Conan

[quote name='JTUK' post='1088490' date='Jan 13 2011, 07:33 PM']Never ever got this Rush thing....just not my thing at all.[/quote] That's cool! That's what makes them the 'biggest cult band in the world'! It also makes some of us love them even more!

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1088479' date='Jan 13 2011, 07:25 PM']Their embracing of the rock sound of the time doesn't really interest me and those two records strike me as being a band that was running out of steam. It seems when they made Vapor Trails, after everthing they'd been through, they had finally gotten their fire back.[/quote] That's interesting! Vapor trails is my least favourite Rush album - by a country mile! I just can't get into it at all and actually find it annoying and fatiguing to listen to. Believe me, I've tried. Snakes and arrows is getting there. It is still growing on me after three years but it is far from my favourite! When I started high school in 1979 (Jesus!! Am I that old now? ) my 'new best friend' was into Rush. He had an enormous "Tour of the Hemispheres" poster on his bedroom wall, which was just the coolest thing I had ever seen. Just after that, I headed off to Windows in the Central Arcade in Newcastle and parted with £4.20 of my hard-earned pocket money to purchase Rush's triple album "Archives" - which is basically their first three albums re-packaged. I never looked back. I still remember the excitement among the 'heavies' at school when Permanent Waves had just come out. Who bought it? Who had heard it? What did we all think of it? etc. Happy memories!! And due to the enjoyment that Rush have given me over the last 32 years (eeek!) I would almost forgive them anything. Except Dog Years.

[quote name='Wilco' post='1088461' date='Jan 13 2011, 07:17 PM'](PS: my son is 20 & has 'Tears' from 2112 & 'YYZ' on his iPod. Ok he's not an out & out fan, but there's a young 'un liking a bit of the older stuff!!)[/quote] Excellent! Tears is a beautiful track and one of my favourite 'ballads' by any band. Lovely stuff. And YYZ? One of Geddy's most interesting basslines IMO! Your son has good taste!

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1088116' date='Jan 13 2011, 03:04 PM']Do you know any of them?[/quote]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1088051' date='Jan 13 2011, 02:28 PM']And nobody in the 5 pages of YouTube comments picked up on it so I'd say it was a fairly good lesson[/quote] For 'comments' read [i]hagiography[/i]!

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1087996' date='Jan 13 2011, 01:58 PM']I currently find them all but unlistenable but I was a Rush nut from Caress of Steel to Moving PIctures after which they lost me. But, for a while there, they were the one.[/quote] It's interesting that a lot of us long-term Rush fans still love the band but are not keen on their recent material. The cut-off point may vary (for me they became inconsistent after Roll the Bones, but I still really like Test for Echo. I just can't get away with the last two studio albums). To me it just feels that they have become rather stagnant and are going through the motions to a certain extent. Back in the seventies and eighties, and even into the nineties, every new album had something new or different to it's predecessors. Not any more IMO. What does that say about us as fans or indeed about the band themselves? I wonder if there are fans of 'modern' Rush who hate the earlier stuff? I guess there must be, but I'm yet to meet one!

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1087013' date='Jan 12 2011, 06:36 PM']Then, sadly, in 1993 Geddy went back to his jazz bass. It was suggested to him by a bloke called Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, who I think was a studio tech or something for the Counterparts record. This was at a time when Nirvana were big and grunge rock was the "in" thing in America and he thought it would help the band go for a rock sound that would appeal to American audiences of the time. Geddy tried the jazz bass and sadly he's been using it ever since! It's a nice sounding bass but it can't hold a candle to his Steinberger or his Wal basses![/quote] I don't much like his Wal sound. I like what he plays on it, and some of his lines on Power Windows and Hold your Fire are classics - but I think it's those loose, flappy funkmaster strings he used at the time. Far too light. No tone at all. And I know, coz I used them around that time too!! I love his Jazz tone, but I think it's got a bit over the top now when played live. A bit TOO clangy for me I'm afraid. Still my all-time favourite bassist though!

Well, first of all I wouldn't be buying new! Have a look at the amps and cabs for sale section on here for starters - some great deals to be had and some very knowledgeable sellers who will help and advise you... You will get a lot more for your money too!

[quote name='grayn' post='1086654' date='Jan 12 2011, 01:31 PM']Then I though, for that money I could just get another Cube-100. Then having 2X12 and 200 watts. Does this make sense, or should I just get a much larger combo, when required? [/quote] How would you link the two combos together? Line out from one into the input of the second one? A Y-splitter to run the signal from your bass into the inputs of the two combos separately?

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1085043' date='Jan 10 2011, 11:52 PM']sad to hear two really great human beings being rubbished like that due to personal tastes[/quote] Isn't that what you've recently done to the Chilis?

[quote name='2wheeler' post='1086547' date='Jan 12 2011, 11:54 AM']Absolutely. I would say this is a lesson from a master on how to get away with a bum note.[/quote] You think he got away with it? Somewhat ironic that such a howler takes place in a track called "Best I Can"!!

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1086543' date='Jan 12 2011, 11:52 AM']Personally I wouldn't say he's deteriorated, but I think from around Counterparts, when he started doing that flamenco thing, his lines have become less interesting. Also, on the newer tunes, there's been more pads going on during the solos, and less room for him to groove. Freewill... Camera Eye... Distant Early Warning.... Marathon.... Vital Signs... Digital Man... Turn the Page.... (obviously, I could go on) all great, memorable lines.[/quote] Yes. I would agree with that. Also add to the list my personal favourite - Middletown Dreams. TBH, the whole of Power Windows! Even though I don't like his Wal sounds as much as either his Ricks or Jazzes...

