Nate Mendel
Encyclopedia
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel (born December 2, 1968 in Richland, Washington
) is an American
bassist
for the bands Foo Fighters
, The Jealous Sound
, Sunny Day Real Estate
, and The Fire Theft
.
band Diddly Squat, then played in the fairly popular punk bands Christ on a Crutch, Brotherhood (Seattle Straight edge), Galleons Lap. He was a member of Sunny Day Real Estate
and Juno
before joining the Foo Fighters
in 1995 (after Sunny Day Real Estate had disbanded). Although Sunny Day Real Estate reunited for two more albums (How It Feels to Be Something On
and The Rising Tide), he stayed with the Foo Fighters. After SDRE disbanded once more, he joined with other Sunny Day Real Estate members Jeremy Enigk
and William Goldsmith
to form The Fire Theft
, who released a self-titled album in 2003.
He scored a role in the indie movie
Our Burden Is Light, in which he also played a minor role as the main female character's best friend's boyfriend and bassist. In the movie, Mendel plays in a band named Bleeder, consisting of himself, Jessica Ballard, and Taylor Hawkins
.
Nate Mendel joined the Foo Fighters
as the bassist, alongside former Nirvana
drummer Dave Grohl
. The band has since released eight studio albums and one live album, Mendel continues to play alongside Dave Grohl
, Taylor Hawkins
, Chris Shiflett
, and Pat Smear
, who rejoined the band in 2007. Mendel, Grohl and Pat Smear
are the original members in the Foo Fighters current line-up.
In June 2009, it was confirmed that Sunny Day Real Estate
plans to reunite again, with Mendel back in the fold. The band toured in 2009, confirming a new album in the works..
in Richland, WA. He was an avid skateboarder as well as BMX racer in the Washington St. Region. He also regularly contributes to the official Foo Fighters blog.
Nate is rarely, if ever, seen singing. However he sang backup with Chris Shiflett
on Monkey Wrench
at the Tabernacle
in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000 while supporting There Is Nothing Left To Lose
. He and Shiflett sang the outro backing vocals ("fall in, fall out").
es played through Ashdown ABM—and more recently, Classic-Series Bass Amplifiers. He also often uses Lakland
Bob Glaub
Signature Precision Basses while touring.
He is seen playing the Lakland
Bass in the video for "The Pretender". He used a Gibson Ripper
bass in the "Best of You" video and in the "Long Road to Ruin" video he is seen playing a Red Fender Jazz Bass with a black pickguard. He also uses a white and pearloid red Fender Jazz Bass in the "Monkey Wrench" video.
His pedalboard is very simple and consists of a Fulltone Bassdrive, Boss GEB-7 Graphic Equalizer, and Boss TU-2 Tuner.
Nate on occasion also plays Gibson Thunderbird
Basses.
Nate uses JHAudio JH16 In Ear Monitors.
to benefit Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives
, a group which denies that HIV
is the cause of AIDS
. At the concert, the group's founder, Christine Maggiore
, gave a speech attributing AIDS to drug use, stress, and medications, and implying that people should not be tested for HIV, nor should they take antiretroviral treatment if HIV-positive.
Responding to coverage of the Alive & Well benefit in Mother Jones
magazine, Mendel wrote that "...popular ideas about AIDS are based on a hypothesis that does not stand up to scientific scrutiny." He further condemned HIV test
s for what he felt was their inaccuracy and HIV medication for its "unproven efficacy and proven toxicity." None of these statements reflects current mainstream scientific theories. The Foo Fighters no longer list Alive & Well as a supported charity on their website as of 2008.
Richland, Washington
Richland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
for the bands Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, The Jealous Sound
The Jealous Sound
The Jealous Sound is a Los Angeles indie rock band composed of vocalist and guitarist Blair Shehan , guitarist Pedro Benito , bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer Bob Penn. The band has recently reunited to support Sunny Day Real Estate on tour.-History:The band's self-titled debut EP The Jealous Sound...
, Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
, and The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft is an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. It was formed in 2001 by vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Enigk, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith, all of whom were previously members of Sunny Day Real Estate...
.
Biography
He began his musical career in the punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Diddly Squat, then played in the fairly popular punk bands Christ on a Crutch, Brotherhood (Seattle Straight edge), Galleons Lap. He was a member of Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
and Juno
Juno (band)
Juno was an American indie rock band formed in Seattle in 1995. Juno released their debut album This Is the Way It Goes and Goes and Goes as a co-release on DeSoto Records and Pacifico Records on March 30, 1999. Their second album A Future Lived in Past Tense was released May 8, 2001 on Desoto...
before joining the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
in 1995 (after Sunny Day Real Estate had disbanded). Although Sunny Day Real Estate reunited for two more albums (How It Feels to Be Something On
How It Feels to Be Something On
How It Feels to Be Something On is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sunny Day Real Estate, and the first since their 1997 comeback. It was released September 8th, 1998...
and The Rising Tide), he stayed with the Foo Fighters. After SDRE disbanded once more, he joined with other Sunny Day Real Estate members Jeremy Enigk
Jeremy Enigk
Jeremy Enigk is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for being the front man of the Seattle band Sunny Day Real Estate.-Biography:...
and William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
to form The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft is an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. It was formed in 2001 by vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Enigk, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith, all of whom were previously members of Sunny Day Real Estate...
, who released a self-titled album in 2003.
He scored a role in the indie movie
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Our Burden Is Light, in which he also played a minor role as the main female character's best friend's boyfriend and bassist. In the movie, Mendel plays in a band named Bleeder, consisting of himself, Jessica Ballard, and Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
.
