John Deacon (Queen)

[booboo]

This subtlety is often missed as they go under the banner of 'rock'. Studio recordings all sound like they all played their instrument at the level that sounded 'best' and then the mix was easy.

[TimR]

Queen got rid of their original bass player because he took the spotlight away from Freddie.

John was picked because he blended into the background.

[tonybassplayer]

Slightly bemused at some of the comments on here regarding the actual band.

I grew up with them and on the early albums were many cracking rock songs. The next few were amazing blends of rock, pop and ambitious and at the time very unique adventurous songs which included many world wide hit singles.

They then became, at the time, the biggest band in the world selling millions of albums and singles and performing live to literally millions around the world. I saw many of those concerts and there was no one live to touch their shows in those days.

Then just when everyone thought they were yesterday's news along came Live Aid and the slot they did is legendary.

All four wrote some amazing songs that have all stood the test of time.

I sometimes wonder what a band has to do to impress some people !!

[Conan]

[quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1403563554' post='2484054']
I sometimes wonder what a band has to do to impress some people !!
[/quote]

I wonder which people you can [b][i]possibly[/i][/b] be referring to?

[Conan]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1403539961' post='2483716']
If you like the band or are a big fan, you'll think he/they are great and that is fine.
[/quote]

Not sure what point you are trying to make here. I like lots of bands. Some have great bass players, some don't. Some have bass players that I like/appreciate, some don't. The (perceived) quality of the bass player is not one of my most important factors in deciding whether I like a band or not.

I like Queen. I am not a massive fan, but I enjoy their music. JD's bass playing (and writing) is an important factor in why they sound like they do. End of story for me. I'm not trying to big him up, but I am quite saddened that you seem to make it your mission to denigrate him without reason. It is all very negative.

[KevB]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1403525980' post='2483519']
Good luck to the guy...quite admire his supposed stance that the time with Queen has passed after FM died even though
the newer unit with Paul Rogers et al, is far better, IMO. But then without the writing element, they are not much more than a covers/tribute band..but again, nothing wrong with that, they've earned it and bring joy to zillions
[/quote]

Much as I like Paul Rodgers I didn't think he was a good fit for Queen at all I'm afraid. I saw them doing something together at the end of an awards show (i recal it because I hardly ever watch them) and thought 'Interesting experiment but I hope it doesn't go any further than this' even though I'm not much of a Queen fan. If I'd been lucky enough to be JD I think I'd have bailed when he did too.

[JTUK]

ok... didn't really want to rain on a parade as this is a tribute type thread but he is just adequate and as said above not likely to get
in the way of the big egos or ego in the band in any sense. I just don't think there is anything about him that is great.
He writes ok basslines that many enjoy and he is/was part of a hugely succesful band but the reason
I call them all pretenders in a sense was because none of them has anything like an x factor apart
from FM ..who wasn't a great singer by any means and played the showman side. I couldn't get onboard with that
of form over substance. I really didn't like most of their product because of it, plus the songs were hugely chummy
Many many people enjoyed their songs...that is a skill or marketing thing in itself but doesn't define them as great
in my book.
I only came on here to say that I wouldn't call him a great bass player when he plays what many many people can
play... he just happened to be very lucky to end up in a very popular band.
Nothing wrong with that...just not a 'great' bass player when nothing he does on the bass is outstanding, IMO.

[Hobbayne]

So apart from Edwards, who really floats yer boat? (Apart from Bruce and Entwistle)

[wateroftyne]

Would another bass player have made the songs better than they are? IMO no.

He got it exactly right - that's what makes him a great bass player. Not because his lines leap out of the speakers and slap you in the face.

[JTUK]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1403604294' post='2484285']
Would another bass player have made the songs better than they are? IMO no.

He got it exactly right - that's what makes him a great bass player. Not because his lines leap out of the speakers and slap you in the face.
[/quote]

That assumes you think the band were great, I didn't.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 19, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1403605259' post='2484302']
That assumes you think the band were great, I didn't.
[/quote]

Of course - I was just outlining how I personally define 'great'.

[stingrayPete1977]

It's hardly raining on the parade, it's not like you have evidence that they were not playing their instruments or anything, you don't like them we get it.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1403603615' post='2484272']
ok... didn't really want to rain on a parade as this is a tribute type thread but he is just adequate and as said above not likely to get
in the way of the big egos or ego in the band in any sense. I just don't think there is anything about him that is great.
He writes ok basslines that many enjoy and he is/was part of a hugely succesful band but the reason
I call them all pretenders in a sense was because none of them has anything like an x factor apart
from FM ..who wasn't a great singer by any means and played the showman side. I couldn't get onboard with that
of form over substance. I really didn't like most of their product because of it, plus the songs were hugely chummy
Many many people enjoyed their songs...that is a skill or marketing thing in itself but doesn't define them as great
in my book.
I only came on here to say that I wouldn't call him a great bass player when he plays what many many people can
play... he just happened to be very lucky to end up in a very popular band.
Nothing wrong with that...just not a 'great' bass player when nothing he does on the bass is outstanding, IMO.
[/quote]

That's a pretty withering assessment that seems to fly in the face of their obvious achievements. I suppose we should all be thankful that such a bunch of mediocre musos can make it so big because that gives us all some hope

Anyway, The Beatles . . . what a bunch of pretenders they were!!

