king bashing

[Bay Splayer]

i blame phil gould....

if it weren`t for him, old thunder-thumbs king would have remained a drummer

[OutToPlayJazz]

1. Mark King inspired a whole load of us to become technically better bass players. Surely that's worth something??

2. Yes, we know that he's a one-trick pony that only does one special thing, (the very fast quadruplet slapping) but he does it admirably well.

3. Anyone who calls any of the virtuoso players "unmusical" is severely missing the point. Is it because you're sick as the proverbial parrot that you can't do it yourself? I hear people say the same about Victor Wooten on here & he is unmistakably the most musical bass player I've ever heard.

Without players like Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten & Mark King, I'd never have been inspired to become the bass player I am today. I'm sure that goes for many others on here as well.

[crez5150]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='236065' date='Jul 9 2008, 08:57 PM']1. Mark King inspired a whole load of us to become technically better bass players. Surely that's worth something??

2. Yes, we know that he's a one-trick pony that only does one special thing, (the very fast quadruplet slapping) but he does it admirably well.

3. Anyone who calls any of the virtuoso players "unmusical" is severely missing the point. Is it because you're sick as the proverbial parrot that you can't do it yourself? I hear people say the same about Victor Wooten on here & he is unmistakably the most musical bass player I've ever heard.

Without players like Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten & Mark King, I'd never have been inspired to become the bass player I am today. I'm sure that goes for many others on here as well.[/quote]


Well said that man!

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='236065' date='Jul 9 2008, 08:57 PM']1. Mark King inspired a whole load of us to become technically better bass players. Surely that's worth something??

2. Yes, we know that he's a one-trick pony that only does one special thing, (the very fast quadruplet slapping) but he does it admirably well.

3. Anyone who calls any of the virtuoso players "unmusical" is severely missing the point. Is it because you're sick as the proverbial parrot that you can't do it yourself? I hear people say the same about Victor Wooten on here & he is unmistakably the most musical bass player I've ever heard.

Without players like Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten & Mark King, I'd never have been inspired to become the bass player I am today. I'm sure that goes for many others on here as well.[/quote]
As Crez said, 'well said'.. In the end this is all a case of 'one man's meat is another man's poison' etc, etc!

As can be seen from my previous post in this thread, I'm not a MK fan and I'm most definitely not a Level 42 fan, but there's no doubting MK's [i]impact[/i]..

I'd much rather listen to Larry Graham or Bootsy Collins than MK anyday and even more, I'm much happier just listening to songs and great music than albums that are led by bass playing (such as MK or Victor Wooten etc) but each to his own..

One good thing for me about MK though is that I think he helped put British bass playing back on the map...

[Hamster]

Mark is a really nice guy, I've only had a brief chat a couple of times but he comes across as a very genuine guy - and of course a great bassist.

I'd crawl a mile through broken glass just to stick burnt matches in his poo

Hamster

[BigBeefChief]

I reckon I could have Mark King in a fight though.

He looks a big lad but I still fancy my chances.

Probably get in close and work the body. Or maybe just a headbutt to the bridge of the nose/eyebrow.

Depends really.

Edited July 10, 2008 by BigBeefChief

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='236144' date='Jul 9 2008, 10:45 PM']I reckon I could have Mark King in a fight though.

He looks a big lad but I still fancy my chanches.

Probably get in close and work the body. Or maybe just a headbutt to the bridge of the nose/eyebrow.

Depends really.[/quote]

Y'know BBC, we really must meet up for a drink sometime. Your sense of humour is so far off the map that it's actually quite close to mine.

Are you coming to the Guildford bash in September?

[Josh]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='236144' date='Jul 9 2008, 10:45 PM']I reckon I could have Mark King in a fight though.

He looks a big lad but I still fancy my chanches.

Probably get in close and work the body. Or maybe just a headbutt to the bridge of the nose/eyebrow.

Depends really.[/quote]

Who couldn't you have in a fight Chief?


Whoopi Goldberg maybe?

[thebeat]

If Mark King was Chinese his first name would be Wan. Level 42 turned me to drink.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='thebeat' post='236150' date='Jul 9 2008, 10:53 PM']If Mark King was Chinese his first name would be Wan. Level 42 turned me to drink.[/quote]

I hope you had the good manners to thank them ...

[Mr Fudge]

I forgot about Level 42 for many years. Saw them twice in early /mid 80's as a young shaver. Bought retroglide for the hell of it when it came out and saw them at the Symphony Hall last tour. They were absolutely fantastic as was retroglide. I had forgotten all about the chinese way un til they encored with it. It was better than a w***.

BBC you may be right about King but I would stay well awy from Husband on the drums, he has got a head like a fire bucket and hands that would rival Phil Parks's.

[thebeat]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='236152' date='Jul 9 2008, 10:55 PM']I hope you had the good manners to thank them ...[/quote]


I was too busy falling over and being sick.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='236065' date='Jul 9 2008, 08:57 PM']3. Anyone who calls any of the virtuoso players "unmusical" is severely missing the point. Is it because you're sick as the proverbial parrot that you can't do it yourself? I hear people say the same about Victor Wooten on here & he is unmistakably the most musical bass player I've ever heard.[/quote]

When Victor Wooten's grooving he's really, really good, but it seems that within 60 seconds of him doing anything tasteful you can guarantee he'll launch into some bloody awful 200bpm double-thumbing attack, and frankly I think "unmusical" is actually a charitable description of that noise.