Nate Mendel joined the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
as the bassist, alongside former Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
drummer Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
. The band has since released eight studio albums and one live album, Mendel continues to play alongside Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
, Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
, Chris Shiflett
Chris Shiflett
Christopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
, and Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
, who rejoined the band in 2007. Mendel, Grohl and Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
are the original members in the Foo Fighters current line-up.
In June 2009, it was confirmed that Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
plans to reunite again, with Mendel back in the fold. The band toured in 2009, confirming a new album in the works..
Personal life
Nate has one son, Noah, with his former girlfriend. In September 2011 it was reported by Billboard.biz that Mendel was dating Sub Pop publicist and director of marketing, Kate Jackson. Nate attended Hanford Jr./Sr. High SchoolHanford High School
Hanford High School is located on the northern edge of Richland, Washington. The school's mascot is the Falcon, and its school colors are purple and gold....
in Richland, WA. He was an avid skateboarder as well as BMX racer in the Washington St. Region. He also regularly contributes to the official Foo Fighters blog.
Technique
Nate is known to use a pick almost exclusively, however on the "Long Road to Ruin" video he is seen finger-picking, as well as during "Marigold" on the Skin and Bones live release.Nate is rarely, if ever, seen singing. However he sang backup with Chris Shiflett
Chris Shiflett
Christopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
on Monkey Wrench
Monkey Wrench (song)
"Monkey Wrench" is the first single released from the second Foo Fighters album, The Colour and the Shape. Blistering lyrics chronicled the 1997 disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl's four year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood...
at the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle
The Tabernacle, informally known as The Tabby, is a mid-size concert hall, in the U.S. city of Atlanta, currently managed by concert promoter Live Nation...
in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000 while supporting There Is Nothing Left To Lose
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Reviews for There Is Nothing Left to Lose have generally been positive. Rolling Stones Greg Kot rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars. He started by explaining that "the first thirty seconds [...] are a bridge to singer Dave Grohl's past"...
. He and Shiflett sang the outro backing vocals ("fall in, fall out").
Equipment
Mendel's main set-up consists of Fender Precision BassFender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
es played through Ashdown ABM—and more recently, Classic-Series Bass Amplifiers. He also often uses Lakland
Lakland
Lakland Guitars is a Chicago, Illinois-based manufacturer of electric bass guitars. The company's first bass combined elements of the Fender Jazz Bass and the Music Man StingRay. The company's current line-up includes basses inspired by classics like the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass as...
Bob Glaub
Bob Glaub
Bob Glaub is an American bass player and session musician. He's played with such artists and bands as Journey, Jackson Browne, Bee Gees, Eric Carmen, Linda Ronstadt, Leo Sayer, Warren Zevon, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, Bonnie Raitt and many others....
Signature Precision Basses while touring.
He is seen playing the Lakland
Lakland
Lakland Guitars is a Chicago, Illinois-based manufacturer of electric bass guitars. The company's first bass combined elements of the Fender Jazz Bass and the Music Man StingRay. The company's current line-up includes basses inspired by classics like the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass as...
Bass in the video for "The Pretender". He used a Gibson Ripper
Gibson Ripper
The Gibson L9-S Ripper is a model of electric bass guitar made by Gibson Guitar Corporation.The Ripper was manufactured from 1973 until 1983; the peak year being 1976. Most had a maple body with laminated maple neck, however a significant number manufactured in 1975 had lighter alder bodies while...
bass in the "Best of You" video and in the "Long Road to Ruin" video he is seen playing a Red Fender Jazz Bass with a black pickguard. He also uses a white and pearloid red Fender Jazz Bass in the "Monkey Wrench" video.
His pedalboard is very simple and consists of a Fulltone Bassdrive, Boss GEB-7 Graphic Equalizer, and Boss TU-2 Tuner.
Nate on occasion also plays Gibson Thunderbird
Gibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson.-Background and introduction:The Gibson Thunderbird was introduced in 1963. At the time, Fender had been the leader in the electric bass market since their introduction of the Precision Bass twelve years earlier.The Thunderbird was...
Basses.
Nate uses JHAudio JH16 In Ear Monitors.
Connection to AIDS denialist movement
In January 2000, Nate Mendel organized a sold-out concert in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to benefit Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives
Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives
Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives is a 501 non-profit organization of AIDS denialists...
, a group which denies that HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
is the cause of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. At the concert, the group's founder, Christine Maggiore
Christine Maggiore
Christine Joy Maggiore was an HIV-positive activist who promoted the view that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. She was the founder of Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives, an organization which questions the link between HIV and AIDS and encourages HIV-positive pregnant women to avoid anti-HIV medication...
, gave a speech attributing AIDS to drug use, stress, and medications, and implying that people should not be tested for HIV, nor should they take antiretroviral treatment if HIV-positive.
Responding to coverage of the Alive & Well benefit in Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
magazine, Mendel wrote that "...popular ideas about AIDS are based on a hypothesis that does not stand up to scientific scrutiny." He further condemned HIV test
HIV test
HIV tests are used to detect the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus , the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , in serum, saliva, or urine. Such tests may detect antibodies, antigens, or RNA.- Terminology :...
s for what he felt was their inaccuracy and HIV medication for its "unproven efficacy and proven toxicity." None of these statements reflects current mainstream scientific theories. The Foo Fighters no longer list Alive & Well as a supported charity on their website as of 2008.