BigBeefChief

[quote name='Rayman' post='153963' date='Mar 9 2008, 04:03 PM']Is that you in the avatar?[/quote] It is indeed. Why do you ask?

[quote name='Rayman' post='153961' date='Mar 9 2008, 04:01 PM']Are you a tosser??[/quote] Dunno. Its subjective. What do you think?

[quote name='Rayman' post='153955' date='Mar 9 2008, 03:56 PM']I think it's time the moderators knock this one on the head, It's going nowhere. We've lost a valuable contributor to this forum now, because of some tosser winding people up for a laugh.[/quote] Do you mean me?

[quote name='The Funk' post='153941' date='Mar 9 2008, 03:30 PM']Bloody disgrace is over the top. And I admit I've made a personal attack. I'm just annoyed that we've lost Janek Gwizdala through a combination of his not being able to handle legitimate criticism and the huge amount of rubbish in this thread that he's had to put up with.[/quote] I've just re-read every post I've made on this thread to see if I've been being a tw*t (through a combination of irresponsible parents and booze, I often am), and I think I've actually been at the less confrontational end of my usual behaviour. My posts are often exagerated to make a point and the tone sometimes doesn't come across in text, but I've shyed away from personal insults. Janek doesn't play the music I like. Thats all. Simple. I'm sure he can live with it. I openly admit he is phenomenaly talented, more so than I'll ever be, I'm just not a big fan of how he uses that ability. Its not personal. Its nothing I wouldn't say to his face. I get the impression that you feel Janek's decision to leave has something to do with my posts. If you re-read them, their actually pretty tame. I don't dislike the guy. He's talented. Just not my cup of tea. Seems a strange reason to leave a forum.

[quote name='The Funk' post='153930' date='Mar 9 2008, 03:01 PM']I also think that for Janek to say that Bill Dickens is not a bass player or a musician is as daft as anything we've come to expect from someone as idiotic as BBC. Bill Dickens clearly is a bass player and a musician. Whether or not you like his music or playing is something else. ... It's good that people don't suck up to him but at the same time BBC is a bloody disgrace who scatters his brand of irritation across threads almost indiscriminately. It's much harder to avoid BBC's bullshit on these forums than it is to avoid BGM or Janek Gwizdala. I shouldn't have to stop using these forums or start using the ignore button.[/quote] Mum! I told you to stop using this forum! In all seriousness, I think you're being a bit over the top. Not really sure why you think i'm a "bloody discrace", but I think its quite humourous all the same! Personally, I'm not a fan of making personal attacks like you have. Some would say its actually worse than the "bullshit" that I post. People are different I suppose. I still love you as a bass-playing brother.

[quote name='Jase' post='153730' date='Mar 8 2008, 07:47 PM']Thing is .... BBC generally talks a load of b******s, he generally doesn't really answer people in a thread, he just generally hangs around, waits for a subject...someone says black, he says white, good example of that is the Manring / Lawson vid that got posted, most people didn't really get into it but true to form BBC comes in and loves it, understands it and wants to learn it, he's pretty good at bringing a thread to a huge yawn...... I dunno, you start off giving your contribution only to find that it ends up a lot like the I Hate Jazz Thread, I hate this, I hate that I've bored myself now.[/quote] There was an element of sarcasm to the Steve Lawson post. Re-read it. Are you telling me you didn't pick up on it the first time round???

[quote name='gwizmon' post='153456' date='Mar 8 2008, 12:58 AM']I was asked to write a column, and to express my feelings and approaches to some technical aspects of the instrument. .... I hate talking about, i hate writing about it, but it's the reality of bass magazines.[/quote] You hate it? You hate it so much that you not only wrote about it in a magazine but then came on a web forum to complain that people don't agree with you. Clearly a man of integrity. I've said it before, if you publish something (in print or recording) you open yourself up to criticism. Its part and parcel. Does Martin Scorsese ring up Mark Kermode to complain that he gave him a bad review? If you take these things so personally, perhaps being a "performer" isn't for you? I understand you probably take these things personally (thats fine, its good to care), but no one here (I'm sure) intends any comment as a personal attack on you. People will always critique media thats in the public domain. Theres jobs down the Post Office if this isn' your cup of tea. By the tone of your post, so sound pretty p*ssed off - with me and others. I struggle to see why. Some people will gain nothing from your lessons and not appreciate your work. Others will love it. Surely you know this. Personally, I'm not impressed with technical wizardry. Thats just me. Also, in reference to Nikki Six, I don't want to sound like him at all. Thats not my point. If I had to sound like him or you, I' chose him. No offence, just personal preference. I just fail to understand why if you hate talking and writing about music you then go on to do it in BGM and here? Actually, BGM pay, so fair enough, but here?

You lot obviously don't get it. I think that was one of the most beautiful and melodic pieces of music I have ever heard. Both artists should be proud that after spending a mere life time between them studying the instrument that we love that they should come up with such a life affirming and transcendental piece of art such as that. Hell, its not just art, that music is a way of life! I cannot wait until Steve Lawson's next offering in BGM. I will study until my fingers bleed in the hope that one day, maybe just one day, I will be able to wow the connousieurs of the californian live bass solo community with such unbridled beauty. Everything I've stated about overly technical bass players creating unlistenable music has been shown up as the mutterings of an uneducated fool that I am. We need more of this in BGM. Pages of it. And please, reviewers, don't go so hard on the manufacturers? Just give everyone a 3 star rating. No need to go round upsetting people.

