Sam was educated at the prestigious San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and has to his credit recording with Alien Lovestock, George Clinton and performances with Third Eye Blind both at San Francisco's Warfield and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is also a founding member of the group Deadweight, who's first demo was produced by Jason Newsted of Metallica.

Sam Bass played Cello on Mr Bungle's California.