John Deacon (Queen)

[Mickeyboro]

Be interested to know what people think of him, why you rate him (or not) and why he was so successful - in bass playing terms, rather than hanging out with three weirdos

EDIT: I should add that I'm writing an article on him next week and will happily and shamelessly nick your ideas!

Edited May 18, 2007 by Mickeyboro

[acidbass]

Vastly underrated player, he obviously knows the fretboard inside out which you can see when he fills. I think even his playing on 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is brilliant, not exactly flashy or overly technical but extremely melodic and tasteful!

[nig]

[quote name='acidbass' post='1665' date='May 18 2007, 06:09 PM']Vastly underrated player, he obviously knows the fretboard inside out which you can see when he fills. I think even his playing on 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is brilliant, not exactly flashy or overly technical but extremely melodic and tasteful![/quote] +1

When the bass is that good you hardly notice it, untill you go to learn it, a great tone, good melodic structures and always in the pocket with roger taylor.

[Darcy]

+2 Nothing flash, solid, creative. What's he doing now?

[Dood]

I have so much to thank him for. I would dearly love to meet him to do that in person. He was the reason I started to play bass. Many others have influenced my playing and my 'style' if i have one, probably has nothing in common with his.. but.. he got my started.

I think his playing was in the pocket all the time. Tasteful and uber musical. I love listening to all the unusual stuff.. there's some cracking moments in JD world!

Edited May 18, 2007 by dood

[aido43]

I think he was a master of playing the right thing--I dont think he was a flashy player but someone who could come up with the most appropriate lick--that in itself requires talent.His work on Sheer Heart Attack is brilliant.
As mentioned above what is he doing now? He doesnt seem to have reenlisted for any of the Queen gigs with Paul Rodgers or even prior to that.

[BOD2]

I thought I heard somewhere he's packed it in and enjoys spending time with his family.

Lots of stuff on the net about him. Good bio on [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Deacon"]Wikpedia[/url]

He was a good songwriter too.

[Dood]

[quote name='BOD2' post='1737' date='May 18 2007, 07:45 PM']I thought I heard somewhere he's packed it in and enjoys spending time with his family.

Lots of stuff on the net about him. Good bio on [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Deacon"]Wikpedia[/url]

He was a good songwriter too.[/quote]

Yup I heard the same.

An interesting point about Queen, is that every member wrote a hit (or more) that made it to number one. I wonder how many bands can say the same?

[Rumble]

I've recently been listening to some Queen stuff again and I have to agree with acidbass that his playing is just so ...... appropriate. He's not out there to show off, but does exactly what the songs need and in a very simple but classy way. Top bass geezer!

[beerdragon]

I agree with eveything thats been said, he usually played a pbass that. if you believe some web sites had been resprayed. no idea what amplification he used. as an aside to this post a lot of bass players like John deacon must use the net, i wonder why they dont frequent sites like these, they obviously have a lot to offer, i await in hope.

[jase00]

John's a Killer

[Ba55me15ter]

Iconic

[slaphappygarry]

i love the sound he gets out of that p bass. Fat and warm.

His parts always compliment the main melody of the songs. Truely an amazing, understated player.

G

[JD1]

Awesome. For me, what bass playing is all about. Holds it down, but every now and then there is a really original fill or run - often up the dusty end of the neck that really adds to the song. Listening to some of the stuff in depth at the moment for a production of We Will Rock You in August. Another One Bites the Dust is hard to beat for a combination of impact and simplicity.

[Chop]

He played the right thing at the right time, not showy for the sake of it but played whats appropriate [i]for the song[/i]. Isn't that the mark of a great bass played in a band?

[s_u_y_*]

Tasteful is the word to describe John Deacon.

[simon73]

Great bassist.

[Dood]

This was as close as I could get to John's 67/69 P basses.



I couldn't afford a real one, so a CIJ 70's reissue is pretty much there. A friend of mine has a 70's P and sent me pics to compare 'em!

*geek*

I do JD impressions with this one!!

[lonestar]

Listen to the bassline on "you're My Best Friend". Pure class.

I'm not much of a Queen fan to be honest but having covered several songs of theirs over the years and having had to listen and work out the bass parts IMHO he really is an outstanding bass player.
Melodic punchy and never particularly flash; all the other attributes of a class rhythm sectionist.

[ednaplate]

I'm not really a Queen fan either but I found a tab of Crazy Little Thing Called Love and have really enjoyed learning the piece. This goes very well with a tab I found in an old US guitar mag from yonks ago for We Are The Champions. I've converted both to Powertab to make them easier to learn. Great stuff from an obviously great player. I try to keep an open mind when learning new stuff and it all adds to your repertoire should the phone ever ring... it hasn't yet.

[Linz]

Anyone good enough to have been in Queen gets my vote. John was class.

[lowhand_mike]

+1 top player
we have just added crazy little thing to our set and it goes down real well, fairly easy to play but written so well it makes you look good

went and saw we will rock you a few months back and i noticed the bass alot more than on the recordings and it truely is well suited to each song.

[Magnolia]

Like others. Deacon is the reason i picked up Bass, and possibly the reason i got into Music as a whole. He knows his stuff when it comes to bass and plays what is needed for the song. I remember years of shutting myself in the living room barely a few years old listening to my parents old Queen Records. Queen is another band that makes me wish i was born 20 years ealier.

Nick

[Bloodaxe]

And he could sing.

[lukeward2004]

John Deacon is pure class - I grew up with Queen and can honestly say that JD is one of those players that, at first, doesnt spring to mind when someone asks you who your idols are - yet everytime I hear a queen song i think "Wow, Deacon is fantastic".