Before that I was playing bass on a 4-string electric guitar, having cut off a couple of strings," he laughs.

Back in the mid-seventies one of the first things he developed was how to build rhythms.  "I rigged up this cheap stereo so I could plug my bass into it," says Jamie.  "I learned a lot from that because not only was I playing myself back then, but I was really playing with myself.  I needed a drummer or a really good amp, so I built a rhythm section with my right hand.  I had a built in snare drum, so I became a more rhythmic player with myself rather than listening to a drummer."

Jamie built a name for himself through taking any gig he could and also jamming with his twin brother, guitarist Joey Hunting.  "I played a lot. I mean, 'I played a lot,'" he punctuates with a laugh, "And when I see players I like, I grab their number.  I started playing with David Lee Roth in '93.  He called about a song that my brother and I had written and it had gone on Your Filthy Little Mouth (David Lee Roth).  He liked the bass work and one thing led to another."

Jamie toured with Dave for several years and before that played with Earl Slick, Eddie Money, Fiona, John Butcher, and The Outpatients (with Guns N' Roses crew: Axl, Slash, Duff, Matt and Izzy.)  When Union guitarist, Bruce Kulick and drummer Brent Fitz spotted Jamie playing at a Hollywood hotspot they recruited him into the band and the rest is history.  "When I joined up with the group they were on the tail end of writing the first record - almost getting ready to record - and they were at a loss for a bass player.  This time around the quartet is going to be more involved and we're going to be working closer together."

Union's rock-heavy tunes can be heard on their live recording: Live in the Galaxy [Cleopatra] with Jamie's active bass passages and tasteful phrasing on Union songs like, "Love (I Don't Need It Anymore)" and "Let It Flow."

When I spoke with Jamie he was rehearsing for Union's second record, which will be out by the time this issue hits the stands.  The album is co-produced by Bob Marlett and Union.  The band's latest outing will possess a more group-oriented tone than the first.  Jamie is bringing out the 12-string for some of the tracks, something he has wanted to record with more.  "I was playing 8-strings and then around '80 or '81, I saw Tom Peterssen (Cheap Trick) playing a 12-string. To me it sounds like a cross between an organ and a harpsichord.  It has such a big sound an if used properly it doesn't step on any of the other instruments toes; in a guitar band it FILLS up fast."

Experimenting with different instruments has widened Jamie's bass playing.  "I'm experimenting playing my 12-string in the upper register and playing foot pedals.  Since I've been playing the organ I think I've got fancy feet, [Laughs] just more sound.  The 12-string is such a huge sounding instrument, it's beautiful by itself.  A lot of people don't even know they exist, which surprises me because a lot of guys play them, like Doug Pinnick from Kings-X.  Keeping them quite is tough, my 12-string has two big pickups in the back and a bass pickup on the neck so there's a lot of output." CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE