discreet Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 14 hours ago, casapete said: Sorry, but have to disagree about Motown bassists lacking excitement compared with rock bassists. As a young teenager at the time, the sound of ‘Bernadette’ and other Motown gems coming down the corridor from my older brother’s Fidelity record player was enough to convince me to give stuff like Black Sabbath and Led Zep etc the elbow for good. All my mates were into heavy rock at the time, and Motown wasn’t considered hip at all, which somehow made it even more special for me. Soon as I started playing bass I certainly didn’t want to be Geezer Butler that’s for sure. Are we long-lost brothers? No. But I absolutely agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 9 hours ago, drTStingray said: I don't even recall Bernadette and only heard it more recently - although the bass was a little more audible on Motown it certainly wasn't very audible on transistor radio or even a Dansette player - and picking out a Motown bass part would be partially guesswork at the time. What made me want to pick up a bass was hearing the line on 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)', which still gives me the chills every time I hear it. A tour-de-force example of how bass guitar doesn't have to be all about fifths and roots and only be a supporting instrument (though that's OK too, obviously). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 24 minutes ago, fleabag said: James Dewar - Lulu + Robin Trower The late great Jimmy, yeah - though I suspect he was with Stone the Crows at this time. Died at only 59...three years younger than I am now. Oh for a tenth of his bass/vocal talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Yup, and what a vocalist too. Stone The Crows about 1970 i think, but Lulu and the Luvvers in the 60's RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 1 hour ago, discreet said: What made me want to pick up a bass was hearing the line on 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)', which still gives me the chills every time I hear it. A tour-de-force example of how bass guitar doesn't have to be all about fifths and roots and only be a supporting instrument (though that's OK too, obviously). Certainly one of my favourite Motown lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 And mine. Great bass line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 3 hours ago, discreet said: What made me want to pick up a bass was hearing the line on 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)', which still gives me the chills every time I hear it. A tour-de-force example of how bass guitar doesn't have to be all about fifths and roots and only be a supporting instrument (though that's OK too, obviously). I remember turning up my Dad's amp (when they were out) and listening to it with a pillow over my ears to filter out everything but the bass. It took me 40 years to get round to picking up the bass but I always knew it was for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 (edited) 9 hours ago, casapete said: My two fave bands at this time were The Faces and The Stones. Their recordings from then still stand up now IMO. Always hankered after a Zemaitis bass like Ronnie’s too, so cool. Tin Soldier is one of my faves to play from our current setlist, so much energy. Sorry, thought you'd wrote Small faces, still the same bassist though. Edited September 6, 2018 by Maude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 My 'I was made to play bass' moment was hearing Stevie Wonder's 'I Was Made To Love Her' for the first time in '67. Although I'd already been playing bass for 3 years by then, that bass part went straight to my soul and raised the bar for me. Certainly exciting to my ears then - and now. Pretty much every other name on my late-'60s radar has already been mentioned except Trevor Williams. He played bass with one of my all-time favourite bands, Audience, who just about scrape into the decade as they started in '69. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_T Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 16 minutes ago, scrumpymike said: My 'I was made to play bass' moment was hearing Stevie Wonder's 'I Was Made To Love Her' for the first time in '67. I'm trying to learn this at the moment, it's a superb line. Hopefully it's just within my abilities to at least get somewhere close with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drake Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Richie McCracken in Taste rocking that white Precision was a massive influence on my early playing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 (edited) 40 minutes ago, drake said: Richie McCracken in Taste rocking that white Precision was a massive influence on my early playing Yes, fantastic - he did bass solos live as well. The original thread was intended only to give a sample of what would have been listed in the Melody Maker in the Uk and my own recollections - I realised there are several important additions - AND remember I was talking late 60s:- John McVie - Fleetwood Mac John Entwhistle - whilst his playing in the mid 60s was undoubtedly influential, in 68/69 IMO he hadn't reached his 'typewriter style' peak - that I think occurred in the early 70s (Who's Next for example). Some of you clearly started playing earlier in the 60s by the influences mentioned - but I'm still surprised people in the late 60s (unless they were major soul fans) would be turned on by the orchestral pop of Motown, bass playing wise - that's not to put it down - I've learned all of those songs but generally going backwards from 70s soul/funk/jazz/disco influences. For instance, Ain't No Mountain High Enough in the late 60s - great fantastic bass part but really??? Unless you were in a function band or soul band? For me, Nutbush City Limits was a more likely thing to learn at that time (I still play that now in a band I dep with). If you are talking late 60s