Guest MoJo Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I have a friend who is a huge Genesis/Rutherford fan. He wonders why Mike Rutherford doesn’t appear as highly regarded in the bass playing community as say, Geddy Lee. My theory is that he is seen as a musician, in the broader sense, who plays bass and guitar. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I see him as more of a guitarist who also plays bass when required but mostly as a fabulous musician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Agreed! I've always found Genesis bass lines confusing though, probably cos I can never be quite sure if they are bass guitar, bass pedals or Tony Bank's left hand! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 When he stopped playing bass with Genesis......🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missis sumner Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Was in Genesis. Did he play bass??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 7 minutes ago, missis sumner said: Was in Genesis. Did he play bass??? Oh yes, he had/has a large selection of double necks to choose from! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missis sumner Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Thotch. /I am a Genesis fan, BTW. lol 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 9 minutes ago, Oopsdabassist said: Oh yes, he had/has a large selection of double necks to choose from! I always wanted one of those Shergolds. Although would be perfectly happy with a Ric twin neck. 😊 One of my biggest influences on bass and 12. I see him more as a songwriter who plays bass and guitar, which is kind of what I aspire to. He’s written some fantastic tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Awesome musician and bass player... which, is the right order. 'Squonk' anyone... bass pedals then high register fills on the bass... not a million miles from Geddy's 'Xanadu' line or Chris Squire... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 1 hour ago, missis sumner said: /I am a Genesis fan, BTW. lol My apologies, I mis-understood your post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missis sumner Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, Oopsdabassist said: My apologies, I mis-understood your post No apologies necessary. I've just never considered Mike Rutherford as a bassist... guess I've never really thought about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I consider him as one of the all time great prog bassists. His bass work on 'Selling England by the pound', and many others, ('Eleventh Earl of Mar' anyone?) Is par excellence. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 5 hours ago, Bassman Sam said: I see him as more of a guitarist who also plays bass when required but mostly as a fabulous musician. Hmm.. I think of him as a bassist and writer who can play the guitar a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 I don't think of him at all. I never got the whole Genesis thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 I think Rutherford is underrated as a bass player because his parts are generally so musical and never in your face. Catch some of his playing on this from 1984. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 IMO one of the (many) reasons We Can't Dance was a pretty bland album is that MR - for some reason - phoned all his bass parts in. They're unmemorable at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 ..but he wrote 'Shadow of the Heirophant' off Hackett's debut solo album, so he's forgiven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Some of his bass lines were rather "written by a guitarist" if you see what I mean. But that made them quirky and go places they otherwise wouldn't have done. Agreed that his bass-playing went downhill when he took over guitar duties from Steve Hackett. Anyway, still got my Shergold from when I used to do Genesis tribs, Moog Taurus just out of shot under right foot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 His bass parts certainly have a “made by guitarist” feel to them, so I went with guitarist who also plays bass. Regardless, what a great great great band...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 One of my favourites is during I Know What I like when Mike plays that unusual bass line on his Rick 4080 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 2 minutes ago, HazBeen said: His bass parts certainly have a “made by guitarist” feel to them, so I went with guitarist who also plays bass. Regardless, what a great great great band...... I love his rhythm parts, but his lead.. not so much. Some nice bits, but he always sounds tentative to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 2 hours ago, Bilbo said: I think Rutherford is underrated as a bass player because his parts are generally so musical and never in your face. Catch some of his playing on this from 1984. That's pretty much what got me into the band ... that Slipperman section around 13 minutes in, wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Mechanic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, HazBeen said: His bass parts certainly have a “made by guitarist” feel to them, so I went with guitarist who also plays bass. Regardless, what a great great great band...... Well my understanding as a Genesis fan is that he became adept at bass a long time before guitar, so I'm not sure that's the correct way round. I always put him in the "melodic bassist" category, like Chris Squire, Jon Camp, Geddy, Macca et al, although he's probably not quite as in your face as Geddy and Chris. I learned to play bass long before guitar, but I always had a similar approach. Although as I was listening to a great deal of Genesis, Yes and Rush, and grew up with The Beatles, that's not entirely surprising. Check out The Lady Lies from And Then There Were Three for some tasty playing. Along with everything else of course! Edited December 24, 2018 by 4000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Originally i thought of him mainly as a bassist but once i got more and more into Genesis i realised he was far more than a bassist. His writing with Genesis and Mike & the Mechanics is 2nd to none in my book. Met him a few times and he was a genuine nice guy to talk with. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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