The Next Generation Of Players To Inspire.....?

[blue]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452126985' post='2946882']


did you actually listen to any of his music?? hummable to the point of ridiculous. not to mention he is layin down tha funk. come on now.
listen to this one, and tell me it's not cool or hummable.

http://youtu.be/8qGigIMM1Vw
[/quote]


I think age has something to do with it. I'm 62 and a 70s guy, so for an older guy like me, I'm not hearing what I call funk. This must be the New funk. Unfortunately when it comes to funk, I'm stuck in the 70s.

Blue

Edited January 7, 2016 by blue

[Harryburke14]

I'm 18 and have been playing bass for nearly 5 years now I think (might be closer to 6, who knows?) and I have to say the people that inspired me to get into music and bass particularly, probably aren't too different to those older than me.

Bruce Foxton from The Jam is the one person that made me decide bass over drums, keys or those new-spangled 6 string electric guitars (all of which I had dabbled in when I was a babby). Being the bass player of the band that my parents met because of (whole different story) and being the first -and still best- bass player I have ever seen in concert, I idolise that man, and The Jams music is what, 30-40 years old? (Pretty sure my mom and dad won't want to be reminded just how long it's been!!)

[project_c]

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1452200541' post='2947623']
...and Thundercat.
[/quote]

lol. I dread to think what kind of 'funk' you're 'laying down' if that's what you reckon… but let's see some examples from you then, what have you got to add to this other than your incredible wit?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452205044' post='2947706']
I think age has something to do with it. I'm 62 and a 70s guy, so for an older guy like me, I'm not hearing what I call funk. This must be the New funk. Unfortunately when it comes to funk, I'm stuck in the 70s.

Blue
[/quote]

Well that's down to interpretation for sure. I think any number of things can be funky, whether it's Paul Jackson, or a synth bass over a sampled drum break from Apache. But the point is Thundercat is a good bassist, with roots firmly in bass culture, making bass-centric music that young people are into. People like him are way more likely to inspire new people to pick up the bass than Michael Manring or any other technically proficient over 50's musicians.

Who inspired you to pick up the bass when you were a kid? Most likely someone making pop music, or funk, or rock and roll, but in any case it would have been someone who was able to communicate to an audience beyond bassists. Even James Jamerson - If he hadn't played on chart hits - pop music - none of us would ever know who he was. We didn't get to know him for his jazz chops did we?

Also - no offence meant by this - but as a 62 year old, your musical tastes are not relevant to new people picking up the bass. Same applies to me too - I'm in my early 40s and even my music taste and references are a total mystery to 99% of people under 35. If you want young people to get into playing bass, you need to give them stuff that's accessible, which will lead onto the rest. I think part of the reason for kids losing interest in bands is because they perceive a lot of it as 'dad music'.

[Delberthot]

I would like to put a fresh set of eyes on this and say that I don't think that any one of these people mentioned will be the next generation of favourite bass players.

I remember buying bass player magazine in the 90s and seeing Victor Wooten and BIlly Sheehan on every second advert - they have never inspired me to play differently

I always remember a big advert with a guy with a bunch of basses - it was Michael Anthony from Van Halen. I like his singing, he played a Musicman Sterling and some Yamaha basses

My favourite songs were those that were in the charts when I was first starting out but listening to the charts now there's no discernable bass.. It's all been muffled into background noise so that we can hear the autotune. I ended up listening to tunes that were out in the 70s & 80s and that's never really changed much as there's not been much IMO to trump it.

I regard 1993 as one of the best years for pop music where we had Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way", Peter Gabriel "Steam", Duran Duran "Ordinary World, Faith No More "I'm Easy", Charles & Eddie "Would I lie To You" and more: Check it out [url="http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1993.shtml"]here[/url]

Check it out, there was some diabolical dirge but even the worst song there was better than most of what we have had this century so far.

Sax is just a rehashed Lionel Ritchie song and Hello by Adele is just plain miserable.

it's actually depressing and I think that Flea, love him or hate him, will be the most popular bass player for a while to come as he's been the most commercially available bass player.

Ask anyone outside of this forum and they will have a hard time telling you who Jaco Pastorius, Larry Graham, James Jamerson, Hadien Something, even Billy Gould are unless you are really into a type of music or a specific band.