orchestral (and there were a lot of unsung fine bass players around) how about Alan Spenner on the original soundtrack of Jesus Christ Superstar? People have mentioned Jet Harris - he was very much early 60s but how about the subsequent Cliff and The Shadows bassists, Brian Locking and the phenomenally good John Rostill - he played on the Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt - a very nice bass part which I always felt had Jack Bruce influence - but this was out of era (64 - thus mono usually, not 16 track, and pre Marshall, unduly twangy guitars). However Mr Rostill was part of Tom Jones' celebrated Las Vegas band which was said to have been s**t hot (by none other than Elvis) in - the late 60s - orchestral player by then!! Edited September 6, 2018 by drTStingray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Some of that late 60’s orchestral / pop output really made me take note of the bass nearly as much as the Motown / soul stuff. Thinking of say Love Affair’s version of ‘Everlasting Love’ , ‘Eloise’ by Paul and Barry Ryan, and some songs by Pet Clarke and Dusty etc. A lot of it sounded quite ‘ Precision with a pick’, which made it more prominent (especially on small radios). Also some of the same orchestral style American hits like ‘McCarthur Park’ and Fifth Dimension’s ‘Aquarius ‘ made me very aware of how important bass was. Still love that kind of stuff even now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 18 minutes ago, casapete said: A lot of it sounded quite ‘ Precision with a pick’, which made it more prominent (especially on small radios). The bass on MacArthur Park and Aquarius was played by Joe Osborn, who also did great work with The Carpenters and Simon & Garfunkel as part of the Wrecking Crew. The ultimate 'Fender with a pick' sound, though I believe much of it was with a Jazz Bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 On 06/09/2018 at 00:41, drTStingray said: So in 1968 and 69 who did the aspiring bass player look up to and want to emulate - one things for sure it wasn't Joe Osborme or Carol Kaye - even the Tamla bassists (though their style and interesting lines were noticed - fact is none of us were good enough to play it then). Seriously, these people were considered as orchestral style players and lacking the excitement created by the rock players. I think you'll find that your list of rock bassists had carefully listened to and borrowed from the likes of Osborn, Kaye, Jamerson, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 On 06/09/2018 at 02:22, casapete said: Sorry, but have to disagree about Motown bassists lacking excitement compared with rock bassists. ... Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 34 minutes ago, EssentialTension said: I think you'll find that your list of rock bassists had carefully listened to and borrowed from the likes of Osborn, Kaye, Jamerson, etc. I'm afraid I have to disagree with you - the influence of these people is definitely there and especially Jamerson/Babbitt. BUT much of the bass output of the rock/blues people of the late 60s is based on development of an interpretation of old blues artists and this around the pentatonic scale. OK Lemon Song has very obvious Motown stylistic influence but that is one song off two LZ albums of that era. That Motown and Stax influenced subsequent soul and pop music is clear and undeniable, the British blues invasion of the US (amazingly exporting its own cultural history back to a more mixed race audience) has more to do with pentatonic box than you find in soul music. In turn that influenced soul and pop also - I mean Black Knight on TOTP??!! There's a tendency to overstate influences and whilst Motown, Memphis and Los Angeles studios were they weren't the sole or even an influence on much of what I'm talking about. If we want to talk studio output (sessions players) Herbie Flowers' part on Space Oddity is an interesting example - I don't hear any of those US studios in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 has anyone mentioned Duck Dunn ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yank Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Humble Pie was a killer band. I had the "Live at the Fillmore" album that was smokin', although I hate to admit I have no idea who played bass. Steve Marriott was in my opinion, the best vocalist of his generation. Hands down!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 11 minutes ago, Yank said: Humble Pie was a killer band. I had the "Live at the Fillmore" album that was smokin', although I hate to admit I have no idea who played bass. Steve Marriott was in my opinion, the best vocalist of his generation. Hands down!!!!! Yeah, the late and great Greg Ridley. That album is a killer! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigyin Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 4 hours ago, casapete said: Yeah, the late and great Greg Ridley. That album is a killer! I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Mel Schacher on the Terry Knight-era produced Grand Funk Railroad. Bass monster....and mixed waaaay up there. A blueprint, surely! Quite underrated over here, but there's great bass lines on those records. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I was a brat in those days but that bass-sound in Everlasting Love got me hooked. Dunno who actually played that. Loved that click-bass tone in those days. But musicians? Squire in the early '70s kicked it all off, followed by he-who-shall-not-be-named. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 1 minute ago, NikNik said: Squire in the early '70s kicked it all off, followed by he-who-shall-not-be-named. Rolf Harris? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 13 minutes ago, discreet said: Rolf Harris? Got it in one. He played an old Egmond bass. Dub before I even knew what Dub was! Nahhh....Jaco. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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