Quincy - Oh dear!

[Monkey Steve]

I quite enjoyed QJ's rant.  very "angry old man in the corner of the pub".  Given the rambling nature of the interview I doubt very much that he really meant that McCartney is in fact the worst bass player he's ever heard, he was just shooting the breeze.  But even if he did, it's just his opinion - no point getting upset because somebody doesn't agree with you over something as trivial as whether they like your favourite band.  thank god he didn't say something nasty about One Direction - he'd be getting death threats

reminded me a lot of Keith Richard's autobiography, where he gives himself credit for everything he ever did being brilliant

Edited February 14, 2018 by Monkey Steve

[SteveK]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

 There were many other groups around at the time that also caught our attention.

And  some of those very same groups soon realised that the huge success of The Beatles was a game changer.

[Dad3353]

2 minutes ago, SteveK said:

And  some of those very same groups soon realised that the huge success of The Beatles was a game changer.

... as was the emergence of Bob Dylan, the mini-skirt and the invention of LSD. Much stuff is a 'game changer' in one way or another.

[jazzmanb]

Just read the title,i'm not even a Beatles fan but the majority of top grade musicians are sheep who are good at doing what creative people tell them to do

 

[Dropzone]

There is a phrase "The only reason we can see so far is that we are standing on the shoulders of giants". Elvis may have opened the door but it was the Beatles who ran through. Doesn't mean you have to like them or even think of them as great musicians, although I personally think they are. The Ed Sulivan performance sent big ripples around the world and I can't think of any other music event that has had such an impact, even live aid.  He may be calling things as he sees it and he may be wrong.

[SteveK]

20 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

... as was the emergence of Bob Dylan, the mini-skirt and the invention of LSD. Much stuff is a 'game changer' in one way or another.

Not sure how many of those changed a band's modus operandi.

[jazzmanb]

On 12/02/2018 at 10:44, Marvin said:

It must really boil Jones’s bladder contents that other well known drummers have a lot of respect for Ringo’s drumming...and barely reference his beloved jazz technicians.

Mike Portnoy, he has Starr in his top 4 influences.

Jones comes across as someone who views music primarily as a technical endeavour. He portrays himself as a jazz cliche, in that all other music or musicians have no value. 

Anyway, anyone who lends any weight to astrology simply has forfeited any claim to have a valid opinion 

Yep,a world of cold hard perfectness.He's a name there is no doubt but very little of his stuff interests me and he never has  that welcoming look on his face

[casapete]

1 minute ago, SteveK said:

Not sure how many of those changed a band's modus operandi.

The second one certainly changed mine.....

[lowdown]

40 minutes ago, jazzmanb said:

 he never has  that welcoming look on his face

Blimey, who are you, his Milkman ?

 

[Bluewine]

11 hours ago, grandad said:

I am awake, it's 4 am, I know, I'll have a cup of tea and waffle a bit on BC.

For you Blue:

I think I know where you're coming from Blue. As a singer and bassist who was up front rather than at the back with the drummer, Paul McCartney was probably a first doing that. I can't offhand think of another. Jack Bruce and Sting were to follow but I think Paul showed it could be done. Personally I find it impossible with anything other than the simplest of bass lines.

Here in the UK, late 50's early 60's it was Jet Harris as the Bass player with The Shadows, (think the UK version of The Ventures), who was probably first noticed along with his Precision bass, one of the first in England. His 1963 single 'Diamonds' actually got to number 1 over here, a first for a single with bass as lead instrument.

The first Shadows LP, which incidentally was my first LP, Xmas 1961, featured a bass instrumental track called Nivram. I believe it was based on Barney Kessel's - 'Barney's Blues'. I mention this as most of us post WWII babies share seminal moments in our musical memories. The tune 'Apache', and maybe for those across the Pond 'Walk Don't Run', just triggered that "wow I've just love to learn how to play that on my own electric guitar" feeling. Well, Nivram was the first number I heard featuring bass that shared the lead. And so that is why 'Nivram' is my party piece, even though I only picked up my first bass guitar at the age of 50+ I just had to learn it. I also had to learn 'Apache' and 'Walk Don't Run' and 'FBI' and 'Sleepwalk' and 'Riders In The Sky' and etc, etc, etc. Aren't guitar instrumentals just great? My Jazz quartet just nailed 'Samba Parti'. I digress.

He was not well known in the States but very influential over here, read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Harris

And whilst reading that I discovered this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones_(musician)

What a career!

But to get back to the subject of the remarks made by QJ, they were rude, and his use of the vernacular was quite vulgar. In his exalted position he should set a better example especially to younger fans. His opinions, to which he is quite entitled, I cannot see being shared so much as the contrary. Unfortunately they will taint the pleasure I get from listening to his work.

It's now 7.45 am. I can see me having a nap this afternoon as I have to gig tonight. When I say gig it's a quiet affair as in music to wine and dine to.

Nice commentary!

However, I'm not sure The Venture were as big in the US as The Shadows were in the UK.

Did The Ventures sing?

 

Blue

[kodiakblair]

Daft claim " no-one heard of electric bass before the Beatles "

Here's my old pal Hector MacLean in his heyday. The lads ticked themselves to the hilt for the Burns gear as soon as they saw the ad in the music papers. That photo was very early 60's,they stopped making the Burns Artist bass in 1963 so it's no later than that. So you've got 6 fellas from tiny mining villages scattered around Central Scotland all kitted out with the latest Burns gear including an instrument nobody had heard off. 

