Fans may know Hawaii-native actor Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones, or maybe as the titular character from the 2018 blockbuster, Aquaman. They may even know him from the many memorable memes he’s spawned since then, or perhaps the recent Super Bowl commercial in which he sheds his famously muscular physique to reveal a frail, skinny dude underneath. These days, he’s been going viral in music circles for his latest role: perpetually-stoked bass guitar student.
Jason Momoa originally took up the bass while filming Aquaman in 2017. As he told Men’s Health at that time, Jason started playing so that he could jam on set with co-star Patrick Wilson, who played Ocean Master in the film and is, by Momoa’s assessment, “awesome on drums.” As Momoa explained, “There’s a bunch of stuff I want to learn. Instead of waiting around on set all day, I’d rather be learning something cool.”
Momoa’s love affair with the instrument has provided a few wholesome moments in 2020. Earlier this year, thanks to a run-in with the Primus bassist, Momoa became the (extremely) proud owner of a Les Claypool Pachyderm bass and celebrated by rattling off a few bass lines for his Instagram.
Recently, as the actor celebrated his 41st birthday, Jason Momoa posted a clip of him excitedly unboxing his brand new custom Fender bass as Fender’s Custom Shop Master Builder Vincent Van Trigt looked on. As he fawns over the beauty of his new instrument, Momoa thumps out a few bars of “Higher Ground” (the Flea line from Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ arrangement of the Stevie Wonder original).
It would be easy to write a clip like this off as a whole lot of nothing (i.e. “famous guy buys new toy”), but the utter joy and excitement Momoa exudes as he meets his new instrument for the first time is a sensation with which any musician of any skill level can relate. Play it in good health, brother…
Watch the clip of Jason Momoa unpacking his custom Fender bass and check out some close-up photos of the new bass below:
[H/TÂ Consequence of Sound]