Whether you call him a genius or just plain weird, That 1 Guy is in a class of his own, writes Jesse Kuch 

IF THERE is one thing that Californian Mike Silverman can claim to be it is that he is unique.

Not content to follow the straight and narrow, Mike has carved his own niche in the global music scene with his alter ego That 1 Guy and his trusty metallic partner in crime, The Magic Pipe.

Taking the concept of the "one-man band" a step further than most people think is possible, Mike has become a festival favourite and TV darling around the world for his weird and wonderful stage show and eclectic musicality.

However, there was a time when it seemed Mike was destined to take a different path.

Educated in classical upright bass at the San Francisco Conservatorium of Music and then jazz bass at the Los Medanos College, he won the Dave Brubeck Jazz Scholarship and became one of the most sought-after bass players in the ’90s US jazz scene.

Working with everyone from legends such as Dewey Redman to acoustic pop sensation Jewel, it seemed as if Mike’s career would take him down the path of normality.

However, something went fabulously wrong along the way and frustrated with his inability to get the sound out of the bass he wanted, Mike’s That 1 Guy surfaced after a gig with his beloved band The Fabulous Hedgehogs.

"It all started as kind of a joke," Mike tells timeOUT from his home in San Francisco, a few days before jetting off to Australia for his national tour.

"The owner of the club (Dr Bombay’s) used to pay the whole eight-piece band $50 to come play and I said to him: ‘If I come and do it by myself, can I keep the $50?’ "

The club owner said yes and the rest, they say, is history.

In preparation for his first gig, Mike removed all his bass strings except for one, picked up a drum machine as accompaniment and the first incarnation of his legendary instrument was born.

He says his first fateful show at Dr Bombay’s was a test in itself.

The club had no stage so he was forced to perform standing on the bar, his head touching the ceiling and his microphone plugged into the jukebox.

"Most of it was very terrible, but some was all right," he says.

"To this day, just getting through the show was one of my biggest accomplishments, as I just ended up falling into the role of a one-man band."

Something must have gone well because the club owner asked him to return the following week and slowly, as time went by, the crowd got bigger and bigger.

Inspired by his ballooning success, Mike visited plumbing stores, hardware stores and electronic shops in search of pieces to create his perfect instrument.

He came up with a system of electronically-wired steel plumbing, shaped somewhat like a harp, with a thick bass string wired from top to bottom and a hole that billows smoke during the climax of his live shows.

The contraption is now fondly known around the world as "The Magic Pipe".

"It was an organic sort of process, it wasn’t too planned at all," he says of his famous instrument.

"More than anything, its function dictated its form."

In time for his return to Australia, Mike has given the pipe a complete makeover with the help of the machinist responsible for the Phoenix Mars Lander, Danny Price.

"I used lots of different technology on the new one – it’s got a big string on the front that is lower in sound than a bass and a smaller, back string that is more like the melody,’’ he says.

"It’s got all sorts of effects and processors with trigger sensors that play samples I’ve recorded when I hit them.’’

So how does someone with such a bizarre show become a media darling around the world?

Aside from his tireless festival touring schedule, TV and Youtube has played a major part in his success.

Mike’s track Buttmachine recently featured on cult US television show Weeds and the Brisbane-made film clip for the track has more than 102,000 views on YouTube.

Locally he has performed on numerous programs including JTV, The Side Show, Mornings with Kerri-Anne and Spicks and Specks.

He says the Spicks and Specks performance proved to be one of his biggest winners, with Aussies recognising him on planes all over the world.

"I love Australia, I’ve had a huge audience everywhere I’ve played down there," he says.

"Live music is more valued in Australia than in the US.

"It’s funny how the population is a fraction of what it is in the States, but the festivals are just as big."

He even says Woodford Folk Festival (for which he is booked to return this year) is the best festival in the world.

"I was blown away by how well it was organised and how the crowd appreciates what you do there."

Despite his massive success, Mike is philosophical and slightly amused at why he has become so popular.

"The fact the mainstream media picked up on it is hilarious," he says.

"I really try not to even think about it, I just do what I do and if anyone else likes it, that’s just gravy."

>> That 1 Guy performs at the Tanks Arts Centre in Edge Hill tomorrow from 7.30pm. Tickets are $30 for adults ($25 concession) and are available from www.ticketlink.com.au

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