Gene Simmons: “Studio bassists who play with their fingers live have no idea that we can’t hear what they’re playing”

[spectoremg]

1 hour ago, musicbassman said:

That 'lesson' with Carol Kaye.....................is he for real ???

Jawdroppingly appalling and clumsy technique - and he allows someone to put this up on Youtube ???

Carol Kaye is so polite.......like to imagine what she was really thinking............................

 

And Carol taught James Jamerson too! 

[FinnDave]

11 minutes ago, steantval said:

He really promotes anti drugs and drink, thats something that can’t be too bad.

I was actually agreeing with hm until you wrote that!

[FinnDave]

I prefer playing with fingers, but much prefer the sound out front I get with a pick. After decades of finger playing, I am finally a committed pick player. Many people agree, and say I should have been committed years ago!

[discreet]

27 minutes ago, steantval said:

He really promotes anti drugs and drink, thats something that can’t be too bad.

Not very rock 'n' roll though, is it? 

[visog]

Aww I'm not a Kiss fan but I'm going to go with the pro-Gene camp. Yes he's an arch capitalist but... he brought us Van Halen, Rush and was politely respectful when Chris Squire died. Plus he seems happy to engage fans in all his money-making ventures. Not wild about his claims to female conquests... 2,000+ That's just creepy and probably requiring medical attention. And it's also rubbish. Last of a dying R&R dream breed.

Edited April 12, 2018 by visog

[discreet]

20 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

boomy sludge fest

Another great band name.

[visog]

15 minutes ago, discreet said:

Another great band name.

Better than 'Uncle Fester'

[visog]

3 minutes ago, visog said:

Better than 'Uncle Fester'

Actually I meant 'Wicked Lester'. Sorry. Said Kiss wasn't my specialist subject...

[FinnDave]

(After dinner) I've just read the thread title properly and reckon he's spot-on - fingers in the studio but pick on stage. Studio technique does not translate well to the stage.

Edited April 12, 2018 by FinnDave

[visog]

Just now, FinnDave said:

(After dinner) I've just read the thread title properly and reckon he's spot-on - fingers in the studio but pick on stage. 

I wouldn't take him that literally. In the past he's said the same about high end basses in a live situation too. (He used to play Pedullas at one point.) What he's saying is that in a large concert situation, the details get lost...

[FinnDave]

1 minute ago, visog said:

I wouldn't take him that literally. In the past he's said the same about high end basses in a live situation too. (He used to play Pedullas at one point.) What he's saying is that in a large concert situation, the details get lost...

Well, he's got a point...and thinking about it, I get a good sound in a studio playing finger style, but live, it sounds better with a pick, live benefits from the attack and definition that a pick gives you.

[Little Dragon]

Read all the thread and all I can think is... It's called a plectrum in this country.

[FinnDave]

13 minutes ago, Little Dragon said:

Read all the thread and all I can think is... It's called a plectrum in this country.

I think you'll find that a great many people in this country refer to them as picks. I also think there are more useful ideas in this thread than a pedantic insistence on the use of an archaic term (and yes, i am usually this bloody minded when I've been drinking!).

[discreet]

24 minutes ago, Little Dragon said:

Read all the thread and all I can think is... It's called a plectrum in this country.

Bah! I suppose you call a pickguard a 'scratchplate' as well...

[Cat Burrito]

28 minutes ago, Little Dragon said:

Read all the thread and all I can think is... It's called a plectrum in this country.

Isn't that's just being PICK-y!   

[Krysbass]

Thats one hilariously ironic comment; given that the bass seems to be so very low in the mix on the few Kiss records I've heard. Crazy Nights is a prime example.

The lack of bass just left me wondering what all the fuss was about. 

[FinnDave]

12 minutes ago, discreet said:

Bah! I suppose you call a pickguard a 'scratchplate' as well...

 I think we should start calling them pickplates. Or scratchguards.

[bazzbass]

so he cant hear the bass in Who Live at Leeds?

 

Or any Rush or Led Zeppelin songs?

 

dude isn't even an adequate bassist. What a sad #$%@ he is

[Osiris]

11 hours ago, steantval said:

He really promotes anti drugs and drink, thats something that can’t be too bad.

If that's what clean living does to you I'm off to find my next vat of toxins.

 

 

[Norris]

I think to get a great live bass sound you need to spit REAL blood, not that fake stuff. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Gene... oh - you don't do drugs

[Norris]

Anybody else think he looked less creepy WITH the makeup?

[darkandrew]

I didn't find it that controversial to be honest. I understand what he's saying about needing different techniques for different situations and agree 100% with his sentiments regarding the fact that live your tone is either made or lost by the person on the mixing desk.

[lojo]

So will we be seeing Steve Harris using a pick from now on ? 

[PaulWarning]

once again guys, he's not being entirely serious, but probably making the quite valid point that with a pick you usually get a crisper sound (more attack) although I've heard finger players sound like they're using a pick and pick players sound like they're using fingers, Macca springs to mind on that one 

[Barking Spiders]

My personal opinion about this Grade A douche aside, I also 100% disagree with what he's saying. I've never seen any funk players live using a plectrum. If he said that to Larry Graham or Bootsy they'd laff in his faces (both the monster one and his stage make-up)