If I don't win I'm going to leave this forum. You'll all soon miss my well informed, non-provactive, on-topic and intellectual input.

I find a long bath and a glass of wine helps. I then use some scented massage oil and music to set the mood. Remember to use plenty of lube, but make sure its water not oil based. Let us all know how you get on.

I can't stand McCartney as a human being, but got so much respect for his playing and his view on theory as a whole. I also appreciate that if you don't care about the theory, don't read the article. Pretty simple. What I don't get is the way BGM (and also plenty of people on here) view these technicians as Bass heros/role models. I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say that if I practiced for 10 hours a day and became a well respected session musician because of it, I'd feel slightly dissapointed. 10 hours a day is a full time job, you'd expect to be a great technician. I would actually have hoped to be part of something much more accessible and (to me) interesting than what Janek does. The problem I have with these guys, is that they have great talent, but they use it in a way that to me, seems like such a waste. Of course, I appreciate that this is mostly derived from my taste in music. ie: a dislike for bass solo noodling and chin stroking music.

[quote name='funkmunky' post='152739' date='Mar 6 2008, 10:06 PM']Put a shirt on and open your mind! [/quote] I refuse to wear clothes about the house. And I'm incredibly openminded. Ask my girlfriend and her sister.

Thats interesting. I must admit I tend to find the exact opposite. I can't persuade myself to like the works of Michael Manring, let alone anyone else.

Welcome. Where are you from and what do you play Chris?

I haven't been this confused since I had a crush on Tom Selleck.

The Jury is still out on you then!

Jake, Having read through my reply to Funkmonkey, my post does sound a little facetious. It wasn't intended. I was trying to establish if hearing him play was breathtaking to a bass player, or breath taking in general. Funkmonkey states that it was about the ability to have total musical freedom, unhindered by poor technique. I question if this creativity and musical freedom would be so apparent to those who don't study bass and, for want of a better phrase, to those who don't appreciate how difficult it is! I suppose there's not an answer. As a bass player its difficult to be subjective. Do you enjoy a piece because its musical or because you appreciate the skill involved? Or maybe a bit of both? Maybe its subconscious? I, for whatever reason, tend not to enjoy overtly technical playing. I see less value in studying it than most. I think that a lot of people study it for the wrong reasons. But its up to them. If you like listening to that stuff, great. I'm more than happy for you to exist on the same planet as me. Just don't play Jazz and don't be the front man of Jamiroquai.

Perfect example.

And while you were listening to him, did he "create" anything that could be appreciated by a non-bass player?

Fair enough. Its interesting to see the range of views surrounding this. Moving slightly closer to the original topic, I think that academic bass excercises are most useful for people who would happily work as a proffesional session musician (I'd assume the majority on this site??). Personally, I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than go down that route. My view is that if your good enough to go pro, be original, be yourself, have some fun. Don't waste it playing in overly technical supergroups that no one apart from musicians can understand. BGM loves to talk about being a working session musician like its the Holy Grail. Personaly, I couldn't give a sh*t! I'd rather be Nikki Sixx than Janek Gwidzala! (and before you ask, no I'm not a big Motley Crue fan - he just sprang to mind when thinking about non-academic bass players!)

I actually think that technical ability may hinder creativity. The majority of my favourite musicians are self taught or have little in the way of classical education. Maybe there's a certain magic created by trying to do a lot with the little that you've got? Maybe if you can't impress with technical ability, then you need to think of something else?

OK, it sounds crap to me. But personally I find that technical ability and making music I enjoy are often poles apart. This could be due to great technicians wanting to show off their ability and therefore moving away from those great, simple bass hooks that I love. Or it could be that those that aren't naturally musical rely overly on technique. Or they might just have different tastes to me. Who knows??

Fair point, and to some degree I agree that having a greater ability and more knowledge isn't a bad thing. However, what I don't like is the association between technical ability with being a great bass player/musician. Agreed, you need to have the ability to transfer whats "inside" to your audience, but you don't need to be the world greatest technician. If I spent 10 hours a day practicing, I'd be pretty good technician. I'd still be (by my definition) a lousy musician. BGM loves to put these people on a pedestal, lording them for playing with such "greats" as "Erki Boneflap", "Milton Stonebake" and the "Milk Lake Quartet". ie Music for Musos (the only people who appreciate their technical ability and can ignore the fact that it actually sounds pretty crap). Gwidzala may make a living by being a very good player but I'd rather listen to/ be inspired/taught by the bloke who wrote "Peaches".

Glad I'm not the only one. All I'd like is a bit of honesty. Whats wrong with admitting the new MIA Jazz is overpriced with little improvement? What's wrong with stating that a bass solo album is crap? If your brave enought to release a product/album to the world then your brave enough to get some honest opinion about it.

Agreed, I can't pan the mag for not catering to my needs, and I'm not trying to. I'm purely stating that personally the tutorials are rarely of any relevance to me. I find it strange that people are so impressed with technical prowess. It seems a lot of the people doing the tutoring in BGM are mostly popular amongst bass guitarist and very few else. Never a good sign in my book. But of course, thats just in my rather odd book. What I can pan the mag for are crap reviews, being badly written and a kiss arse mentality towards manufacturers. When was the last time it reviewed an album and said "utter sh*t"? Lets face, most bass solo albums are but BGM refuses to recognise this. Maybe the mag feels a sense of loyalty to these artists and solo bass playing as a whole which clouds their (better) judgement?