Material Issue

Out Of Time - The Material Issue STory

This documentary was released in 2023. It tells the story of the Chicago-based band Material Issue. They were active from 1991 to 1996. While the band’s bassist Ted Ansani played 8-string basses on some songs, he did not play a 12-string bass. However, there is 12-string bass content in the video.

The band invited Chicago-area musicians to record with them in the studio. Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick is shown in a short video clip with bassist Jon Brant playing his red Hamer B12S 12-string bass live.

Enuff Z’Nuff bassist Chip Z’Nuff also makes an appearance in the video. Chip stated, “I was at home in Chicago and I got a phone call from Billy Fossett of Cheap Trick. Billy was one of the guitar techs, and Billy was kind enough to invite me out. They said, ‘Oh yeah, just grab your 12-string bass Chip and come on down to the studio.’ I bought a bass off Cheap Trick. [Editor’s note: Jon Brant’s blue Hamer Steve Stevens model 12-string bass.] I showed up there and the first one I saw was (producer) Mike Chapman. I was like, I couldn’t believe it, I love Mike Chapman, he did all the records with Sweet, smash hit song.”

Mike Chapman responded, “I remember that day, him coming with his 8-string bass, or his 50-string bass, or some wacky instrument that he plugged in and started playing. Guitarist Jim Ellison was saying, ‘Yeah, I gotta have that on the record, man.’ I said, ‘OK, it’s on the record.”

It is unclear if Chip’s 12-string bass was included on any Material Issue songs that were released, although Chip is name checked in the liner notes of Material Issue’s 1994 album Freak City Soundtrack.

In addition to video of Ted Ansari playing an 8-string bass in the music video for the song What Girls Want, the band Shoes is also shown using a Hamer 8-string bass in their Tomorrow Night music video.