Chicago's Goose Island is also a gold mine for musicians and home to Lakland bass guitars.
U2 is coming to Chicago this weekend, playing a string of concerts at the United Center. And the electric bass guitar in the hands of U2's Adam Clayton was made right here in Chicago.
It's the instrument that does rock n' roll's heavy lifting-the foundation for every flashy lead guitarist, hard driving drummer, and sexy singer. And without it, the music just wouldn't be the same. And while the bass guitar is rarely a solo instrument, at a small Chicago company the bass plays the lead.
"I've always been the type of player that was maybe more interested in the actual gear than like learning how to play," says Dan Lakin, owner of Lakland.
Dan Lakin was born into a day job, a tire recycling business-A. Lakin and Sons. It was started by his great grandfather in Goose Island almost a century ago.
But after seven years of plunking along in bookkeeping and sales, the only thing he could count on was getting fired.
Yet within these Chicago brick walls that inspired his forefathers, Lakin began following a bass-ic instinct.
"We started in '94 and came up with a design and started manufacturing, and really didn't know what the heck we were gettin' into," Lakin says.
He hooked up with Hugh McFarland, combining their last names to create the name Lakland. McFarland, who's since left the company, had the technical know-how to build a better bass.
Traditionally, bass guitars have been made by the same companies that manufacture their skinny stringed sisters such as Fender and Gibson. But this small company specializes in just one guitar, the Lakland Electric Bass with either four or five strings.
"There's a company that we know very well they get to spend eight minutes per instrument. That's it. Whereas we may spend eight hours, eight days, eight weeks to make it right," says Carl Pedigo, head luthier.
"I figured when we started if we just made the best instrument and great design, that it would sell," Lakin says.
A solid instrument is a start, but cool guitars need cool players.
"At the beginning we had to give a lot of instruments away," Lakin says. "They want to wait until it's proven before they put it in their hands."
With the help of some connected Chicagoans, their big break came in 1995 during the opening act of a Grateful Dead concert at Soldier Field.
"The bass player for The Band, familiar with them?," Lakin says.
"Rick Danko."
"Right who's no longer with us unfortunately, he used our bass in the first year we were manufacturing and, it was a thrill to see it on stage but it was also very nerve wracking because I didn't know if something would go wrong on it," Lakin says.
Word spread in the small world of bass players and now almost every big time bassist in the business has played a Lakland.
The Lakland masters have just put the finishing touches on this custom made maple bass that will be turned over this weekend to one of the world's most famous bass players, Adam Clayton of U2.
"For this particular tour he wanted a certain look he likes these black blocks. So everything he's playing on this tour has this black," Lakin says. Lakland now has signature models, backed by bassists like Darryl Jones of the Rolling Stones, Donald "Duck" Dunn of the Blues Brothers and former Elvis bassist Jerry Scheff.
All of these bass greats recently shared the spotlight for a blow-out event at the Park West, celebrating Lakland's first 10 years.
"It's a great thrill to see my bass on stage with these great artists," Lakin says.
"It's impossible for me to not brag, I claim bragging rights every chance I get," Pedigo says.
So the next time you're passing through Goose Island, look beyond the stacks of tires to a group of guys who in just 10 years are taking center stage with rock-and-roll's greats.
Lakin says it's easier to get to the president than the world's most famous bass player Paul McCartney, so Paul if you're listening Dan has a bass for you in any color you like and will deliver it when you come through Chicago this fall.
