Bass_In_Yer_Face Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Been playing for a while now and I'm still staggered by Andy Rourke's lines from The Smiths...the guy is a legend. As someone once said, his songs sound like a whole different song going on withing a song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderthumbs Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Don't think there's anyone I wouldn't attempt to learn. No matter how badly I'd play them, I improve slightly each time, and it's all a big learning curve for me....and that's after 30 years of playing. I know my limitations obviously, and would never claim to be a Pastorius, Patitucci, etc. But it doesn't stop me having a go, practicing, and doing a half decent job at some point. There are so many bassists I admire from all styles, there's just so much to learn that I don't think I'd brush anything under the carpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 [quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='111497' date='Dec 31 2007, 02:17 PM']Been playing for a while now and I'm still staggered by Andy Rourke's lines from The Smiths...the guy is a legend. As someone once said, his songs sound like a whole different song going on withing a song.[/quote] I find that's the hardest thing to do...be melodic, compliment the song and the other instruments, being able to move around without distracting from the song is so difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderthumbs Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Having watched Jools Holland's Hootenanny.....it's just reminded me what a fantastic bassist Bedders (Mark Bedford) of Madness is. Very, very understated, yet his basslines are very melodic and flowing. House of Fun is a prime example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgt-pluck Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='111497' date='Dec 31 2007, 02:17 PM']Been playing for a while now and I'm still staggered by Andy Rourke's lines from The Smiths...the guy is a legend. As someone once said, his songs sound like a whole different song going on withing a song.[/quote] Yep I agree. Andy Rourke is one of the few basses who I can genuinely say made me pick up a bass (I tend to play bass for it's part in the music I love rather than for bass in itself, IYKWIM ) I'm glad you posted this - it motivated me to finally learn a Smiths line - been lost in it half the day!! (and got the first part of Headmaster Ritual down ). It also reminded me how rubbish the tabs you get online are..! Pluck Edit - I also agree with above comments about Madness bassist too - love the line to 'It must be love'. Edited January 1, 2008 by sgt-pluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 [quote name='sgt-pluck' post='111886' date='Jan 1 2008, 05:57 PM']Yep I agree. Andy Rourke is one of the few basses who I can genuinely say made me pick up a bass (I tend to play bass for it's part in the music I love rather than for bass in itself, IYKWIM ) I'm glad you posted this - it motivated me to finally learn a Smiths line - been lost in it half the day!! (and got the first part of Headmaster Ritual down ). It also reminded me how rubbish the tabs you get online are..! Pluck Edit - I also agree with above comments about Madness bassist too - love the line to 'It must be love'.[/quote] Used to be into Madness in my early teens, great players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBass123 Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='111951' date='Jan 1 2008, 08:06 PM']Used to be into Madness in my early teens, great players![/quote] This is my first time on this forum and this thread caught my eye. Sadly for bad reasons. I recently spent two weeks or so learning around forty or so Ska tunes (a lot of them were of course by Madness). I was supposed to be joining a well-known tribute act and actually rehersed with them twice after learning a mountain of material before they decided to tell me their old bass player had had a change of heart and re-joined the group! Still love Madness, however watching them last night on Jools Holland just reminded me of how annoyed I was during that whole fiasco! Sorry if my first post is too somber! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderthumbs Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 [quote name='MrBass123' post='112024' date='Jan 1 2008, 10:29 PM']This is my first time on this forum and this thread caught my eye. Sadly for bad reasons. I recently spent two weeks or so learning around forty or so Ska tunes (a lot of them were of course by Madness). I was supposed to be joining a well-known tribute act and actually rehersed with them twice after learning a mountain of material before they decided to tell me their old bass player had had a change of heart and re-joined the group! Still love Madness, however watching them last night on Jools Holland just reminded me of how annoyed I was during that whole fiasco! Sorry if my first post is too somber! lol[/quote] That must've been a real pain in a*se! Mine wasn't quite as bad as that. Auditioned, did well enough, but didn't get the job as I'd been honest enough to tell them I wasn't going to quit my day job, which they all wanted to do and go pro. Few weeks later, I get a call asking if I was fixed up, as the guy they hired just didn't fit in. I held no malice so I took the job. That was nearly two years ago, and everything's going fine. Needless to say, none of them have quit their day jobs either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass_In_Yer_Face Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 [quote name='sgt-pluck' post='111886' date='Jan 1 2008, 05:57 PM']Yep I agree. Andy Rourke is one of the few basses who I can genuinely say made me pick up a bass (I tend to play bass for it's part in the music I love rather than for bass in itself, IYKWIM ) I'm glad you posted this - it motivated me to finally learn a Smiths line - been lost in it half the day!! (and got the first part of Headmaster Ritual down ). It also reminded me how rubbish the tabs you get online are..! Pluck Edit - I also agree with above comments about Madness bassist too - love the line to 'It must be love'.