"Dad, I want to play bass, who should I listen to?"

[HazBeen]

I struggling enough not picking up on what my kids like..... seems I can pretty much sing all the bloomin' lyrics.... and they're 3 and 5!

Edited August 23, 2017 by HazBeen

[TimR]

My five most influential albums I listened to when I was first learning bass. Not necessarily bass technical albums but albums I would have played along to.
1. Live After Death - Iron Maiden
2. Fugazi - Marillion
3. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Eliminator - ZZTop
5. Power Windows - Rush

I think that's really the game we are playing here isn't it?

[Nicko]

Does anyone on this forum ever listen to anything that was released in this century? Most of these suggestions would be what the kid's grandparents grew up listening to.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1503491516' post='3358657']
Does anyone on this forum ever listen to anything that was released in this century? Most of these suggestions would be what the kid's grandparents grew up listening to.
[/quote]two answers, 1. All the good songs were written in the 20th Century, 2.Average age on here is high so we all like stuff from our youth

[leftybassman392]

From an ex-tutor's perspective (not trying to pull rank, but...) I never ceased to be surprised what kids enjoyed listening to. Whilst many would indeed follow the well-trodden path of rocking up with a cd featuring something I'd never heard by someone I'd never heard of, every now and then someone would ask for something by RHCP, or The Beatles, or (in one fondly-remembered case) [i]anything [/i]by AC/DC.

Sometimes the apple does fall close to the tree, and although a lot of the stuff posted above is perhaps a bit fanciful in the current context you never know until you ask (and IME passion and enthusiasm for music does have a bit of a habit of rubbing off on kids).

Edited August 23, 2017 by leftybassman392

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1503445528' post='3358379']
I'd say check these out, they'll give you ideas of what the bass [b][i]can[/i][/b] do. Don't copy, be influenced and inspired.
[/quote]

Why is your list more influential/inspiring than one comprised of Lemmy, Paul McCartney and Duff McKagan?

[Painy]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1503491516' post='3358657']
Does anyone on this forum ever listen to anything that was released in this century? Most of these suggestions would be what the kid's grandparents grew up listening to.
[/quote]

Muse have apparently released more than 5 albums this side of the millennium.

And as far as which bass to get them - if they're playing Muse then it won't matter in the slightest anyway once it's covered in a great big gloopy bucket of fat, synthy fuzz.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1503485575' post='3358578']
I missed the 5 albums bit, so to expand:

1 - The Four Tops: Reach Out
2 - Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
3 - The Supremes: Supremes a Go Go
4 - Martha and the Vandellas: Dance Party
5 - Stevie Wonder: I Was Made to Love Her
[/quote]

I think I would have been glad if my dad had suggested these but his collection of LPs were all classical. Beethoven, Handel, Bach, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, that sort of thing. Granddad bought me LPs of Handel's Water Music and The Tijuana Sound of Brass.

I am lucky to have had the benefit of those to listen to even though it was because I had little else. I wouldn't have had the exposure otherwise. Dad would buy me the occasional 45 or two when I was small but they were random choices from chart and film music. One that was particularly memorable was Disney's Jungle Book [i]The Bare Necessities/I Wanna be Like You[/i]. I still love the cartoony vocal delivery on both of those. They've both got a good stodgy rhythm to them also. I still have that seven inch 33rpm disc somewhere.

My favourites were a handful of Beatles singles that were being changed out of a cafe jukebox in London when he was there on a visit once. I think he might have got them for free too. They were the ones that tickled my bass buds first.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1503491516' post='3358657']
Does anyone on this forum ever listen to anything that was released in this century? Most of these suggestions would be what the kid's grandparents grew up listening to.
[/quote]

On the other hand, why not get your youngsters to do the recommending? It probably means you are going to hear something new.

Six this century albums my 23 year old recommended to me:

Blindfaller - Mandolin Orange - 2016

You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen - 2017

Fun Machine - Lake Street Dive - 2012

The Brightness - Anais Mitchell - 2007

Congolese Funk, Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978 - Verckys & L'Orchestre Vévé - 2014

Black Messiah - D'Angelo & The Vanguard - 2014

[ambient]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1503493414' post='3358676']
Why is your list more influential/inspiring than one comprised of Lemmy, Paul McCartney and Duff McKagan?
[/quote]

Haven't said they are, It's a hypothetical question, you've been asked to provide a list, that's my list. I have zero interest in any of the players you've quoted, I don't find them at all inspiring, I really dislike both Guns and roses and Motorhead, in fact I really dislike that whole rock thing. That's a beside the point though, because it's my list .

