Overrated Bassists.

[tauzero]

[quote name='tauzero' post='187207' date='Apr 28 2008, 01:52 PM']Um. Yes.[/quote]


[quote name='matty589' post='187432' date='Apr 28 2008, 06:02 PM']Doing what? Riding your bike?[/quote]

Good grief, you're not very good at remembering what you asked, are you? Or reading comprehension.

Let's see what you said:

"Jaco, Jamerson, Mark King and the rest have made music that has entertained and been enjoyed by people all round the world. Have you?"

And I said:

"Um. Yes."

Now, why do you think that would be? Could it possibly because there are people around the world who have listened to the music I have written and been entertained by it? Well, funnily enough, the answer is "yes".

I fail to see how riding my bike would be making music that entertained people around the world. Perhaps you could explain that to me.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='WalMan' post='187872' date='Apr 29 2008, 10:39 AM']Jaco - I've tried, honest I have. Love his stuff on Heavy Weather, but find his solo albums (which I picked up on re releases in an HMV sale a couple of years back) heavy going and largely unlistenable[/quote]

Totally accept that a lot of Jaco's solo work is not immediately accessible but some of his stuff on 'Word Of Mouth' is DEEP! Keep revisiting it, Walman, its great stuff.

Just another point - most players, however good they are, have their own idols and influences and I have never heard anyone (except Jaco, who I am only TOLD said it) say they are the top banana. Anyone who SAYS they are the greatest is, for my money, a fool.

[BigBeefChief]

Mani said he was the greatest bass player in the world. He was.

It's been proven. By science.

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='187899' date='Apr 29 2008, 11:06 AM']Mani said he was the greatest bass player in the world.[/quote]
That was the drugs talking.

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='Jase' post='187858' date='Apr 29 2008, 10:20 AM']Ferret brought up a good point on the Jaco side of things....about people not knowing who he was, I was going to suggest that generally it's musicians who know about Jaco but saying that, there is only one member in a covers band who I play with that sort of knows who Jaco was and these are players that have been around for ever who love to talk nonsense about guitars, music and players, weird innit![/quote]
Not musicians - just bass players.

[Hot Tub]

If Jaco were still alive he'd possibly be in the top 100 or so, in terms of sought after and respected and accomplished bassists. Good, sure, but nothing special. He's only regarded as some sort of diety because he died tragically, and tragically young. If he was still around I doubt we'd even notice him.

So to answer the original question, Jaco - for me - is the most overratted bassist of all time.

[Bilbo]

Jaco was top banana well before he died, Astronomer. And well before his mental health deteriorated. We were all singing his praises in the late 70s. He died in '87. His death has no doubt added to the legend but his playing was what got him noticed, not his lifestyle.

Edited April 29, 2008 by bilbo230763

[BigBeefChief]

Like music in general, if a bass player is lorded by the bass player community but mostly ignored by the greater music buying public, I tend not to like them.

I'd never heard of Marcus Miller before picking up a bass. I had heard the name Jaco Pastorius once before picking up a bass. I'd never heard of Victor Wooten or Toothache Gwizdala.

I view all these bass players as being overated (by bass players), but perhaps slightly underated by the music buying public.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='187877' date='Apr 29 2008, 10:43 AM']Something to do with pots & kettles here, friend. I wasn't going to get drawn into this (basically a discussion where the word "overrated" has become confused with "I don't like..." ) but in one choice little phrase you have just urinated all over the effort, commitment, achievements & aspirations of every single member here.

I can really only speak for myself - but music - playing it, composing it, performing it, recording it - constitutes a dominant part of what makes me want to get up each morning. I don't expect, anticipate, seek or wish for the sort of commercial success & popular acceptance that you appear to think validates a musician's existence - creating or playing music which is of value to me is its own reward.

Any musician who doesn't grasp this would be better off doing something else.

Jon.[/quote]
+1

Obviously, we are all 'under-rated' here on Basschat!

[quote name='dlloyd' post='188090' date='Apr 29 2008, 03:02 PM']For the most part, I prefer music where I'm aware of the song first and foremost and forget about listening to the musicians.[/quote]
+1 again...

[cheddatom]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='188090' date='Apr 29 2008, 03:02 PM']I would tend to agree with that, in as much as I hate music that is written to showcase a bassist's skills.

