I had the best compliment ever!

[gafbass02]

I was playing 'house' bass at a loosely termed open mic (was really more of an impromptu scratch gig on the spot) this Fri in Cheltenham. Its a race weekend so the place was packed and i was just following the guitarists fingers and listening closely as i wasnt really familiar with the songs let alone the way he was playing them (drums off a keyboard too!)

After a bit this mahoosive black dude looms over me and drawls in my ear in a deep US accent. "That's some incredible bass man, I used to play for 25 years and boy, you play like Jaco!"



I was rather flustered!! after thanking him and lots of hand shaking he stayed put and watched me wing my way through the entire night. Each time I popped for a fag he'd have another gem for me. I can only recall, : "There was a lotta harmonics in there huh!" and something to the effect of "you're a lot like him but less crazy, cause man, that guy was wacko!!"

He then shared a story about hanging out with smoking something illegal after a gig in NYC not long before his untimely death.
I was pretty surprised mainly cause I only really heard Jaco for the first time about two years ago. Id heard OF him of course but have only recently listened to anything of his.

I expect its like imitation through osmosis as the people I grew up listening to wear their own influences in their own playing. As a Flea fan I came to love Larry Graham and i really like Alain Caron and Rocco, and Marcus M and Vic W. All names id seen and ignored for years in bass magazines, and all found recently thanks to finding last FM on my iphone!

A fresh set of ears and tunes to discover and im finally mature enough not to switch off to 'grown up' music lol

I was really flattered and chuffed by the attention i got on Fri, not just off this one guy but by several others who (loudly and vocally which was pretty embarrasing, especially the guy who insisted on kissing me) singled me out and made the bass something that people noticed that night.

Very interesting evening and one that i was very pleased with.

Although it wont affect my NO:1 rule. (There is always a better player in the room, they just aint playing tonight) lol

Hope this dosn't make me sound like a massive brag, i just needed to share as everyone else ive gushed to about it has just gone..............

"Jaco who?"

Edited November 14, 2010 by gafbass02

[lojo]

Its always nice to get a compliment, or someone from a general crowd who even notices the bass doing something to enhance the songs

Usually the singer, or lead player who does his best a ruin the songs during the non lead parts gets all the attention after the gig

But as bassists we are there to make everyone look good are we not

[xilddx]

Fantastic mate! That must have been an amazing buzz! I'm really pleased for you

Just a shame you've ruined it by saying you a big fan of Alain Caron

[YouMa]

Its always nice to get a compliment but who was this guy,i have lost count of the amount of people i have met in kitchens at partys who knew jimi hendrix,i also seem to meet loads who are very good friends with keith flint from the prodigy.Anyway i get a real kick when someone appreciates the bass in a band so well done man.

[gafbass02]

lol, the stuff ive heard on last FM anyway, he has an ace tone
(Yeah i know the 'i met jaco' line is apparently pretty popular in the US at least)

Edited November 14, 2010 by gafbass02

[JMT3781]

i had the best compliment from a DJ last night at the 21st i was playing at.. (bearing in mind this guy was a complete turd)

"yeah, your alrite, considering you are very young"

still hurts

[lojo]

[quote name='YouMa' post='1023549' date='Nov 14 2010, 04:06 PM']have lost count of the amount of people i have met in kitchens at partys who knew jimi hendrix[/quote]


A drunk guy told me once his mate used to play lead guitar for Jimi Hendrix, I just nodded alot if I remember

Edited November 14, 2010 by lojo

[gafbass02]

Yeah. There was also the guy at the end of the night who wandered up, glazed eyed and slurred "you're quite good" before wobbling off :-D

[nick]

Best compliment I've ever had, was a couple of years ago, after a gig at some place in Swindon, actually from someone on here, that I reminded him of Tony Levin (?!)
After which checking out Tony Levin, concluded that the comparison was probably more to do with the fact I have a slaphead, & was sporting a moustache at the time.

[Thunderthumbs]

I did a dep gig at Jak's in Liverpool a few years back, and a guy came over at the end of the night and complimented me. I took it very humbly, as I've never been one to blow my own trumpet, and I'm a jack of all trades & a master at none. Anyway, turns out this guy was the bass tutor at the university. I then took it a lot more seriously and it really did make me proud.

[risingson]

[quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='1023571' date='Nov 14 2010, 04:25 PM']I did a dep gig at Jak's in Liverpool a few years back, and a guy came over at the end of the night and complimented me. I took it very humbly, as I've never been one to blow my own trumpet, and I'm a jack of all trades & a master at none. Anyway, turns out this guy was the bass tutor at the university. I then took it a lot more seriously and it really did make me proud.[/quote]

What was this guys name out of interest?