[leroydiamond]

Never saw Queen live and imo much of their recorded material was a little hit and miss. But I always felt they were excellent musicians and Mercury was just a glorious front man. Deacon done exactly what was a required imo and I am full of support for him hanging up his hat after Mercury's death and avoiding the Queen/Rodgers nonsense.
I will never forget watching Queens performance on tv at 'Live Aid' in '85. That really put down a marker and imo blew the rest away on the day.

Edited June 24, 2014 by leroydiamond

[JTUK]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1403612503' post='2484433']
............... you don't like them we get it.
[/quote]

Yep... was happy to leave it at that, but then people want to come back on it, and have asked me to elaborate, so..?
I don't feel the need to battle against other's opnions all day...that is for them... mine are pretty consistant in this regard
and I am sure I post against the grain again at some point.
I'm pretty confident in what I know and think..

[darkandrew]

I bought a Queen Greatest Hits CD once that had a second disc which featured an audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, and on the subject of "Another One Bites The Dust" they credit John Deacon not only with recording the bass part but also the guitar part - so it turns out he's also a pretty useful guitar player too.

Edited June 24, 2014 by darkandrew

[stingrayPete1977]

No he isnt they are mediocre pretenders remember

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1403640638' post='2484905']
I bought a Queen Greatest Hits CD once that had a second disc which featured an audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, and on the subject of "Another One Bites The Dust" they credit John Deacon not only with recording the bass part but also the guitar part - so it turns out he's also a pretty useful guitar player too.
[/quote]

And keys player as well. Electric piano on Your My Best Friend is JD. And he wrote it!

[pnefc42]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1403648144' post='2485012']


And keys player as well. Electric piano on Your My Best Friend is JD. And he wrote it!
[/quote]

[pnefc42]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1403648144' post='2485012']


And keys player as well. Electric piano on Your My Best Friend is JD. And he wrote it!
[/quote]

There's actually a funny story behind JD playing that electric piano part on that song. As you say he wrote the song and knew that was the piano sound he wanted. When he presented the idea to FM (who he assumed would play/record the part as the band's 'keys' player) FM told him 'if that's the sound you want then you play it because I'm not touching the fcuking thing!'

Top, top player (& writer) btw and was an equally essential part of the bands success (& creative output) as the more 'celebrated' members (his playing on 'A Day At The Races' being particularly sublime)

[Cairobill]

I consider Deacon to be a fantastic bassist - perfect lines, thumpy clear tone, great swing etc etc. Queen wear so many hats it's quite hard to define what they do best but I would say this - their songs have an *inevitability* about them, they are also brilliantly arranged, experimental yet populist, VERY punchily performed and extremely hummable.

An amazing band…I lost the love for their output when 'kinda magic' came out (I was very young fan!) but I dig everything before that...

It's clear that Mercury was a great singer by the way. Few vocalists can communicate a song as well as he can…that's not even mentioning his technique which is f**king amazing...

[Dingus]

I can't believe ( well actually I can ...) that there is any real debate about whether John Deacon is a good bass player. He was surely one of the most accomplished players in rock music during the era when he was active.

I think the fact that for the most part he opted for subtlety and and not particularly bright or cutting tone for his bass has had a lot to do with him not being as celebrated as some other high-profile players , but John Deacon was up there with some of the very best rock players of the 1970's, no doubt about that.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Dingus

[MetricMike]

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1403640638' post='2484905']
I bought a Queen Greatest Hits CD once that had a second disc which featured an audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, and on the subject of "Another One Bites The Dust" they credit John Deacon not only with recording the bass part but also the guitar part - so it turns out he's also a pretty useful guitar player too.
[/quote]

So he not only "borrowed" the bass line, he also "borrowed" the guitar part!

[i]For those who didn't know, John Deacon was there when Chic recorded "Good Times".[/i]

[KevB]

I started having a dabble with 'Don't Stop Me Now' the other night for fun and I doubt I'll ever quite fully nail it like he did and I expect this isn't really considered one of his trickier lines. This seems to be a thread through many people's take on him - you don't quite fully appreciate what he's doing until you need to start looking into it a bit deeper and this often a hallmark of a 'quality act' IMO.