The Jaco album, to me, is dull at best. Hejira, on the other hand, is a work of art. For the most part, I prefer music where I'm aware of the song first and foremost and forget about listening to the musicians.[/quote]

+1 totally, I love his playing with Joni, but that's 'cos I love Joni!

I had heard of him before I played bass, but my mother used to love weather report and joni mitchell and I thought I was a genius for figuring out it was the same guy playing the bass (by listening, not reading the cover).

[Jase]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='188008' date='Apr 29 2008, 01:13 PM']Not musicians - just bass players.[/quote]

Musicians - bass players....bass players - musicians....same thing.

[BigBeefChief]

^^^

Not really.

I can play bass but I'm no way a musician.

How hard can 4 strings be?

[CPBass]

It took me a long time to understand what Les Claypool was doing but once I got my hands around his unique style...well....it's is just so percussive and constantly inventive hes a one off.

The number of times ive been told in no uncertain terms "turn that crap off" whilst indulging in a bit of Primus.

Its a headphones only one I'm afraid. If your not familiar with his work check out "Buzzards of Green Hill" for groove, "Is it Luck" for insanity and "toys go winding down" for impossible triplets. Wynona's Big Brown Beaver is a lot of fun too......I could go on

but do av a listen.........I LOVE him along with Entwistle, JPJ and Jack Bruce (Last 2 not over rated)

[Jase]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='188192' date='Apr 29 2008, 05:08 PM']^^^

Not really.

I can play bass but I'm no way a musician.

How hard can 4 strings be?[/quote]

Ok, but isn't a player of any given instrument basically a musician?

[Galilee]

^^

Explain drummers then.

[Kev]

^^

you and bigbeefchief sound like guitarists...

[queenofthedepths]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='188226' date='Apr 29 2008, 05:35 PM']^^

you and bigbeefchief sound like guitarists...[/quote]
!

[Jase]

[quote name='Galilee' post='188221' date='Apr 29 2008, 05:33 PM']^^

Explain drummers then.

[/quote]


Drummers too, a type of musician....granted, it's a weird type but nonetheless still counts as a musician to me.

[bassace]

Just a thought.................

Considering the job we do aren't [i]all[/i] bassists overated anyway?

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='Jase' post='188190' date='Apr 29 2008, 05:06 PM']Musicians - bass players....bass players - musicians....same thing.[/quote]
Not at all. All bass players are musicians whether we own up to it or not. Not all musicians are bass players.

[bnt]

I think there's a bit of confusion about what is meant by "overrated". To me it means a bassist that is rated, [b]by others[/b], more highly than [b]I think[/b] is justified. It doesn't mean that the bassist is bad, or that other people are delusional in rating him/her as they do, it's a difference of opinion. To use the Jaco example: I rate him very highly indeed. Just nowhere near as highly as e.g the editorial staff of Bass Player magazine, as evidenced by the way they treated the finding of his lost "Bass of Doom". He's a big name that sells magazines, after all.

A counter-example is Geddy Lee, who I rate very highly for his bass playing, which is [i]broadly[/i] in line with the consensus here. However, I think he's underrated for other skills: singing, and his melody and arrangement skills, without which Rush would sound like just another Rock band. If that wasn't clear before, his solo album [i]My Favorite Headache[/i] cleared that mystery up. Now, if someone here turns it around and says "he's overrated"... it don't change a thing.

[Jase]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='188297' date='Apr 29 2008, 06:43 PM']Not at all. All bass players are musicians whether we own up to it or not. Not all musicians are bass players.[/quote]

[Galilee]

[quote name='Jase' post='188242' date='Apr 29 2008, 05:47 PM']Drummers too, a type of musician....granted, it's a weird type but nonetheless still counts as a musician to me.[/quote]

I heard 'blah blah blah drummers, blah blah blah weird' and I totally agree with your post.

[Jase]

[quote name='Galilee' post='188420' date='Apr 29 2008, 09:10 PM']I heard 'blah blah blah drummers, blah blah blah weird' and I totally agree with your post.

[/quote]


???

[mgauction]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='186492' date='Apr 27 2008, 05:56 AM']Some of my best friends are rats [/quote]

Count me in, Nik!

Also - I hate Jaco -- same as Mark Level 42 whatever-the-hell-his name-is....too technical, no soul whatsoever - aliens. Nobody here could ever remember a tasty lick he ever played. Reminds me of the idiots at music stores that turn the volume high and play as fast as they can with nothing in mind except hay between their ears.

Edited April 30, 2008 by mgauction