Maggie May Bass Cockup?

[Hobbayne]

We have been asked to do dear old Rods top hit for a friends birthday party next month.
I must say, I am not a fan of the bass part. (Ronnie Lane?)
It seems to be aimless noodling around a D major pentatonic with a whopping clanger at 2.47
But it may be part of the song.
Hey ho.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8yNPgqByMo[/media]

Edited April 30, 2016 by Hobbayne

[casapete]

I've always loved the bass part, which I believe was played by Ronnie Wood. It has that loose meandering feel
which fits in perfectly. That and the drumming make the song IMO.
Apparently the drummer (Micky Waller) turned up at the session having forgotten his cymbals, and as they
had expensive studio time booked he played the song without them, overdubbing them at a later date.

[discreet]

You MUST include the balls-up! It will be expected!

[luckydog]

It's a very effective bass part IMO, haven't ever really paid it much attention til now. Appears to be improvised, and if there are drop-ins they aren't obvious. It warmed up as the track went on, which also suggests it wasn't very rehearsed perhaps ? There's numerous timing gaffs and dropped notes that aren't as prominent as the howler, but they are left in and it works.

Nevertheless I like it a lot. But would be hard to rip off the original feel and effect I think.

Maybe need not to worry about gaffs, and get into the mindset/spirit of it and improvise around the scales and patterns with relaxed timing, if it is the original feel you're after? But it still might never quite capture it, if you catch my drift.

LD

[JTUK]

It is just chords..play it loose.

[lowdown]

Yes, it is just chords...
But make sure you play the right ones.

Maybe, Maggie May needs a billing in the thread link below. Although, I should imagine It might already be cemented there, along with Jean Genie.
(But I don't really, fancy listening to four pages of wrong/clam notes.)
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/246551-do-the-big-name-acts-make-cock-ups-like-us-mortals/

[bassmanady]

I found the Unplugged Album version a good alternative and learnt that

[wateroftyne]

Yeah, there's a clanger, but it's got so much more life than the polished-to-blandness stuff populating the chart these days.

[luckydog]

Anyone else think the original was maybe played on a Fender VI ?

LD

[essexbasscat]

I played this one last night. The bass line makes this song for me, I've heard people play it straight and it just steralised the song.

On one gig, we played Maggie May and then Honky Tonk Woman afterwards. I kept the style and feel of Maggie through Honky Tonk and the guitarist picked up the feel and went bananas with it,
His enthusiasm infected the rest of the band who just re -enforced the character of our rendition of the song. The crowd loved it and it was by far the best version we've ever done of HTW

[lowdown]

[quote name='bassmanady' timestamp='1462090809' post='3040101']
I found the Unplugged Album version a good alternative and learnt that
[/quote]

That version sounds great (The whole band).
Actually the whole gig does (IMO).

[markmcclelland]

I'd really say just keep the style. But I'm not sure it's a clanger. It sounds like a really cool going for it part if anything. I'd say just learn that bit and improvise away at the rest while trying to keep the spirit of the line. Maybe transcribe a few phrases to see where he's coming from and you're away but I get the impression you have the understanding already.

[Marvin]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1462091356' post='3040107']
Yeah, there's a clanger, but it's got so much more life than the polished-to-blandness stuff populating the chart these days.
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more

[AndyTravis]

I've played it a few times, and when learning it I found it really frustrating because it does appear to be a 1 take noodle "ay up lads, the game is comin on the telly, I'll chuck the bass part on and we can get to the pub"

Once I had a few of the phrases right, I just did my own version.

It is really messy - but pretty charming.

[FinnDave]

Of no particular relevance, I was having a drink last week with the former Lindisfarne member who played mandolin on Maggie May. I could ask him about the bass next time I see him.

[discreet]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1462091356' post='3040107']
Yeah, there's a clanger, but it's got so much more life than the polished-to-blandness stuff populating the chart these days.
[/quote]

+100

[discreet]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1462094162' post='3040141']
Of no particular relevance, I was having a drink last week with the former Lindisfarne member who played mandolin on Maggie May. I could ask him about the bass next time I see him.
[/quote]

Oh, you tart!
Actually that's pretty cool.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1462094162' post='3040141']
Of no particular relevance, I was having a drink last week with the former Lindisfarne member who played mandolin on Maggie May. I could ask him about the bass next time I see him.
[/quote]

Jacka. Great player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqcL4QlAKA

[FinnDave]

He lives in the next village, we have mutual friends. He's a decent bloke.

[gjones]

When I first bought 'Every Picture tells A Story', I remember being flabbergasted at how loose and shambolic the whole feel of the album was. I thought to myself. 'they all sound like they're drunk'. I was so shocked and disappointed (especially by the bass playing on Maggie May), I didn't play the album again for a year.

A year later I thought I'd give the album another chance and this time I was charmed by the ragged, looseness of the playing. And by the way, according to interviews Rod has made over the years, my first impression was spot on, they were all totally pished when they made the album.

Edit: and looking at the musicians who played on that track, it was Ronnie Wood playing bass. Which explains a lot.

Edited May 1, 2016 by gjones

[Oopsdabassist]

My lot started doing this just before Xmas, and I was certainly a bit daunted when I listened to the bass line, finally just went feck it and noodled my own take around the chord sequence, always goes down well, especially as the singist drags out a mando for the finale!

[discreet]

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1462092796' post='3040128']
I've played it a few times, and when learning it I found it really frustrating because it does appear to be a 1 take noodle.
[/quote]

You should try learning the bass line for Dire Wolf by The Grateful Dead. Then check out the live versions on YouTube - even Phil Lesh can't play it and it's his own bloody line!

[Happy Jack]

Not sure that's a "whopping clanger" ... more like a single bum note.

Until the OP pointed it out, can't honestly say I'd ever noticed it, and it's been one of my favourite tracks for ... ahem ... a very long time.

[ivansc]

Depressing. Feel is what its about. NOT "note perfect".

Personally, I hate how many people seem to think "the thing" to do is slavishly copy every single nuance of a performance & wind up with this sterile wooden "exact copy" instead of trying to get the same feel.

We are bass players! We should be aiming at peoples arses more than their ears.
I bet you pick Rick Danko's parts to bits as well...

[Hobbayne]

No. I am not 'picking it to bits' just concentrating on the bass part which I had never paid attention to before.
In fact I,m not a big Rod fan. It just seems a bit thrown together.
It may not be a whopping clanger, but it sticks out like a sore thumb now I know its there.