Barking Spiders

This lunchtime I came across a copy of [i]Bass, [/i]read the article on Bootsy, flicked through the rest and decided to get a copy of [i]Private Eye [/i]instead. The last article is on Classic Bass Albums, which this month includes the odd inclusion of Def Leppard's synthetic, sterile mush that is Hysteria. I've listened to this and frankly IMO you might as well call owt by U2 or AC/DC a bass album. Anyone else perplexed at some of the entries that have been in the Classic Bass Albums column?

My first bass was a short scale EB copy which I got for about £20 from a bloke at school back in the early 80s. For some reason I covered it in Marvel stickers so it ended up looking quite shoite but it played pretty well. I then repainted it and it looked even sh*tt*er but it was still my only bass for about a dozen years and an embarrassment to many of the bands I was in which is why I tended to get stuck at the back of the stage. My only other instrument was a battered Eko 12-string acoustic with much of the lacquer peeling off but I still used it to gig with, feeding it through an antique Boss fuzz box and an anonymous wah pedal somebody left at my house and never came back for.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1509696793' post='3400877'] I can't stand that song. Possibly jaded from playing the damn thing in covers bands for years [/quote] Me neither and I like the Undertones but it's one of their weaker songs and one I always skip Anyone recall That Petrol Emotion which was formed by ex-Undertones? A fine and underrated band who were much better than the Undertones IMO.

+ 1 for The Hamsters here too. Way back in the mists of time when I lived in London I saw them quite a few times at venues like the Half Moon in Putney . Excellent band . An excellent guitar player as I recall who also had a nice line in witty patter

Viz this thread title it depends what you play. Sure if it's general rock , metal or indie I guess bass players are usually overlooked but if you're in a funk/disco band it's generally all eyes on you as anyone into funk or disco knows it's ALL about the bass.

The intention behind this thread wasn't to slag off AC and others but find out if they're genuinely able to play stuff that's more demanding than their day jobs require..

[quote name='dyerseve' timestamp='1509444548' post='3398882'] thanks for the support guys, glad to see most people still have a firm grip on reality [/quote] Aye, PCness has gone so over the top when you can't even make a positive comment about someone's appearance . On another forum I got castigated for a similar positive remark about a girl on a TV show. Cripes, some people are better looking than others and we fancy them more. What's the problem there?

The problem with jamming is that when people are undecided what to play it often descends into dreary 12 bar blues stuff. Or worse you end up sounding like the Grateful Dead

Ha, one good reason for slapping . No one ignores you. Either they think you're the mutts nuts or they just want you to shut the fook up. Either way, you don't go unnoticed.

Reminds me a lot of all that Windham Hill stuff, very well played but as boring as fvck. Viz her looks. she's moderately pretty but that's all ..IMO of course.

I've been wondering about a number of bass players who aren't known for being virtuosos but who maybe can really cut it when given a chance but it's just that the music their bands play doesn't allow them to. I'm talking about folk like Adam Clayton, Michael Anthony and the players in The Cult, AC/DC, Status Quo etc. Just wondering if any of you peeps have seen them in side projects or doing bass clinics and left you thinking' yikes, he really can actually play'.

Other than the occasional bit of dep work with wedding bands I've not gigged properly as a bass player for almost a dozen years. Been a drummer in a couple of groups up to to a year or so ago and now in a newish folk-world music type combo. Still not playing bass though! Basswise, funk, afrobeat and Dub are my main things but just not been able to find others who wanna play this

[quote name='Spaced' timestamp='1508878666' post='3395140'] Would you like it if everyone judged your music by the first 30-60 seconds? Sure, that's what the public will most likely do, but as musicians I thought we'd have a bit more appreciation as to the amount of effort that goes into any song that gets onto Jools, even if it's crap. Be the change you want to see [/quote] As the vast majority of pop music (in the general sense) is repetitive, by the end of the first minute you'll usually have heard a couple of verses and the chorus already. Sure, prog and some electronica don't tend to follow the verse-chorus pattern but then Later hardly ever shows these types of music.