[quote name='crplumb' post='1086529' date='Jan 12 2011, 11:37 AM']He is one awesome bass player - maybe not as good as he used to be but still great![/quote] Eh? In what way do you think he has deteriorated? Technically? Sound? Style? I think he's probably become more 'tasteful', and I would probably say that he is now more of a 'singer that plays bass' rather than a 'bass player who sings'.

I love him really.... But listen to the guitar solo section at around 1.48! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhYLQ4DWaos&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhYLQ4DWaos...feature=related[/url]

I misread the thread title, and was wondering who this "Dean Entwistle" was...

[quote name='TheGreek' post='1085565' date='Jan 11 2011, 02:56 PM']the only real good look you get is at 1:24 - 1:27 - hard to see any logos - 1980 seems a bit too early for it to be a modern Ibanez which it resembles. Got me stumped!![/quote] The headstock doesn't look right for an Ibby either... and they were pretty much just doing Musicians, Blazers and Roadstars back then weren't they? Reminds me of one or two of those lower-end basses like Tune or Bass Collection... again though, it might be a bit early for them. Who's the bass player?

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1085552' date='Jan 11 2011, 02:43 PM']Being 'known' is over-rated. Having fun is where it's at.[/quote] Depends. Known by whom? If I overheard Geddy Lee saying "Man, that fat, ugly, bald Geordie bass player is pretty tasty" I'd be rather chuffed!

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='1085515' date='Jan 11 2011, 02:11 PM']As for becoming a good, or better musician/bassist (or for progressing at many things FWIW), it seems philosphically sound to open up future possiblities in a spirit of exploration, rather than limiting things with definitions and absolutes.[/quote] What he said. I think...

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1085510' date='Jan 11 2011, 02:05 PM']I also think Fish and Chips is completely overrated =[/quote] Me too! It wasn't a very good example in hindsight... but I was hungry!

[quote name='Doddy' post='1085508' date='Jan 11 2011, 02:02 PM']There are a lot of very good musicians around who do copy parts everyday-be they in some form of tribute show or theatre production or whatever.Many of these are top players-just because they are not creating new music doesn't make them any less of a musician. As far as mediocrity is concerned,there are an awful lot of mediocre musicians and bands about that are touted as being 'genius',which causes many younger players to aim for that level and not push to be better.[/quote] Totally agree!

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1085427' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:05 PM']I always think that the best songs are made up of great music and great lyrics. Good Times is essentially two riffs which are 4 bars long, both rifs are against the same two diatonic chords a perfect fourth apart. Probably the first chord change anyone with a guitar ever learns? The only thing that is even credible is the bass line and that, whilst it is iconic, is three notes on the beat followed by what is essentially a dorian minor scale (EF#GABC#DE) followed, in turn, by a slightly more interest lick on the A using the sixth and dominant seventh. The singers are [i]really[/i] lightweight (would never have made boot campm on X Factor) and the whole thing is just not very interesting.[/quote] In the same reductionist manner, fish and chips - widely regarded as one of the world's classic dishes - could be described as "Marine protein in a gluten-based coating, submerged in hot lipid and served with fragments of subterranean tubers". Doesn't sound as appetising does it? But it's the same thing. Sometimes, the whole is more than the sum of the parts, and it doesn't stand up to analysis.

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='1084915' date='Jan 10 2011, 10:02 PM']Whatever happens to the desire to improve and become better players ? instead of going in with the attitude of 'That'll be good enough for the Dog and Duck', why not set out with the aim of becoming known as a good bassist ? it can only enhance your career.[/quote] I both agree and disagree. To actively seek mediocrity is disappointing and ultimately unfulfilling. However, how will you ever be known as a "good bassist" if all you do is perform carbon-copies of other bassist's lines? Surely there is more to it than that?

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1085427' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:05 PM']My view on Good Times? Its the classic problem with dance orientated music. 'Great' line (is it?) but the tune is actually bubble gum.[/quote] But Bilbo, you hit the nail on the head there. It is [i]dance[/i] music. It's all about sex and having a good time struttin' ya fonkay stuff dude. Most whirling dervishes and cavorting medallion-men will not be listening to the lyrics at all - except maybe in the chorus sections. Why is that a problem? Of course, It's OK to not like "dance music" [i]per se[/i], but to criticise it's content (or lack thereof) based on how complex its composition and lyrics are comes across as pretentious and small-minded IMV. Not that I would accuse you of being either of these things normally! Horses for courses, innit?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1085426' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:05 PM']I know a lot of people who don't like Primus. But for me,they were one of only a handful of bands who blew me away the moment I heard them.[/quote] Me too. They just sounded so original - like nothing else I hade ever heard. I think I've probably grown beyond them now in terms of my musical taste, but I still really enjoy the odd listen and they often bring a slightly wistful smile to my face! I also love the fact that my wife and kids absolutely HATE them!

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1085218' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:02 AM']Indeed. That said... that thing would be absolutely beasting into a Vintage. And it would help compensate for my tiny penis.[/quote] If it goes down to 2 ohms we could pool vintages.... Hmmmmm. I have absolutely nothing to say about your second comment however.