Long gone are the times when bands were encouraged to flourish and develop their song writing capabilites. It's now or nothing and if you're not on the strictly X-factor on ice big brother in the jungle "I'm not a celebrity" bandwagon then you're not going to be remembered for anything.

Welcome to the 21st century where everything is disposable. Celebrity means that you know someone famous or have been on another TV program not having done anyting to warrant being famous yourself.

It's all over folks so enjoy being in your post apocalyptical shoegazy punk melancholy fusion freeform jazz rock pop ensemble while it lasts

Edited January 8, 2016 by Delberthot

[JwK94]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452126985' post='2946882']
did you actually listen to any of his music?? hummable to the point of ridiculous. not to mention he is layin down tha funk. come on now.
listen to this one, and tell me it's not cool or hummable.

[media]http://youtu.be/8qGigIMM1Vw[/media]
[/quote]

Yeah we get it you really like Thundercat, doesn't mean everyone else has to though. Yeah the guy is pretty damn funky and can write a song, but I don't feel like he's anywhere near as revolutionary or inspirational as you make out, quite niche too.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452205044' post='2947706']
I think age has something to do with it. I'm 62 and a 70s guy, so for an older guy like me, I'm not hearing what I call funk. This must be the New funk. Unfortunately when it comes to funk, I'm stuck in the 70s.

Blue
[/quote]

I'm 64. I like Thundercat. It's got nothing to do with age. It's about being open-minded.

[BigRedX]

The problem IMO with all the people mentioned as the new inspirations for bass players is that they seem to have zero impact beyond the world of other bass players. Coupled with the fact that the majority of their music has all the style and class of elevator muzak or a second rate porno movie soundtrack, it's little wonder that their audience is entirely composed of other musicians as the technical playing aspect is the only thing of value.

That said, is it important that we are inspired by individual musicians? When I was getting into music and starting to learn the guitar I was far more interested in the songwriting and the overall dynamic of the band than the individual musicians involved. For me being able to play musical instruments has always been a means to and end (being able to compose music and perform it with other musicians) rather than the end in itself.

[Lw.]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1452239497' post='2947853']
I'm 64. I like Thundercat. It's got nothing to do with age. It's about being open-minded.
[/quote]

Liking something hasn't got anything to do with being open minded. You like him because he suits your tastes.

I hadn't heard of him until this thread, having listened to the couple of tracks posted; meh - I'm sure he's talented but I'm not particularly inspired by him, for me musically it's a watered down version of things like Jamiroquai/Brand New Heavies with a standard modern R&B vocal over the top. All fine if that's what you're in to so well done to him, just not for me.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Lw.

[project_c]

[quote name='JwK94' timestamp='1452223951' post='2947825']


Yeah we get it you really like Thundercat, doesn't mean everyone else has to though. Yeah the guy is pretty damn funky and can write a song, but I don't feel like he's anywhere near as revolutionary or inspirational as you make out, quite niche too.
[/quote]

Nothing to do with me liking him, I don't listen to his music but I know young people do, and they are picking up the bass because of him more than any other contemporary musician I can think of, which is whar this thread is about. I agree it's not revolutionary.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452247318' post='2947941']
Nothing to do with me liking him, I don't listen to his music but I know young people do, and they are picking up the bass because of him more than any other contemporary musician I can think of, which is whar this thread is about. I agree it's not revolutionary.
[/quote]

Are they picking up the bass as a result of hearing him? Listening to the tracks posted if I really liked the music, I might be inspired to be a synth player or a producer, but not a bass player.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1452245814' post='2947921']
Liking something hasn't got anything to do with being open minded. You like him because he suits your tastes.

[/quote]

I disagree completely.

If you are closed-minded then you won't develop your tastes and that applies to music just as it does to food, to literature, to film, to life, etc.

Being open-minded doesn't mean you have you like everyone and everything but at least you allow yourself the opportunity to learn to like or dislike.

However, and of course, some people are very resistant to any such development of tastes.


