San Francisco-based Murder of Lilies began when bassist Tom Kennedy and keyboardist Halleia Sadeghi started looking to put together a project. Since their first show at The Stork Club, the band has played the SF area consistently ever since. The music is a fusion of past and present indie, new wave and alt-rock and calls to mind everyone from Gary Numan to Editors.

"Speaking for myself, I call it 'rock', but if you tell another person that they’ll think 'Van Halen'.” says Tom.

Kennedy currently plays a Gibson "Blackbird" Thunderbird--designed by Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

"Gibson basses have a natural 'growl' to them, and look and play totally awesome. I have used P-bass and G&L bass in the past, and want them again," says Kennedy. "If/when I can afford it, I plan on having 2 Thunderbirds, a P-bass, and another G&L – the G&L is cool because for an active pickup bass, it has a rosewood neck (at least the one I used to have did) and comes across warmer, while still having the presence of active pickups."

His bass rig is a rack-mount Gallien Krueger 1001RB (500 watts) with a David Eden 4X10 XLT cabinet. He uses a Sans Amp pre-amp stomp box, a Boss Chorus he has had for over 10 years.

"I was using another David Eden 1X18 XLT cabinet, but had to sell it – I’m doing fine with just the 4X10 cabinet (volume/presence is not a problem with those), but would like to add another 4X10 Eden cab," says Kennedy. "The reason I like those is because they sound great (yet are too clean without a pre-amp) and have a ton of push behind them – everyone today uses the Ampeg 8X10 coffin-cabs and I think it says something to NOT use the same damn equipment as everyone else, while still having a good tone, etc."

There is an important note on what Kennedy does live--he tunes his bass a whole step down (D-G-C-F).

"This adds a little more of a deep, heavy presence --though, were far from a “heavy” band--in the overall bass." says Kennedy.

Kennedy uses two lines when he records bass--one direct out of the Sans Amp (xlr connection) and another mic'd using the 4X10.

"I use chorus on some of our darker songs, and add that on in the mix with either outboard or plug-in effect units," says Kennedy. "When we were in last time, on “600 Ways” and “Down the Hollow”, we re-amped the bass, too, and sent the signal through an old, vintage Ampeg 1X15 amp/rig that our engineer had. It sounded pretty good."

More from Murder of Lilies soon.