MiltyG565 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I always loved music, and I was bitter that my parents had funded instruments and lessons for my older brother and sister, but not for me, so when I started working, I saved up, and being a big RHCP fan at the time, I decided that the bass was the instrument to get (because it was quite obviously the coolest). Of course a few thoughts never crossed my mind at that time - Forming a band is hard (in my local area), and I don't tend to play much outside of social situations or work. I've never been one to sit down and practice anything. So 5 years later, I'm still crap But I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I can remember going to a school dance and there was a band playing. Before they started , I remember looking at the guitars sitting there and thinking the bass just looks so much cooler than the guitars with its long neck and fewer strings. Back then everyone wanted to be the guitar player, so I thought, this is my chance to be important cos no one else wants to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul j h Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 We had a band come to my school to play at assembly, the only thing I could remember was the bassists violin bass. Fast forward two years and first proper gig UFO at Guildford Civic hall 1978 aged 16 and I was hooked. So its Pete Way for me. But I have "played" drums and guitar in the intervening years to a very poor standard vou've heard the saying "all the gear, no idea" that was me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Because it was easier! I got my first electric guitar when I was 13 which was a Squire Stratocaster (still have it) and I taught myself by playing along to Green Day mostly. I always wanted to be in a band but was never confident in my ability to play the guitar so I had a go at playing my dads bass and it was just 10x easier. I didnt like the idea of being a bass player and I still would much rather be able to be awesome at playing guitar but my lack of patience and lack of drive to learn properly (Scales for solos and all that stuff) just makes the bass an easier/lazy option for me. Plus there are 101 'Bass Player Wanted' ads so getting in a band was easy. Controversial reason I'm sure but I'm just being completely honest. Dont get me wrong I love playing bass - I wouldnt have carried on doing it for years if I didnt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 [quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1424347310' post='2695345'] Because it was easier! [/quote] Oh no, don't say that. Everyone and his dog will be having a go. Oh wait, they are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 We formed our first band at school aged around 16 or 17. I was originally going to be the keyboard player, having learnt the piano as a kid. However we didn't have a bass player, I didn't have a keyboard - and certainly wasn't going to lug an upright piano around! Between us we decided that bass was more important than keys anyway. It just so happened that my music teacher, who ordinarily wouldn't allow any electric instruments near his music room, had an old Kay shortscale SG style plank bass. This was duly purchased for a nominal amount and off I went. Of course my mum wasn't pleased, as she wanted me to play the trombone in the Royal Marines band. Despite having reached grade 8 on it, I really never wanted a trombone-related career, let alone being in the armed forces - you still have to do physical training, being told what to do, and being shot at, etc. Our school band's first (and only!) ever gig was in Germany. That may sound impressive, but we actually just took our guitars along on the school choir exchange trip. We got to play all of the three songs we knew, with two guitars (a Columbus 'strat' & a Les Paul copy), bass (my Kay SG) and vocals all going through a tiny little combo. In fact the singer was singing through one of those cheap tape recorder microphones, and had to sit on top of the combo because the mic lead was so short. Our poor German hosts never knew what hit them. The combo was of course inspected by customs heading both ways. Within a year or so the Kay was ditched for a Franconia Jazz copy, and that then for a Ric 4001, and I was playing bass in a real band, starting my 'career' with a 9 month summer season at Butlin's Skeggy playing 6 nights a week. After a few 'pro' years being pretty skint I eventually got a proper job, but continued as a weekend warrior to this day - about 30 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roceci Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Got into hair metal at 14 and wanted to play guitar. My music teacher at the time picked up on this and gave me a stupid oversized pink thing with only 4 strings to play in class. I thought it was some kind of joke & went back to playing my big bro's 'lead' guitar here & there. Then at 15 I got big into old KISS & the first time I saw Gene Simmons on video I immediately wanted to play what he was playing, whatever it was. So I went and got a bass & it turned out it was one of those big dopey things...joined a band, realised I loved being the link between drums & everything else & still thumping 25 odd years on. Moved on a bit from KISS basslines since mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Papa Roach Ozzfest 2001 at the Milton Keynes Bowl. My mate that came with me & I decided to start a band after that performance & I just had to have a bass from the moment I got home. We never did manage to get a proper band going though :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I started to play guitar when I became properly interested in music - I guess I was around 14, so maybe 1970/71. Stuck with guitar until I was about 21 but then gave it all up as wife #1 (I was a child bridegroom) was a controlling witch and I wasn't allowed hobbies. Didn't ever make it as far as performing, but used to jam along with mates a lot of the time. Fast forward 25 years, I decided to take up a musical instrument again but in the interim had begun to appreciate and listen to music in a whole different way so decided to get a bass. With Wife #2's blessing (she is a saint). Had my first