[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1452245814' post='2947921']
I hadn't head of him until this thread, having listened to the couple of tracks posted; meh - I'm sure he's talented but I'm not particularly inspired by him, for me musically it's a watered down version of things like Jamiroquai/Brand New Heavies with a standard modern R&B vocal over the top. All fine if that's what you're in to so well done to him, just not for me.

[/quote]

Anyway, my point was not as to whether someone or anyone, even you, ought to like Thundercat.

The point was that being a certain age ought not to be a counter to liking or disliking him or anything else new (or old).

Nonetheless, people have a tendency to be stuck in their ways.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452248072' post='2947950']

Are they picking up the bass as a result of hearing him? ...

[/quote]

I expect not.

In fact most of the young people I know who listen to Thundercat are already musicians and aren't bassists, although some are.

[TimR]

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1452029724' post='2945770']
Bloody hell there are some old people on this site.
[/quote]

Most of them old before their time.

I played on Boxing night at a 'jam' session.

I played a few numbers with some guys my age (mid 40s), then they went home and I stayed playing to midnight with about 12 guys and girls all under 25.

The only problem I had was they didn't really know many 'standards', so it was a bit of a struggle.

BUT then when I was 21 and playing with guys in their mid 40s, I didn't know many standards either.

Unless we turn up to these events rather than sitting at home and complaining that music is dying; we won't pass on the 'old' music and more importantly, we'll become cynical and jaded and believe something is dying, when it just isn't.

[Lw.]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1452248654' post='2947956']
I disagree completely.

If you are closed-minded then you won't develop your tastes and that applies to music just as it does to food, to literature, to film, to life, etc.

Being open-minded doesn't mean you have you like everyone and everything but at least you allow yourself the opportunity to learn to like or dislike.
[/quote]

Well now you've just change your point entirely. The comments were about liking something not about developing tastes.

Being open minded & listening to new things can help develop new tastes, yes. But liking a new thing comes about because it suits those new (or even the old) tastes.

Implying that people who don't like a specific new thing are closed minded/stuck in their ways is a very strange argument; I assume most people on this forum (as we're all musicians) listen to lots of new music every month, but I'm sure we don't all like all of it & there's nothing wrong with that - we all enjoy music in different ways.

And I agree; age has nothing to do with any of this (other than the ages of the next generation of players, or the old age of the previous generation of inspirations).

[project_c]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452248072' post='2947950']
Are they picking up the bass as a result of hearing him? Listening to the tracks posted if I really liked the music, I might be inspired to be a synth player or a producer, but not a bass player.
[/quote]

Yeah they are - he is known as a bass guy. It's a 'produced' sound for sure, but it allows him to fit into genres that rely on other heavily processed elements and instruments. It's really hard to get a raw bass tone (which a lot of bassists tend to like) to fit with beats made with an MPC, for example. The bass just sounds weak in comparison. Whether you or I personally like an over-produced sound or not is one thing, but it doesn't matter to new people picking up the instrument, they will just see a cool person playing bass, which will then inspire them to pick it up themselves.

I personally play jazz on a p-bass with tapewounds, so I hate an over produced sound for what I'm doing - but I'm not the new generation. Almost all current musical trends in popular musical forms involve heavy production and processing. It makes things loud and dance-able, which means you can listen to the tunes in a club, which then opens the music up to normal people having fun at house parties etc. It's a good thing.

[LayDownThaFunk]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452215526' post='2947805']
lol. I dread to think what kind of 'funk' you're 'laying down' if that's what you reckon… but let's see some examples from you then, what have you got to add to this other than your incredible wit?[/quote]

Welcome to Basschat where members force their opinions on you and you're an idiot if you disagree...

Whatever I say you will reply with Thundercat is better because my raging stiffy dictates that he is.

[blue]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452215526' post='2947805']

Also - no offence meant by this - but as a 62 year old, your musical tastes are not relevant to new people picking up the bass. Same applies to me too - I'm in my early 40s and even my music taste and references are a total mystery to 99% of people under 35. If you want young people to get into playing bass, you need to give them stuff that's accessible, which will lead onto the rest. I think part of the reason for kids losing interest in bands is because they perceive a lot of it as 'dad music'.
[/quote]

True, for example, I cant believe some of the nonsensical inaccurate remarks regarding Jimi Hendrix from young people. Jimi is no longer relevant, I get that. But I also say to them keep their opinions and comments to themselves,they weren't there and they don't know what they're talking about.

