ernie Ball Natural Music Man StingRay 2EQ (1991-1995) [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/stingray.jpg]
*Fender Natural American Jazz Bass (Modified) (1996-2000) (Main Bass - Smashed at 2000 MTV Awards) [http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm125/bojosoto/My%20Photos/TimCommerford5.jpg]
*Fender Natural American Jazz Bass (Rosewood Neck) (1997)
*Fender Black American Jazz Bass (1997-2000)
*Fender Vintage White American Jazz Bass (Modified) (1999-2000) [http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm125/bojosoto/My%20Photos/TimCommerford2.jpg]
*Rickenbacker bass: Tim has thanked Rickenbacker in the liner notes for "Evil Empire", so he may have used one whilst recording said album. In the music video for "Killing in the Name", a bass with the distinctive Rickenbacker headstock can be seen briefly in some shots, implying he may have used on in the early days of Rage Against the Machine.

*Ampeg Pro Series Amplification: 2x Ampeg SVT-2PRO heads, connected to 2x Ampeg 8x10 Cabinets. Cabinets & Heads are mounted in road cases that have graffiti art work pressumely done by Commerford himself. Usually draped with an upside-down American flag which was occasionally burnt during concerts, most notably at the band's 1999 Woodstock performance during "Killing in the Name." [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/TimCommerford_RATM12.jpg]

Audioslave Basses & Amplification (2002-2006)

*Fender Black American Jazz Bass (2002-2005) [http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif]
*Fender Black American Jazz Bass (2003-2005) [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/DropB.jpg]
*Fender Natural Sunburst American Jazz Bass (2005-2006) [http://farm1.static.flickr.com/18/23821444_2248672659.jpg?v=0]
*Fender Olympic White American Jazz Bass (2005-2007) [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/SimmeringT4.jpg] (Used at all Rage Against The Machine's shows in 2007.)
*Fender 3-Tone Sunburst American Jazz Bass (2005-2007) [http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/Zorro101790/SimmeringT2.jpg] (Used at all Rage Against The Machine's shows in 2007.)
*Fender Custom Shop Twin-Necked Jazz Bass (2006) [http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1041/timsdoubleneckce8.jpg] [http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm125/bojosoto/My%20Photos/TimCommerfordsFenderTwinNeck.jpg] (Tim has not been seen using this bass live.)
*Ovation Acoustic Bass (2005)

*"' M-Pulse 600 for clean tone, connected to 1x Ampeg 8x10 Cabinet, and 2x Ampeg SVT 4x10 Cabinets. [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/TimsAmps.jpg] [ [http://www.bassplayer.com/article/tim-commerford-with/mar-05/4128 Tim Commerford With Audioslave ] ]

Rage Against The Machine Basses & Amplification (2008)

*Lakland Black Joe Osborn Signature (Dual Access Bridge, used on the majority of songs) [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/TimStackKnob.jpg] , [http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm125/bojosoto/My%20Photos/RageBDO2.jpg]
*Lakland 3-Tone Translucent Joe Osborn Signature (Tortoise Shell Pickgaurd, Rosewood neck) [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/TimLakland.jpg]
*Lakland 3-Tone Translucent Joe Osborn Signature (Pearloid Pickgaurd, Maple neck) [http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/2243538569_db04d08595_b.jpg]
*Lakland Blonde Translucent Joe Osborn Signature (Rosewood neck with Birdseye Maple blocks) [http://www.thingsthatmustdie.com/images/New%20Laky.jpg] (as of August 2008)

*Ampeg Pro Series Amplification: 2x Ampeg SVT-VR heads (as of May 2008), connected to 2x Ampeg 8x10 Cabinets. The cabinets are the same as his 2000-era setup; graffiti art work on the cabinet cases. [http://www.ratm.com/photos/voodoo_atlas/images/rageda02.jpg]

Effects

Tim is very secretive of his tone, even going so far as to put effects on his pedalboard that he doesn’t even use, making his own gear, and even removing the labels off of some of his effects. Here are some effects which he has used during his career.

Pedalboard: [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/TimsPedalboard4.jpg] & [http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/Inslaved/TimsPedalboardReunion.jpg]

*Aphex Punch Factory (Audioslave) [http://www.sweetwater.com/images/publications/reports/11Aphex.Punch.jpg]
*BOSS DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal (Audioslave & RATM, heard in 'No Shelter' & 'Ashes in the Fall') [http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/regular/0/4/8/475048.jpg]
*BOSS OC-3 Octave Pedal (Audioslave & RATM) [http://images.miretail.com/products/full/Boss/632866103646530210.jpg]
*Custom ABY Amp Selector
*Homemade Overdrive Pedals (Audioslave & RATM)
*Jim Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah (1x with RATM & 2x with Audioslave) [http://images.miretail.com/products/full/Dunlop/632866102933883082.jpg]
*Marshall Guv'nor Distortion Pedal (RATM, 1991-1998) [http://www.blamepro.com/gifs/guvnor1.jpg]
*MXR Flanger Pedal (RATM) [http://www.rehearseinlondon.co.uk/catalog/images/M117R.jpg]

Discography

Studio albums:
* Rage Against the Machine
#"Rage Against The Machine" (November 3, 1992)
#"Evil Empire" (April 16, 1996)
#"The Battle of Los Angeles" (November 2, 1999)
#"Renegades" (December 5, 2000)
* Audioslave
#"Audioslave" (November 19, 2002)
#"Out of Exile" (May 24, 2005)
#"Revelations" (September 5, 2006)

References