Tool ‘Exploded’ Jason Momoa’s Passion for Playing Bass

There are quite a few celebrity metalheads out there, but one that's actually delved into playing is Aquaman star Jason Momoa. His fandom popped up on a lot of radars when he revealed that Tool and Metallica informed his acting on the Aquaman set. In a new interview with Bass Player magazine, Momoa reveals that Tool provided a key turning point in his musical pursuits after a jam on the Aquaman set.

Though Momoa had already picked up guitar, his fondness for the bass took off after he attempted to provide some entertainment for his assistant. The actor recalled, “We were on the set of Aquaman. I always have instruments on the set, so my son was playing drums and my daughter was playing guitar. It was my assistant’s birthday, and she really loves Tool, so I borrowed a bass from my buddy and we all played 'Sober' for her. Right then, my passion for bass really exploded. The moment I put it on, I could just feel the connection – and it was all over.”

Momoa continues, “I always knew I wanted to play bass. After that I wanted to play standup, so I bought one and now it’s a passion for me, with how it makes me feel and how it sounds. I studied and studied and studied bass, and I was like ‘My God, I wish I would have done this when I was young.’ I wish that I had that opportunity – but I’m making up for lost time.”

Last year, the actor was gifted a Fender precision bass for his birthday, picking up the instrument and quickly playing a Red Hot Chili Peppers riff for fans viewing a video of the moment. He also spent time last fall visiting one of his bass idols Les Claypool of Primus, picking up some tips on how to play "My Name Is Mud."

Elsewhere within the chat, Momoa professes his love for bass playing on heavier music. “Pantera, Rage Against The Machine, Primus, Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers. I really, really love John Frusciante and Flea, they’re really huge in my life. Tool, too," says Momoa. "I listen to pretty much all of it. A lot of the music I search for is a lot more off the beaten path nowadays. I respect everyone out there doing it, because it’s so hard and so challenging, and I just try not to judge.”

He also added a few name outside of the rock and metal world. “I’m really rooted, like one of my gods in music is Tom Waits, but having said that, my goddess is probably Ani DiFranco. I was raised with Miles Davis and Janis Joplin, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor is one of my all-time favorites, too,” says the actor.