Doug Stegmeyer

[BrunoBass]

Is anyone else familiar with Doug Stegmeyer? I’ve long been an admirer of his tasteful but groovy bass work; his playing on Billy Joel’s album ‘The Stranger’ is particularly outstanding.

[spongebob]

A little - I'm not a fan particularly of old BJ, but I'm aware there was some tasty playing by Doug on many of his finest songs.

I read a long piece on Talkbass some years back, he's got some big fans over there, and I remember reading how Doug was known as the 'Drill Sargent of the Billy Joel band' - keeping things together in more ways than one!

There was also a piece on how BJ dismissed the entire band? I'm not enough of an expert on that. Suffice to say, I know that Doug went on to play with many others, until his sad demise.

'Movin' Out' has got some cool bits, and I also have a soft spot for 'My Life'. Clearly a great player, but not one you see popping up to regularly.

[MGB]

Just started with a Billy Joel Tribute Band.

Three rehearsals and yesterday evening our first concert and it has been an amazing pleasure playing all these great basslines.

 

[ianrendall]

An astounding player. Been a HUGE Joel fan since about 1992, took up the bass in ‘96 and listened to BJ in a whole new light. He met a tragic end though. 

[BrunoBass]

22 hours ago, ianrendall said:

An astounding player. Been a HUGE Joel fan since about 1992, took up the bass in ‘96 and listened to BJ in a whole new light. He met a tragic end though. 

Yes Billy Joel seems to be perennially overlooked as a songwriter, particularly in the UK where the general public only really know him for Uptown Girl and Just The Way You Are. A pity really, when songs like Captain Jack, Allentown and Scenes From An Italian Restaurant are so well observed lyrically and brilliantly realised musically - everything I want in a song. He’ll probably only be reappraised and appreciated once he’s gone, unfortunately.

[ianrendall]

58 minutes ago, BrunoBass said:

Yes Billy Joel seems to be perennially overlooked as a songwriter, particularly in the UK where the general public only really know him for Uptown Girl and Just The Way You Are. A pity really, when songs like Captain Jack, Allentown and Scenes From An Italian Restaurant are so well observed lyrically and brilliantly realised musically - everything I want in a song. He’ll probably only be reappraised and appreciated once he’s gone, unfortunately.

Agreed. His 2 biggest hits are his least interesting musically to me. Rosalinda’s Eyes is one of my favourites. I am also quite fond of his earlier work which featured a fair amount of pedal steel guitar. He’s so much more diverse than people think with distinctive style changes over the years, he really can do it all. 

Edited May 21, 2018 by ianrendall