[paul h]

Best compliment I've ever had..."You're not too loud."

I used to get a lot of Eric Clapton comparisons too. While playing bass.

[Thunderthumbs]

[quote name='risingson' post='1023576' date='Nov 14 2010, 04:36 PM']What was this guys name out of interest?[/quote]
Haven't got a clue I'm afraid. Probably rude of me not to ask. It was also a few years ago, and I have a bad enough memory for names of people I've only met 5 minutes ago!!

[Cat Burrito]

Presumably not the 80s TV character from Brush Strokes? Just kidding, that's really cool and always nice to get a compliment.

I did an Open mic night where I played upright bass and did some mandolin later on. I was told I was "one of those clever b******ds who can turn his hand to any instrument and shine". I spent the rest of the evening explaining "No really, I'm not!"

[urb]

I've had a few nice words said to me over the years after gigs but my two faves are after playing probably the best slap solo I've ever done at a particularly packed jam session in Brixton, I got a huge cheer from the audience and the trumpet player leaned over and said in my ear "that was some of the best bass playing I've heard in years", the other was when I first played at the same session about a year earlier for the first time with top uk pianist Robert Mitchell. I took my solo and not only hated my sound but felt like I barely held it together, and had no idea what I actually played, but it sounded OK, afterwards Robert just looked at me and said "outstanding", to my total amazement.

Anyway props to the OP, it's great to get noticed and even better to be appreciated

Cheers

Mike

[chrisba]

Somebody once called my playing "Simple and understated". As it was my first gig, I was pretty chuffed.

[icastle]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1023762' date='Nov 14 2010, 07:02 PM']"No really, I'm not!"[/quote]

...now move this piano out of the way and pass me the bagpipes...

[icastle]

[quote name='chrisba' post='1023922' date='Nov 14 2010, 08:35 PM']Somebody once called my playing "Simple and understated". As it was my first gig, I was pretty chuffed.[/quote]

I got called "simple and understated" once.
I wasn't actually playing though...

[icastle]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='1023535' date='Nov 14 2010, 04:00 PM']Hope this dosn't make me sound like a massive brag, i just needed to share as everyone else ive gushed to about it has just gone..............
"Jaco who?"[/quote]

I am so going to resist the urge to ask... Jaco..?

Well done though, it puts all the years, months, weeks, hours or whatever into perspective.

I'm not so good at being on the barrel end of praise though - I always have the urge to be somewhere a long, long way away at that point.
An old blues musician (supposedly well respected but I know bog all about blues people) told me once "you're probably the best bass player I've played with this side of the Mississippi".
After some discussion we settled on "this side of the A447" and I still felt uncomfortable...

Edited November 14, 2010 by icastle

[Rich]

Many many years ago -- probably '87ish -- my band played support to a band in which Nick Beggs was guesting. I had a wee slappy solo in one of our songs; after I'd done it, I glanced into the crowd and Nick B was looking at me, & he smiled and raised his glass at me. I was walking on air for the next month after that.

[icastle]

[quote name='Rich' post='1024054' date='Nov 14 2010, 09:52 PM']Many many years ago -- probably '87ish -- my band played support to a band in which Nick Beggs was guesting. I had a wee slappy solo in one of our songs; after I'd done it, I glanced into the crowd and Nick B was looking at me, & he smiled and raised his glass at me. I was walking on air for the next month after that. [/quote]

Cool
I used to live around the area that Kajagoogoo and Paul Young came from.
I was famous for being about the only bass player that had claimed [b]NOT[/b] to have ever played in a band with Paul Young...

[TimR]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='1023535' date='Nov 14 2010, 04:00 PM']...
After a bit this mahoosive black dude looms over me and drawls in my ear in a deep US accent. "That's some incredible bass man, I used to play for 25 years and boy, you play like Jaco!"
...[/quote]

You do know Jaco is dead?

It's nice to receive a compliment and they cost nothing to give. I give them out when I think someone's played what's needed. If they haven't - I don't.

It's usually quite puzzling when someone comes up to you and says how much they've enjoyed it when you know you haven't played your best. I always try to put it into perspective:

If they're not a musician what we do is awe inspiring, no matter how well or badly we've done it. Thank them for the compliment. You've worked at something for years and deserve a bit of praise just for doing that.
If they are a bass player we have no idea how good a bass player they are and they've no idea whether what you played was kept simple because that's your interpretation of what was required or whether you can't play anything more technical
Sometimes they're just being friendly, get them to buy you a drink.