Jeff Berlin interview Bass Magazine

[OldGit]

[quote name='3V17C' post='294578' date='Sep 29 2008, 03:05 PM']


c[/quote]


ha ha He didn't play that bassline did he?

[Jase]

[quote name='Waldo' post='294587' date='Sep 29 2008, 03:17 PM']So is there actually anyone here who *doesn't* think Jeff Berlin is a cock-end?[/quote]

Yep, me

[ARGH]

[quote name='Waldo' post='294587' date='Sep 29 2008, 03:17 PM']So is there actually anyone here who *doesn't* think Jeff Berlin is a cock-end?[/quote]
Me too....More over I KNOW he is right,and most of us dont want to admit it,regardless of how he says it!

Teaching standards are sh*t,as are the standards of what these pupils from so called centers of 'Modern music' education keep pumping out.

Being proud about being incapable of playing something,be it a style of technique ,[i]isnt[/i] really anything to be proud of.

[SteveK]

[quote]Paul McCartney? I'd like to grind my heel in his smug face. Ooh did I write that out loud? I'm not keen on his playing either and can't understand the adoration he gets, especially in the States, just because he was in a band with little competition 40 odd years ago.[/quote]

WTF??

[Doddy]

[quote name='Waldo' post='294587' date='Sep 29 2008, 03:17 PM']So is there actually anyone here who *doesn't* think Jeff Berlin is a cock-end?[/quote]

I don't think he's a cock.
I think he talks alot of sense.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='ARGH' post='294720' date='Sep 29 2008, 05:34 PM']Me too....More over I KNOW he is right,and most of us dont want to admit it,regardless of how he says it!

Teaching standards are sh*t,as are the standards of what these pupils from so called centers of 'Modern music' education keep pumping out.

Being proud about being incapable of playing something,be it a style of technique ,[i]isnt[/i] really anything to be proud of.[/quote]


I don't doubt that he's right about most music schools being crap.

I just think he's a dick.

I mean just look at his trainers in the above pic.

[Doddy]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='294776' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:17 PM']I don't doubt that he's right about most music schools being crap.

I just think he's a dick.

I mean just look at his trainers in the above pic.[/quote]

So now,choice of footwear is more important than technical ability and musical knowledge?

Well I never..........

[nick]

I must be the only one here not that familiar with Jeff Berlin. :ph34r:
I've heard of his name before, only from some mentions on BC. Gather he's a bit controversial.

His tache reminds me of someone else though

[attachment=14123:Big_John_.jpg]



Cool!

Edited September 29, 2008 by nick

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='nick' post='294826' date='Sep 29 2008, 07:30 PM']I must be the only one here not that familiar with Jeff Berlin. :ph34r:
I've heard of his name before, only from some mentions on BC. Gather he's a bit controversial.

His tache reminds me of someone else though

[attachment=14123:Big_John_.jpg]



Cool![/quote]

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='Doddy' post='294801' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:58 PM']So now,choice of footwear is more important than technical ability and musical knowledge?

Well I never..........[/quote]

Without doubt.

We all know that most people with amazing technical ability end up playing pretentious sh*t.

(Jazz I like to call it.)

[Bilbo]

[quote name='OldGit' post='294345' date='Sep 29 2008, 09:48 AM']Ok some research needed ..
What might be the best Jeff Berlin tracks to listen to?[/quote]

'Palewell Park' off Bruford's 'Gradually Going Tornado'

'Tokyo Dream' off Allan Holdsworth's 'Road Games'

[OldGit]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='294868' date='Sep 29 2008, 08:31 PM']'Palewell Park' off Bruford's 'Gradually Going Tornado'

'Tokyo Dream' off Allan Holdsworth's 'Road Games'[/quote]


Cheers Bilbo

[Jase]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='294847' date='Sep 29 2008, 08:06 PM']Without doubt.

We all know that most people with amazing technical ability end up playing pretentious sh*t.

(Jazz I like to call it.)[/quote]

It can be seen as pretentious with technical ability alone, I reckon when musical knowledge is added with technical ability it ends up as a musician who is generally a cut above most.

[Prosebass]

having started this thread here are my observations.

1. there seems to be no middle ground, Jeff certainly has the Marmite effect
2. both he and McCartney are seen as tossers
3. the "Jazz debate" is alive and well
4. the BBC has stamped his usual cultured , well reasoned , rounded attitude on the subject....