[/quote] Finally learnt the bass line to "There is a light that never goes out"...one of the easier ones. Headmaster Ritual is next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantdosleepy Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 To be honest I probably will never attempt to learn the big names that are thrown around on this forum. I wouldn't attempt to learn any artist that slaps or pops, any speed freaks, any jazz masters. Not the sort of music I like to listen to or play. I know there's the argument 'you might learn something anyway'. I think that line of reasoning is true. Had I but world enough, and time, I'd probably try and learn that stuff. But as it is there's more than a lifetime's music out there that I already adore and skills that I covet more drastically. Why learn to slap on the chance I'll develop a taste for it when I still can't play my favourite bands' songs / skateboard / cook as awesomely as I'd like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 [quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='112167' date='Jan 2 2008, 11:08 AM']To be honest I probably will never attempt to learn the big names that are thrown around on this forum. I wouldn't attempt to learn any artist that slaps or pops, any speed freaks, any jazz masters. Not the sort of music I like to listen to or play. I know there's the argument 'you might learn something anyway'. I think that line of reasoning is true. Had I but world enough, and time, I'd probably try and learn that stuff. But as it is there's more than a lifetime's music out there that I already adore and skills that I covet more drastically. Why learn to slap on the chance I'll develop a taste for it when I still can't play my favourite bands' songs / skateboard / cook as awesomely as I'd like?[/quote] Its about what motivates you at the end of the day, innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantdosleepy Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Absolutely. And I really do admire those people with the kind of single-mindedness to sit down and try to master a new technique, then another, then an artist, then an album. I'm more of a piecemeal kin of person. To my disappointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBass123 Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 [quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='112087' date='Jan 2 2008, 01:28 AM']That must've been a real pain in a*se! Mine wasn't quite as bad as that. Auditioned, did well enough, but didn't get the job as I'd been honest enough to tell them I wasn't going to quit my day job, which they all wanted to do and go pro. Few weeks later, I get a call asking if I was fixed up, as the guy they hired just didn't fit in. I held no malice so I took the job. That was nearly two years ago, and everything's going fine. Needless to say, none of them have quit their day jobs either [/quote] Glad to hear it worked out for you. I also got a call back after their newly returned bassist decided to leave again, but decided not to take the job as I probably thought it would all happen again. Maybe I'm just too sinical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAbdullahX Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 [quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='111497' date='Dec 31 2007, 02:17 PM']Been playing for a while now and I'm still staggered by Andy Rourke's lines from The Smiths...the guy is a legend. As someone once said, his songs sound like a whole different song going on withing a song.[/quote] Andy's playing with The Smiths was a thing of beauty. To me it was as important a part of their sound as Johnny Marr's guitar playing. I really don't think they would have been the band they were without him. The same can be said of another much overlooked player, Bruce Thomas from The Attractions. When I was 16 he was God! He had it all. He was melodic, supportive and muscular all at the same time. Also, he and (drummer) Pete Thomas together were rhythm section gold! Check out "Accidents Will Happen" or "Party Girl". Come to think of it, check out the entire Attractions back catalogue. Later, after years of listening to him I was surprised to hear that he was a north-easterner, like myself. He's from Stockton, about 10 miles away from where I grew up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binman Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 [quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='111878' date='Jan 1 2008, 05:42 PM']Having watched Jools Holland's Hootenanny.....it's just reminded me what a fantastic bassist Bedders (Mark Bedford) of Madness is. Very, very understated, yet his basslines are very melodic and flowing. House of Fun is a prime example.[/quote] Have to agree with you there, his precision tone is simply awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 [quote name='SisterAbdullahX' post='123143' date='Jan 18 2008, 09:22 PM']Andy's playing with The Smiths was a thing of beauty. To me it was as important a part of their sound as Johnny Marr's guitar playing.[/quote] The only trouble is that listening to his bass playing also means subjecting oneself to Morrissey, so I'm afraid I won't ever get to appreciate it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 I love The Smiths and the first bass line I ever learnt was "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". I actually thought the great thing about it was that although it sounds great it's relatively easy to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 [quote name='MrBass123' post='112024' date='Jan 1 2008, 10:29 PM']This is my first time on this forum and this thread caught my eye. Sadly for bad reasons. I recently spent two weeks or so learning around forty or so Ska tunes (a lot of them were of course by Madness). I was supposed to be joining a well-known tribute act and actually rehersed with them twice after learning a mountain of material before they decided to tell me their old bass player had had a change of heart and re-joined the group! Still love Madness, however watching them last night on Jools Holland just reminded me of how annoyed I was during that whole fiasco! Sorry if my first post is too somber! lol[/quote] Feck 'em, there loss mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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