Is that fair?

It's why I will keep my mouth shut about Thundercat.I don't get him and he's not relevant to me

Blue

Edited January 8, 2016 by blue

[NJE]

Apart from a few exceptions, there are not really many bands/acts, that sell huge amounts of records and achieve 'god like' status of the bands of the 60's, 70's and even 80's. There are so many genres and sub genres of music now and so many varied types of musicians that I think people follow and love a huge range of music and bands.

There are some seriously good players out there in bands, but because the bands aren't huge like Led Zep, Yes or Red Hot Chilli Peppers, the players don't achieve that huge level of public awareness and fame.

At 32 Im not young but not quite achieved grumpy old fart status yet either (getting there though). I love folk, electronic music, metal, country and just love listening to interesting music and take inspiration from that. Here are just a few 'young' bands players that inspire me and I know a few younger people who cite them as influences.

1. Michael Todd - Coheed and Cambria. His lines are so beautifully woven into their music and very clever. I know a lot of people who love what he and Coheed do.
2. James Leech - Sikth. In their genre they are basically gods and James Leech is a phenomenal bass player.
3. Tom Doyle - Don Broco. He is doing some really interesting stuff on his 5 string spector, really groovy intricate clever bass playing at the forefront of their music.
4. Ben Epstein - Does loads of session work and plays with PB Underground. A great player and really inspires me to want to be better and pick my bass up.
5. Sean Hurley - Ok hes older, but still younger than the likes of Sheehan, JPJ etc. Great player and does some beautiful stuff with John Mayer.
6. Joe Dart - Vulfpeck. What an incredibly funky groovy player, amazing stuff.

We might not have new bass superstars that cross over into the non-muso world like Flea and Lemmy and JPJ, but there will always be musicians around to create music and young poeple will find inspirational music and players to inspire them to want to learn to play. I never latched onto a bass hero when I started playing, I just had this instrument and wanted to make beautiful noises with it. Music inspired me, not musicians, that came later on when I discovered Pino, Flea, Nathan East, Stuart Zender and probably one of my biggest influences Sting. But in the beginning melodies and music in general was my reason for playing.

[project_c]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452253920' post='2948053']


True, for example, I cant believe some of the nonsensical inaccurate remarks regarding Jimi Hendrix from young people. Jimi is no longer relevant, I get that. But I also say to them keep your mouth shut, you weren't there and you don't know what your talking about.

Is that fair?

Blue
[/quote]

Haha yeah, it's entirely fair. They won't care though.. I just think it's unavoidable, as you get older you live through stuff and gather knowledge, and try to pass some of that down if you can, but naivety and over confidence in young people always has the louder voice. It's just the way it is, I was the same when I was 21.. luckily at least there's room for everyone to express themselves musically now, and music history is there to explore for anyone who cares.

[blue]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1452102972' post='2946455']


Michael League is great! I certainly would describe Snarly Puppy as 'pop', so you might enjoy it! [/quote]

Definateley a generation gap here. Wow! Have things changed.

I listened to Snarky, very talented young musicians. However, I didn't enjoy it, I don't get it, and I'm thanking my lucky stars I was born in 1953.

Blue

Edited January 8, 2016 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1452254549' post='2948066']


And music history is there to explore for anyone who cares.[/quote]

Agreed, and for those who don't care or know music history, they should reserve their comments and opinions.Talk about what they actually know.

Blue

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='operative451' timestamp='1451990243' post='2945207']
I spend a lot of my time listening to BBC6music, going 'ooh, so-and-so has a new song!' and then it turns out to be a new band of 20 year olds who've grown up listening to their parents' Simple Minds and New Order. In the way that britpop was 20somethings referencing the 60s, da yoof now seem to be doing a lot of electro-pop, and its often more fun to play synth sounds on bass than a computer!
[/quote]

Yes, I find the same thing with 6Music. If they play archive sessions and I'm not paying attention to the presenter, I often have genuine difficulty in telling whether I'm listening to a new young band or something relatively little-known from the early 80s!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1452249547' post='2947972']
Well now you've just change your point entirely. The comments were about liking something not about developing tastes.