[6stringbassist]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='236065' date='Jul 9 2008, 08:57 PM']1. Mark King inspired a whole load of us to become technically better bass players. Surely that's worth something??

2. Yes, we know that he's a one-trick pony that only does one special thing, (the very fast quadruplet slapping) but he does it admirably well.

3. Anyone who calls any of the virtuoso players "unmusical" is severely missing the point. Is it because you're sick as the proverbial parrot that you can't do it yourself? I hear people say the same about Victor Wooten on here & he is unmistakably the most musical bass player I've ever heard.

Without players like Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten & Mark King, I'd never have been inspired to become the bass player I am today. I'm sure that goes for many others on here as well.[/quote]


Well said.

It's a bit stupid really, can any those critiscising him say that they've had a positive influence on anyones musical lives, I doubt it.

Threads like this really are a bit pointless, there was that one not too long ago about Janek.

[Mr Fudge]

Considering my grandfather was at Dunkirk I reckon I could do Geddy Lee with one hand behind my back, I wouldn't though beacause I think he is God.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='3V17C' post='235721' date='Jul 9 2008, 02:14 PM']I'm sure he's a nice bloke n' all, but for some reason, to me, he always looked a bit like a school bully!!![/quote]
Not sure about a school bully but he's always reminded me of the Tiger commander from Kelly's Heroes and vice versa.

-

[bass_ferret]

Surprise my last flame didn't draw a response - everybody must have me in their ignore list

I dont think it is fair to blame MK for all the slap w***ery that followed his success - and he is really the only slapper thats made it to the mainstream of british popular music (Larry Graham did it in the US and of course Marcus played some sublime slap on Luthers greatest hits).

If you listen to the L42 albums rather than all the MK wannabe slap alikes on You Tube there is not really that much slap w***ery on their stuff, lots of nice fingerstyle and of course a lot of the slapping was underpinned by solid synth bass from Mike Pindup.

[Josh]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='236218' date='Jul 10 2008, 12:36 AM']Surprise my last flame didn't draw a response - everybody must have me in their ignore list

I dont think it is fair to blame MK for all the slap w***ery that followed his success - and he is really the only slapper thats made it to the mainstream of british popular music (Larry Graham did it in the US and of course Marcus played some sublime slap on Luthers greatest hits).

If you listen to the L42 albums rather than all the MK wannabe slap alikes on You Tube there is not really that much slap w***ery on their stuff, lots of nice fingerstyle and of course a lot of the slapping was underpinned by solid synth bass from Mike Pindup.[/quote]

It was a rather modest post thats why man

And so is this one.......something is not right.......I feel unsettled now........what next...TBBC admitting to a sordid relationship with a female Warwick representative?

[bass_ferret]

must.....try....harder

[Josh]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='236226' date='Jul 10 2008, 12:51 AM']must.....try....harder[/quote]

Just type in Bass Solo on Youtube and then the balance will be restored!

[doctor_of_the_bass]

Allo!

Just my opinion seeing that I seem to fit into the mould of an aged slapper...!

1. MK is one of the best drummer's I've ever seen.
2. MK is actually a very good guitar player. Oh, he plays keys too and has produced a lot of music.
3. His bass playing is very advanced - not just the slap tomfoolery (which tends to get knocked, mainly by those who have tried to copy him but can't), but listen to stuff he did such as `There Is A Dog' on his first solo album `Influences' - very clever stuff - do check it out.
4. He's a pretty good vocalist. And he plays pretty tricky lines whilst doing so.
5. Level 42 have sold over 30 million albums.
6. He has inspired many many bassists over the years and I think has done more than anyone else to propel the overall standard of playing to a new plateau (!) and raised the profile of the bass guitar as applied to the general public in many many territories. And he sold more bass gear than anyone else!

As noted, the early 42 stuff was excellent; obviously the record companies saw potential in the band and with any successful project, the music was `shaped' by them to try to capture bigger sales, which in those heady (read hedonistic) 80's days the band acheived with aplomb! I personally think that the World Machine album was perhaps the peak in terms of their original `brit funk' influence (awful term I know) meeting `the commercial juggernaut' - very high quality playing/production etc. Following this era ('85), the stuff did go a bit dairylea but on saying that, there were still some great tracks on the albums along with some really awful ones (as with most bands!).

When all is said and done, everyone has an opinion which is great, otherwise we'd all be very very dull creatures! I just think that many people find it easy to knock Mark as with anyone who comes along who can actually play stuff that it technically advanced. Once you look beyond the `hes-a-one-trick-wicky-wocky-quadtruplet-slappen-poppen-schtupper' (which I do not agree with) you will find a very underated musician - note that word. And he looks just like Klaus Kinski!

Nick (where's me JD?!)

[stingrayfan]

Always more impressed with his fingerstyle than the machine-gun slapping. He's got a great feel - which I guess comes from being a drummer.