gig at 50 and it felt that the little piece of me that had been missing all those years had finally fallen back into place. Seven years on I am still on the steep learning curve: last year I joined a band that stretched me, this year another that will stretch me more. I couldn't be happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1424350981' post='2695410'] I joined a band that stretched me, this year another that will stretch me more. I couldn't be happier. [/quote] That's why I got into music in the first place. All the stretching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Indeed. I can nearly touch my toes now. Can't see them, mind, but I remember where they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonywhite985 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) Got bought a guitar which I found out shortly after I couldnt play a note on it. A couple of years later I saw someone playing an Epiphone Sg bass at a school gig which I fell in love with, a trip to the music shop later my Dad bought me the cheapest bass in the shop and said "If you don't take this seriously I won't get you something better" couple of months later I got a cheapy Ibanez bass which still plays nicely. 6 years later here I am with an ever growing collection and smaller pockets than ever as I have to buy my own stuff now. Never got that Sg bass though. Edited February 19, 2015 by Tonywhite985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoRhino Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 The Slade Alive! album. After hearing that what other instrument would a teenage boy want to play? Several decades later and I still listen to it regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 A mate of mine tried to teach me to play guitar and form a band. I found the six stringed instrument a real struggle, so he suggested it would be "easier for me to play bass as it only had four strings". Bought a P-bass copy from Macari's for £95.00 in 1985 and never looked back.... I like those nice chunky strings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Sharman Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I was learning guitar for my GCSE in music and we had to get into groups and each do a group recording out of 30-odd students none had taken up the bass, nor indeed could reach their fingers between the first and 4th frets....except me. We did Stand by Me as a group recording (my brother still has the 29 year old cassette somewhere). The music teacher suggested I stick with it as it seemed I could handle it and I would never be out of work as people always need bass players and there are never any good ones available. Some might point out that in my house there still isn't..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ticktock Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) I started out playing drums. Then I decided that playing drums was too much like hard work, bought a drum machine and a bass guitar. I thought bass would be easy, seeing as there was only four strings and I didn't have to learn to play chords......I laugh heartily at my younger self. I never thought, ooh that bass player is Ace, I wanna be them. ( I do now, even though I am old enough to know better ). The Police and the Jam featured heavily in my early years as did The Clash. Loved Joy Division and New Order but never felt the need to play like 'ooky. The Joy Division Bass lines are fun to play though. Bass is the place. (Edited for a typo) Edited February 19, 2015 by Ticktock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howdenspur Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 At first, it was Jack Bruce what made me do it. Then, rather later, a cocktail of JJB/Bruce Foxton /Paul Gray/Phil Lynott gave further impetus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandad Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 My elder brother. "If you want to be in the band then you'll have to learn to play bass". I was 50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Started on guitar, formed a band at university with three other guys, finished up with two guitarists, one guitarist/pianist/vocalist, and a drummer. As the marginally inferior guitarist, I went out and bought the bits for a Hayman 40/40, put it together, and played it. After dropping out, there was a bit of a musical hiatus, then when I moved to Tamworth I started looking for another band as either rhythm guitarist or bassist. Got snapped up to play bass and stuck with it since then (that was 1980). I still play guitar too, but only gig it as 50% of an acoustic duo with Mrs Zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I told my dad i wanted a guitar one day. About 3 weeks later he came home with a battered mid 90's squier and a 40w Peavey keyboard amp that his work at the time were gonna throw out. about 7 and a half years later here i am. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I wanted to be in a band with my mates, they played guitar so it was either bass or drums and as i had nowhere to keep a kit... I always wanted be a guitarist really (stop booing its not remotely funny ), but never actually learnt how to play the guitar, which is clearly a problem if you want to be a guitarist. I don't really have bass heroes or someone I want to play like. There are players whose work interests me and I take away as much as I can from listening to them. I'm not someone who get into a track just because the bass part is supposedly great, frankly doesn't intetest me at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswareham Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Played keyboards, but all my friends wanted to be in punk bands to emulate our local heroes (Mega City 4). Everyone else wanted to be a singer or lead guitarist, so as I was a big fan of Joy Division and New Order I naturally graduated to bass guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Some pals had started learning guitar and a guy down the street was selling a bass for £1. I had a £1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I thought it would attract girls. It didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 This, and this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.