---
title: Rob Wasserman
description: Sarth Calhoun on meeting bassist Rob Wasserman, touring together with Lou Reed, and the first Kyma session that became the basis of Junior Dad.
url: https://www.sarth.net/conspirators/rob-wasserman/
published: 2026-09-23
credit: [*Lou Reed Live at Lollapalooza 2009*](/transmissions/lou-reed-live-at-lollapalooza-2009/), the official DVD, credits the band as Mike Rathke and Steve Hunter, guitars; Kevin Hearn, keyboards; Rob Wasserman, bass; Tony “Thunder” Smith, drums; Ulrich Krieger, saxophone; Sarth Calhoun, electronics and continuum. [loureed.com](https://loureed.com/news/lou-reed-live-at-lollapalooza-2009-dvd/)
author: Sarth Calhoun
---
[Conspirators](/conspirators/) / Rob Wasserman

Conspirator

# Rob Wasserman

Rob was always one of my heroes.

## Who Rob Wasserman was

Rob Wasserman (1952 to 2016) was an American bassist known for the electric upright bass that [Ned Steinberger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Steinberger) built with him. His *Solo*, *Duets* and *Trios* records put the instrument in front rather than under everything else; *Duets* won a Grammy in 1989. He played for decades with [Bob Weir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Weir) as RatDog, and recorded with [Lou Reed](/conspirators/lou-reed/), [Rickie Lee Jones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickie_Lee_Jones), [Van Morrison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Morrison), [Elvis Costello](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Costello) and many others.

![Sarth Calhoun performing at Lollapalooza, a bass headstock in the foreground.](/images/lolla.jpg)

Sarth Calhoun at Lollapalooza, Chicago, August 2009. Rob Wasserman played bass in that band.

The letter I wrote the day after Rob died, June 30, 2016.

I first met Rob Wasserman backstage at a performance of Lou Reed’s *Berlin* at St. Ann’s Warehouse. I walked up to him and shook his hand saying “Rob Wasserman! I’m a huge fan!”

My first instrument was the bass, and Rob was always one of my heroes. I became aware of him when his records, *Solo*, *Duo*, and *Trio*, redefined upright bass for me. I knew he was one of the people [Ned Steinberger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Steinberger) worked with in creating those amazing electric uprights, which was Rob’s signature instrument.

He just chuckled and said “a huge fan ...” I couldn’t have imagined I would be on tour with him a few months later, backing up Lou Reed.

I remember so clearly the first time I played with Rob. Lou had invited me over to his apartment to show him what live processing would be like on stage. The source material turned out to be Rob bowing the electric upright, which I processed through [Kyma](/devices/). We recorded that first session, and it ended up being the basis for [“Junior Dad,”](/conspiracies/junior-dad/) the 19 minute outro to *[Lulu](/conspiracies/lulu/)*.

What I remember most dearly about Rob was how much he encouraged and supported me when I was the new guy in the band. He had as much or more reason than anyone on that stage to look on skeptically at this young whippersnapper, but instead he was unfailingly gracious. He always spoke to me with dignity and respect, as if I were an equal, which was status I had done nothing to earn. I will never forget that generosity, and the world has lost another hero.

The letter is here as written. The backstage meeting was during *Berlin* at St. Ann’s Warehouse, December 14 to 17, 2006. Our first tour together was Lou Reed’s [spring 2008 U.S. tour](/conspiracies/lou-reed-spring-2008-tour/).

> Rob Wasserman’s upright electric bass, Kevin Hearn’s string/horn patches, Sarth Calhoun’s invisible Macbookery, and guitarist Steve Hunter’s fiery if decidedly inside-the-box solos.
> 
> Jesse Jarnow on the spring 2008 tour’s last night, [The Village Voice, May 6, 2008](https://villagevoice.com/2008/05/06/live-lou-reed-at-the-highline-ballrooms-first-birthday-party)

[Embedded player](https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2zg2zQsXs0o6hCH9MTkZzw)

On record together: [*Lou Reed Live at Lollapalooza 2009*](/transmissions/lou-reed-live-at-lollapalooza-2009/), the official DVD, credits the band as Mike Rathke and Steve Hunter, guitars; Kevin Hearn, keyboards; Rob Wasserman, bass; Tony “Thunder” Smith, drums; Ulrich Krieger, saxophone; Sarth Calhoun, electronics and continuum. [loureed.com](https://loureed.com/news/lou-reed-live-at-lollapalooza-2009-dvd/)