Being open minded & listening to new things can help develop new tastes, yes. But liking a new thing comes about because it suits those new (or even the old) tastes.

Implying that people who don't like a specific new thing are closed minded/stuck in their ways is a very strange argument; I assume most people on this forum (as we're all musicians) listen to lots of new music every month, but I'm sure we don't all like all of it & there's nothing wrong with that - we all enjoy music in different ways.

And I agree; age has nothing to do with any of this (other than the ages of the next generation of players, or the old age of the previous generation of inspirations).
[/quote]

I haven't changed my point at all.

My post that you quoted was in response to a post saying that age had something to do with it and about being 'stuck in the 70s' ...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452205044' post='2947706']
I think age has something to do with it. I'm 62 and a 70s guy, so for an older guy like me, I'm not hearing what I call funk. This must be the New funk. Unfortunately when it comes to funk, I'm stuck in the 70s.
[/quote]

To which I replied ... 'I'm 64. I like Thundercat. It's got nothing to do with age. It's about being open-minded.'

You responded ...

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1452245814' post='2947921']
Liking something hasn't got anything to do with being open minded. You like him because he suits your tastes.
[/quote]

Well, 'You like him because he suits your tastes' seems to be tautological. It sounds that perhaps you mean that 'liking someone' is no different from 'suiting one's tastes' and vice versa. In which case 'suiting one's tastes' cannot be an explanation for 'liking someone'. We would need to understand why and how it had come to suit one's tastes' for it to be any kind of explanation.

Anyway, I still maintain that being open-minded makes you more likely to develop new tastes. In fact 'more likely to develop new tastes' might well be what we would mean by 'being open-minded' and so it's a definition or even another tautology.

I then gave some further explanation of my position ...

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1452248654' post='2947956']
If you are closed-minded then you won't develop your tastes and that applies to music just as it does to food, to literature, to film, to life, etc.

Being open-minded doesn't mean you have you like everyone and everything but at least you allow yourself the opportunity to learn to like or dislike.

However, and of course, some people are very resistant to any such development of tastes.

Anyway, my point was not as to whether someone or anyone, even you, ought to like Thundercat.

The point was that being a certain age ought not to be a counter to liking or disliking him or anything else new (or old).

Nonetheless, people have a tendency to be stuck in their ways.
[/quote]

So, I stick to my original claim that 'age is only a limiting factor on taste if one allows it to be'. Better to be open-minded, whatever age you are, and listen out for new and old stuff. Even stuff you once didn't like, maybe you'll see it in a new light. And stuff you used to like, you can come to think 'it's not as great as I thought'.

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1452249547' post='2947972']
Implying that people who don't like a specific new thing are closed minded/stuck in their ways is a very strange argument;
[/quote]

The post I responded to admitted to being 'stuck in the 70s'. But, anyway, your 'very strange argument' is actually not an argument that I made. I said ... my point was not whether someone or anyone, even you, ought to like Thundercat. The point was that being a certain age ought not to be a counter to liking or disliking him or anything else new (or old).

I stand by what I said.

[paul_5]

Dunno, I teach a bit and students are still asking for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Hendrix stuff. I guess if a student is really excited by music, then they are prepared to dig a little to find what they like.

[TimR]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1452256298' post='2948104']
Dunno, I teach a bit and students are still asking for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Hendrix stuff. I guess if a student is really excited by music, then they are prepared to dig a little to find what they like.
[/quote]

Quite. LED Zepplin, Hendrix and Sabbath were finished at least 10 years before I picked up a bass.

I'm now playing Zepplin numbers and Hendrix numbers to people who are about twenty years younger than me.

Sure my kids think it's 'dad music', but that's how I view the 60s pop, awful as I think it is, I've learned it at played it at weddings and 60th birthday parties.

It's music and doesn't belong to any particular period in time or demographic.

My kids have seen School of Rock, they like the music of Zepplin, ACDC etc. They watch Pitch Perfect, there are some pretty 'old' tunes revamped in that film as well.

.

Edited January 8, 2016 by TimR