I personally like Jeff Berlin, but like most, he plays some dire noodling at times, and his dress sense has the mark of wacko genius...

[Mike]

I would choose Mr Berlin, simply for the reason that I think I could learn more from him in my personal area of interest, than Sir Paul.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='Jase' post='295014' date='Sep 30 2008, 12:12 AM']It can be seen as pretentious with technical ability alone, I reckon when musical knowledge is added with technical ability it ends up as a musician who is generally a cut above most.[/quote]


....who invariably plays sh*t.


Why do accomplished musicians always feel the need to play overly technical horse sh*t?

That's why the only people who have heard if Jeff Berlin are other musos that sit around stroking their chin to his noise.

[BassMunkee]

[quote]Why do accomplished musicians always feel the need to play overly technical horse sh*t?

That's why the only people who have heard if Jeff Berlin are other musos that sit around stroking their chin to his noise.[/quote]
+1 to that.
And - though ironically not in this case - why is it that the more accomplished you are the more you seem to feel the need to bang about on 53-stringed basses made entirely of 4 million-year-old swampwood, and spend your entire time in some hideously chin-stroking jazz/blues band, an appalling MOR/AOR/some kind of Hootie and The Blowfish style alt-rock conglomerate, or mashing out some egregiously OTT chopping, papping and slopping [sic] whilst looking either a) horribly smug or intolerably pious.
You're not impressing anyone! (well, you're not impressing me, at any rate)...
And, before anybody says it - I can play the bass guitar, and my opinion is not the result of any perceived jealousy or comparative p3n1s-envy on my part.
Man I am feisty this morning. gerrrrr...

[budget bassist]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='295135' date='Sep 30 2008, 09:16 AM']Why do accomplished musicians always feel the need to play overly technical horse sh*t?

That's why the only people who have heard if Jeff Berlin are other musos that sit around stroking their chin to his noise.[/quote]
+1 sir!

I just think that he's a prat that thinks his way is right and that everybody else is wrong? Music is about expression, not adhering to certain rules like he thinks it is. I know he's a good musician (even if his music sounds like sh*t) and that he knows a lot of musical theory, but the latter isn't necessarily a good thing, in that he seems to think he's the best at what he does and seems to think he's better than everybody else because he only has one bass, uses the most pland pickups ever and has a really bad custom bass and doesn't need more than one bass and doesn't need to use electronic tuners. I can't remember what my point was but i basically just think he's a pretentious, arrogant, self important prick that outside of the bass playing community nobody has actually heard of!

Also is it just me or is his custom bass... well... sh*t?

Macca is a bit of a dick too and i don't really appreciate his playing.

[Prosebass]

[quote name='BassMunkee' post='295147' date='Sep 30 2008, 09:31 AM']+1 to that.
And - though ironically not in this case - why is it that the more accomplished you are the more you seem to feel the need to bang about on 53-stringed basses made entirely of 4 million-year-old swampwood,[/quote]

I disagree on that...most "accomplished" players tend to be the opposite, the aforementioned Mr Berlin, Jaco, PIno Palladino, Jack Bruce, Percy Jones and their ilk don't seem to be bothered with exotic builds and wood and tend to play quite normal basses.
I think a lot of bass players think exotic builds are Nirvana and it depends if you want to play the thing or polish it and add it to your collection. Jeff Berlin goes to show that there is no need to have a flashy bass.

A great bassist in my book is Mike Watt and what a bass he uses....

[attachment=14154:mike_watt_bass.jpg]

Now wheres the flamed maple top on that....

NB...I know this bass has been stolen....must be gutted..and a nice guy donated his mint EB3 to him

Edited September 30, 2008 by Prosebass

[jakenewmanbass]

What I find unendingly amusing about this is that the people on either side of the debate seem to have never ending reserves for thinking that their view is the right one.
You are all dum shits if you don't realise it's a variety of music that makes the whole picture, you are not required to like it all. I like lots of music but don't really dig opera, I don't however, go around calling in to question the integrity of the form and it's patrons based on what they wear, how they present themselves, or what they do in their pyjamas.
Have a view fine but for f***s sake stop with the one sided hystrionics and let others get on with what they enjoy.
I'm f***ing bored of this now.