[TimR]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1503491516' post='3358657']
Does anyone on this forum ever listen to anything that was released in this century? Most of these suggestions would be what the kid's grandparents grew up listening to.
[/quote]

That's not what the OP is suggesting though. It's a thought experiment on what you think are the most influential albums from your point of view.

I would have given the same answer as Happy Jack.

Who listens to albums nowadays? Not even me.
Listen to everything and play along to everything.

[oldbass]

Dont have kids so Im wondering from all the dads on here. What do 11 yr old kids think when you put on Dark Side Of The Moon?.

[TimR]

Kids listen to all sorts.

School of Rock has got my son interested in AC/DC and Led Zeppelin.

Good music is good music, doesn't matter how old it is. People are still listening to the Beatles!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='oldbass' timestamp='1503495312' post='3358698']
Dont have kids so Im wondering from all the dads on here. What do 11 yr old kids think when you put on Dark Side Of The Moon?.
[/quote]

When I had an 11 year old he was listening to Pink Floyd and learning Comfortably Numb; but at 23 he's saying 'actually, Pink Floyd are often a bit sh*t'.

[TimR]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1503496496' post='3358706']


When I had an 11 year old he was listening to Pink Floyd and learning Comfortably Numb; but at 23 he's saying 'actually, Pink Floyd are often a bit sh*t'.
[/quote]

They suffer from the same problem as the Beatles. When they were new, no one had ever heard anything like it. Now there's lots of bands who were influenced by them who are doing better stuff.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1503495633' post='3358701']

Kids listen to all sorts.

[/quote]

That's my experience too.

And in this internet age it's all so easily available.

[gs_triumph]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1503494450' post='3358690']


On the other hand, why not get your youngsters to do the recommending? It probably means you are going to hear something new.

Six this century albums my 23 year old recommended to me:

Blindfaller - Mandolin Orange - 2016

You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen - 2017

Fun Machine - Lake Street Dive - 2012

The Brightness - Anais Mitchell - 2007

Congolese Funk, Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978 - Verckys & L'Orchestre Vévé - 2014

Black Messiah - D'Angelo & The Vanguard - 2014
[/quote]

I have added these to my Spotify playlist in an attempt to drag myself out of the nineties 🤔

[gs_triumph]

My ex's daughter and I would exchange musical inspiration with each other.
She got nirvana, Neil young and Love off me. I got modest mouse, m85 and gaslight anthem off her.
Fair exchange.

Best thing about that relationship 😉

Edited August 23, 2017 by gs_triumph

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1503495173' post='3358697']
Who listens to albums nowadays?

[/quote]

I do.

And so do quite a few young people I know.

But listening to albums was always more of a muso thing - hence the non-album albums for people who don't like albums, such as ...

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='gs_triumph' timestamp='1503497730' post='3358728']
I have added these to my Spotify playlist in an attempt to drag myself out of the nineties
[/quote]

You might even like any of it .... but that's not the point is it?

Good luck.

[gs_triumph]

Exactly! Listen to something different and you ever know... I might even tap my foot to the beat

[Geek99]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1503498065' post='3358736']
I do.

And so do quite a few young people I know.

But listening to albums was always more of a muso thing - hence the non-album albums for people who don't like albums, such as ...


[/quote]

I'm embarassed to admit that I bought Now #4 on a cloudy day what feels like at least a century ago

[Barking Spiders]

For me this question is purely hypothetical as Child of the Corn #1, aged 13, only listens to Heart FM while #2, aged 11, also of the female persuasion, doesn't show much interest in music. If either were interested in bassing I'd lend them some Meshuggah or Lamb of God for no other reason than I'm slightly twisted. My olds were never interested in music other than classical and had they tried to encourage me to play x or y instrument I'd have deliberately not done so as was the case with cricket, classical music and English literature.

[TimR]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1503499970' post='3358755']


I'm embarassed to admit that I bought Now #4 on a cloudy day what feels like at least a century ago
[/quote]

Somewhere I have Now That's What I Call Music on vinyl. Think one of the tracks is The Camera Never Lies by Dollar.

I think I've actually also got a couple of Top of the Pops albums as well.

Although I think 'Album' is stretching it a bit. They're just compilations.

[atsampson]

Most of mine have been listed already (DSOTM, Ace of Spades, etc.), but I'd add Those Who Were by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - a recommendation from my double bass teacher originally and still one I listen to regularly.