Tina Weymouth: “I know Bono used me to taunt Adam Clayton when U2 were starting out”

Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison (behind) from Talking Heads perform live on stage in New York in 1977
(Image credit: Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)

As one of the funkiest bassists of the American New Wave scene, Tina Weymouth clearly had a lot more to offer the bass guitar world than just her gender. Still, she's put up with untold grief in the male-dominated arena of rock, and her survival – coupled with her onstage ascent from novice to seasoned pro – made her an inspiration to aspiring bass players everywhere. “I think you can look at me and say, ‘Wow, there's this small, small person working away at this, and if she can do it, I can,'" she told BP. "It's a punk thing, you know?”

Could it be that women play the bass differently from men? “Obviously, the bass does limit me physically,” said Weymouth. “But there are ways of getting around limitations, and my size was almost like a dare to boys. I know Bono used me to taunt Adam Clayton when they were starting out, which was terrible for Adam!”

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Staff Writer
With contributions from