BBC, Bassmunkee, Budget Bassist. the tone of your rancour suggests nothing other than caveman like envy.

Edited September 30, 2008 by jakesbass

[Prosebass]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='295220' date='Sep 30 2008, 10:47 AM']The people who feel the need to display their technical ability tend to play overly technical horse sh*t. Probably because they are lacking elsewhere.

There are plenty of technically accomplished musicians who don't feel a need to play the 'check me out' fret w*nkery.[/quote]

That a little unfair, there are many top bassists out there that partake in "fret w*nkery" but are considered "cool" and don't get as bad a press as Jeff Berlin.
There are so many genres when talking about bass it is difficult to cross compare ability, its a bit like saying Stevie Wonder is better at the piano than Evgeny Kissin, it makes no sense to compare the two.
I could never see Jaco holding down a rock 4/4 in the same sense that Cliff Burton may get a little lost trying to play Havona.

[Jase]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='295135' date='Sep 30 2008, 09:16 AM']....who invariably plays sh*t.


Why do accomplished musicians always feel the need to play overly technical horse sh*t?

That's why the only people who have heard if Jeff Berlin are other musos that sit around stroking their chin to his noise.[/quote]

We're all musos in some shape or form, whether we stroke our chins to overly technical horse sh*t or wallow in angst.

[BassMunkee]

[quote]What I find unendingly amusing about this is that the people on either side of the debate seem to have never ending reserves for thinking that their view is the right one.
You are all dum shits if you don't realise it's a variety of music that makes the whole picture, you are not required to like it all. I like lots of music but don't really dig opera, I don't however, go around calling in to question the integrity of the form and it's patrons based on what they wear, how they present themselves, or what they do in their pyjamas.
Have a view fine but for f***s sake stop with the one sided hystrionics and let others get on with what they enjoy.
I'm f***ing bored of this now.

BBC, Bassmunkee, Budget Bassist. the tone of your rancour suggests nothing other than caveman like envy.[/quote]

Reread your post and then consider your comment about histrionics - (that's HISTRIONICS, with an "I").
[quote]I'm f***ing bored of this now.[/quote]
I've never read a post of yours before now but I'm f*cking bored of you already, so I guess we're all square.
C*ckface.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='295229' date='Sep 30 2008, 10:56 AM']What I find unendingly amusing about this is that the people on either side of the debate seem to have never ending reserves for thinking that their view is the right one.
You are all dum shits if you don't realise it's a variety of music that makes the whole picture, you are not required to like it all. I like lots of music but don't really dig opera, I don't however, go around calling in to question the integrity of the form and it's patrons based on what they wear, how they present themselves, or what they do in their pyjamas.
Have a view fine but for f***s sake stop with the one sided hystrionics and let others get on with what they enjoy.
I'm f***ing bored of this now.

BBC, Bassmunkee, Budget Bassist. the tone of your rancour suggests nothing other than caveman like envy.[/quote]

Of course I feel my view is the right one! That's why its my view. If I thought there were more accurate views out there, I'd adopt those.

I have no doubt that Berlin is very skillful, and also very well versed in theory.

That doesn't change the fact that he wears sh*t trainers and plays Jazz.

Even Bilbo has admitted that his love of Jazz was a joke that got out of hand.


Its difficult to defend Berlin by saying that those detractors (me) are not open to other peoples views, when he prides himself on this philosophy.

[ped]

[quote name='BassMunkee' post='295147' date='Sep 30 2008, 09:31 AM']out some egregiously OTT chopping, papping and slopping [sic] whilst looking either a) horribly smug or intolerably pious.
You're not impressing anyone! (well, you're not impressing me, at any rate)[/quote]


Surely that's the point. They ARE impressing lots of people. Sure they have different tastes to you, but when did you last get invited to be interviewed on a magazine? Do you have a signature bass? Have you played for millions of people? You call his music 'sh**' but apparently it is less sh** than yours. (Not really, but you know what I mean) FWIW I don't like his music much either and as a result I have given zero thought to the man either way until now - but the fact is he has more fans than you and it seems that fact is unbearable for you!

So they are different, too technical for you, bad shoes/hair, whatever. Big deal.

Why some of you have to get so over the top about it is beyond me.