As of late I've been listening to a lot of 80s stuff where the the bass is played with a plectrum. Some stand-out tracks where the bass just drives the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4SYf9wocNk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMTsqAaUngQ

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1508868561' post='3395022'] When people ask what instrument(s) I play and when I tell them "bass", I often just get a blank look in return (I usually just say guitars now, it saves a lot of having to explain) - so I wouldn't say it was too commonplace since most people don't even know what it is and how a bass guitar differs from other guitars. [/quote] Come to think of it that's very true. Even with many people I know who love rock when they ask about my guitars (which are on display) I have to explain which ones are the basses and which are the (lead) guitars and what they're used for in a band.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1508851188' post='3394848'] No, they were that bad. How Liam gets air time and promotion via the BBC beats me. He has been on everything lately. If he had an ounce of talent I could understand but he has nothing to offer, other than being famous for being in his brothers band. [/quote] First saw his first effort on Later then he appeared again on Graham Norton. The nose he and his band was was derivative and nondescript. The man's 46 and still a kn*b who gets a rise out of winding people up.. Plus he just cannot sing. Sure, neither can many others but in most cases at least their voices have some character or they can write songs and or play an instrument well. Like his Manc compatriots Ian Brown and Morrissey he's managed to carve out a career of sorts from having been in a successful band where others had the talent.

and that you're thinking of focusing on something more unusual like the tuba or hammered dulcimer? I've been looking into getting a hammered dulcimer after seeing busker playing one to a high standard. Sounded great.

+2 here viz tone Yes, too much treble and it's pretty irritating..Louis Johnson's tone was the mutts nuts for me but I can see why Level 42 Mark King's could grate. I can play machine gun style but it lacks the swing needed for deep down and dirty funk

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1508752941' post='3394114'] The thing is, if you have never heard of an act before how do you know they may not be your next favorite thing, unless you give them a listen? [/quote] I always go on iPlayer and give everything 30-60 seconds. That's enough to tell me if I want to persist. There are just several genres I won't touch with several bargepoles attached to end and unfortunately for me they're very popular with the producers of Later

I quite liked it but can see why slap is the Marmite of bass playing. Yeah and I'm also perplexed why anyone in the online world is surprised that women can be as good as men on bass, drums, electric guitar whatever. After all no one is surprised to see female virtuosos on piano, violin, cello etc

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1508701812' post='3393927'] Said it in one , mate. If you don't like it don't watch it. It seems people only comment on things they don't like rather then commenting on something they do like. If you don't rate a certain act then fair enough,Its subjective, but to slate a whole program because you don't like the music? JH does not play my genre of music himself but he is a good musician and he is fronting a show that puts on a diverse selection of music. Stop whining or watch old re runs of TOTP. [/quote] No one's 'whining' . I used to watch it quite regularly and still occasionally check to see what's playing just in case there's owt of interest. Be nice to see a more diverse range of music on offer rather than the usual fare of UK indie, Americana and septegenarian 'legends'.

A great band no less and Budgie is one of my top 10 drummists, me also first and foremost being a drummer. He was way more accomplished than most of his contemporaries. Juju and Kiss in the Dreamhouse are the two best albums with Tinderbox ad close third. McGeogh was a very inventive player and a nice contrast to most other around at the time who were just bashing out major chords and widdly solos. Severin's lines did the job just fine though he needs to be remembered more as a principal songwriter and Siouxsie created a look and sound which has been ripped off endlessly but never bettered

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1508408790' post='3391964'] Jools was on the news this morning announcing a collaboration and tour with José Feliciano. He was saying that they hit it off after Jose appeared on [i]Later.[/i] The small bit of playing that I heard was dominated by piano. I don't think I'll be pursuing that one despite Jose's excellent reputation. [url="https://www.list.co.uk/article/95670-jools-holland-teams-up-with-jose-feliciano-for-new-lp/"]https://www.list.co....ano-for-new-lp/[/url] [/quote] I've heard it all the way through. You're right not to pursue it any more. It's ok as background music in Mediterranean beach bars but that's about it.

Ah 5 plus string basses. Really dont like them. Can't get my bushbaby hands around the neck and they're just not great for slapping. Really cant see the point of 6 plus stringers unless you're into prog

liking it muchly. will check out further stuff pronto