 

[Bluewine]

23 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Daft claim " no-one heard of electric bass before the Beatles "

Here's my old pal Hector MacLean in his heyday. The lads ticked themselves to the hilt for the Burns gear as soon as they saw the ad in the music papers. That photo was very early 60's,they stopped making the Burns Artist bass in 1963 so it's no later than that. So you've got 6 fellas from tiny mining villages scattered around Central Scotland all kitted out with the latest Burns gear including an instrument nobody had heard off. 

 

No, nobody presented the electric bass as an out front instrunent or to as many people as The Beatles 

Blue

Edited February 14, 2018 by Bluewine

[kodiakblair]

14 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

No, nobody presented the electric bass as an out front instrunent or to as many people as The Beatles 

Blue

Never heard anybody describe the Beatles as anything other than a pop band. If Paul hadn't sung you'd have stopped posting long ago. It's the singing bit that put him out front, not playing bass.

[drTStingray]

2 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

......,It's the singing bit that put him out front, not playing bass.

This is completely right - and the close succession of She Loves You (yeah yeah yeah) and Can't Buy Me Love and others - the fact that my entire primary school class suddenly became fans - the girls mostly enthusing over Paul - for those in a certain age group in the mid 70s the Bay City Rollers did it - as did David Cassidy etc etc. The rest was three singers with guitars shaking their heads in 63/64 and bopping around and a drummer doing the same - and an amazing energy in the music and performance. None of my 9 yr old class mates had any idea who played what as far as guitar was concerned except George played the solos - and air guitar was there even then 👍

They and Epstein blew the musical establishment apart in the UK also - by the Beatles writing a lot of their own material, not having their material generally played by sessions players and being outside of the established light entertainment business - the rest of the late 50s early 60s UK acts were very much part of it - for instance doing panto etc etc. 

The Beatles and others broke the mould - a total revolution to match the whole mid 60s vibe in the UK. 

I still believe QJ reverted to late 60s jazzer type looking snootily down his nose at 'pop music' and 'pop artistes' generally. I'm happy to just ignore it and will continue to love a great deal of the work he produced. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by drTStingray

[grandad]

I don't think you could say they were "outside the established light entertainment business" for the first couple of years. In fact the usual path of a hit record or two, guest appearances, panto's and light-weight films was trodden by Cliff and The Shadows, The Beatles, Elvis etc, etc. It was a career path that earned money and the various managers knew it. (Correction, Presley wouldn't have done the panto bit though). But yes they broke new ground post-touring.

Edited February 14, 2018 by grandad
poor spelling

[drTStingray]

What I mean is Epstein set up his own empire of which the Beatles were a major part although the venues they played touring the country were the same as other acts - in fact a friend of mine saw both the Beatles and Cliff and the Shadows at the same venue - a couple of years apart - another had the good fortune to be given a ticket for the audience of Thank Your Lucky Stars when the Beatles were on the bill so I guess you are right in that sense. Interestingly the first couple of singles did not impact upon my life any more than any other music of the time - I was vaguely aware of With Love from Me to You. But it exploded subsequently. 

But yes you are also right re the films etc etc - I think the 'establishment' saw pop acts as lasting a max of a couple of years thus artists were steered or travelled of their own accord down other avenues (eg Tommy Steele with musicals).

Of course the likes of Elvis were also longer lasting - but so were the Beatles - another mould breaker. 

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by drTStingray

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Never heard anybody describe the Beatles as anything other than a pop band. If Paul hadn't sung you'd have stopped posting long ago. It's the singing bit that put him out front, not playing bass.

For me it was both, I was fasinated with that violin looking thing.

Nobody has convinced it wasn't Paul that brought the electric bass guitar to the forefront for the masses of guys my age.

Blue

Edited February 15, 2018 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Never heard anybody describe the Beatles as anything other than a pop band. 

You had to be there.

Blue

[jazzmanb]

17 hours ago, lowdown said:

Blimey, who are you, his Milkman ?

 

Just always looks like someones whizzed on his chips and his banter backs it up

[chris_b]

13 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Never heard anybody describe the Beatles as anything other than a pop band.

You don't come on Basschat much then?

[jazzmanb]

10 hours ago, Bluewine said:

You had to be there.

Blue

They were popular and made music lots of people liked ,def Pop!

[kodiakblair]

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

You don't come on Basschat much then?

Rarely bother reading posts on a band I've little interest in. I mind some kids at primary school listening to them but that all stopped when punk started. Each generation thinks theirs was the important one,kind of conceited thinking.

[Huge Hands]

I read the full interview, it all sounded like QJ was on a bit of a wind up to me.  I think he has the stereotypical Jazz attitude that those that haven't studied to a Jazz level aren't great musicians, but that's up to him.

It obviously has done his internet recognition no harm, I've seen several "Have you read the Quincy interview?" comments from muso mates on social media.

As regards to the Beatles, I'm sure Sir Paul isn't bothered. Regardless of his ex-wife legal troubles, I'm sure he's still got just as much if not more cash than QJ.  I don't think he needs us to fight his battles for him...

[SteveK]

19 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Never heard anybody describe the Beatles as anything other than a pop band.

I can't really comment on what you've heard or not heard, other than to say, you've clearly been very successful in avoiding all forms of media for the last 55 years.

[kodiakblair]

47 minutes ago, SteveK said:

I can't really comment on what you've heard or not heard, other than to say, you've clearly been very successful in avoiding all forms of media for the last 55 years.

OK successful pop band but still only a pop band. Did they cure cancer,bring about world peace ? No they wrote some pop songs.