“Nobody Cares About Your Degree” | Philip Mann on What Actually Gets Bass Players Hired

<p class="isSelectedEnd">What actually gets a bass player hired — qualifications, chops, contacts, versatility… or something else entirely?</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">Philip Mann has spent nearly 30 years building a career across performance, education and publishing. He studied with Jeff Berlin, has worked with artists including Van Morrison, Leo Sayer and Billy Bragg, performed in West End shows, written extensively for the bass press and developed his own With Bass In Mind educational platform.</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">But in this conversation, Philip is refreshingly candid about what he believes actually matters if you want to make a living from music.</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">We talk about why collecting qualifications doesn't automatically make you employable, how studying with Jeff Berlin completely changed Philip's approach to the instrument, and why bass players can spend 90% of their practice time working on the 10% they'll rarely use professionally.</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">Philip also explains why getting older doesn't necessarily mean fewer opportunities — but it may mean understanding where you now fit in the industry — and why a sustainable music career increasingly means developing multiple income streams.</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">We get into the reality of competition for professional gigs, networking without manipulation, using social media strategically, the importance of investing in the right skills, and why relationships matter more than many musicians realise.</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">And to finish, Philip makes the case for one of Britain's most underrated bass players: Queen's John Deacon — and explains why every bassist should take a closer look at "Killer Queen."</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">In this episode:</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd">• Why Philip originally picked up the bass out of "100% jealousy"<br>

• Studying with Jeff Berlin and why it transformed his career<br>

• Why qualifications alone won't get you hired<br>

• Practising the 90% you're actually going to use<br>