Who influenced you to pick up and start playing Bass.

[Kiwi]

At risk of sounding conceited, noone influenced me in the beginning.  It was a change out of convenience.  I was a groove obsessed drummer but damaged my wrists playing volleyball at the age of 14.  So I switched to the next grooviest instrument which was bass because it was a bit more complicated harmonically than drums. About 9 months later I took my first (and only) bass lessons from a brilliant teacher immediately after my birthday.  Ironically my first lesson with him was the same week that Jaco died.   He exposed me to Mark King, Flea, Stanley Clarke, Jaco (of course), Pino and Norman Watt Roy and it was an epiphany.  The grooves on Level 42 Live at Wembley on VHS in particular blew my mind.  Level 42 were never the same after the original members split (as much as I idolise Alan Murphy now).

[Ricky 4000]

22 hours ago, gjones said:

That drummer's fills are rubbish. Like a couple of toms being thrown down a flight of stairs

You've completely spoiled that record for me now. Thanks very much! ☹️

 

You are absolutely right though. 😄

Edited October 23, 2019 by Ricky 4000

[wombatboter]

When I heard "Mrs Vanderbilt" by Paul McCartney and Wings ..I knew I was going to be a bass player.

Later on Fischer Z, Joe Jackson, Level 42, Paul Young but the record by Wings did the trick..

I also knew before buying a bass that I would be able to handle it and that it was the right choice.

[Ricky 4000]

On 22/10/2019 at 12:03, BrunoBass said:

Paul Simonon, Sting and the 2-Tone guys like Mark Bedford, Horace Panter and David Steele. I was ten in 1979, just getting into music and I thought all of them were great. Still do.

Getting past the fact that it's a Fender video - there's some great insight about Paul Simonon himself here:

👍

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Ricky 4000 said:

there's some great insight about Paul Simonon himself here:

"When I got this it was like a jazz bass... but then I got them to put these things back on" 🙂

 

[Captain Bassman]

This is gonna sound real limp against other posts citing punk, metal, etc but my first childhood interest in bass was sparked by.... Merrill Osmond! 😲

Actually it was his voice first (incredible...) followed by that weird big guitar with only 4 strings that he wore. My older sister had been given The Plan as a present and we played it to death - her for the Osmonds ‘thang’ but for me it was Merrill’s voice.

When I realised his big guitar was in fact a bass I knew exactly what I’d been hearing leaping out of the speakers at me and what I’d been humming along to in my head.

From then on it was bass all the way. It was what I heard first in a song and what got played on repeat in my head (along with drum parts).

I had uncles who were big into blues and Elvis (name that tune...) that got me into guitar in the first place and so I just loved those rock n roll bass parts that Stuart Coman played in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s on his various productions.

Then came the ‘80s and what a wonderful time to be a budding bass player. But I had to make do with 4 detuned strings on my old Spanish 6 string until I bought my first real bass in ‘85.

[SimonEdward]

Similar to others who have already posted. In the late 80's, a covers band was being formed by some friends (guitar, drums, keys and Brass) but no Bass. I played Bass line's on a synth until I could afford to buy an electric Bass - about a year later.. Influences: Pino, Nathan East, Doug Wimbish, Julian Crampton (Incognito) and Mark King.

[Cat Burrito]

My introduction to music was Mum's country, soul and early rock 'n' roll records. Then they had friends with older kids who were into punk bands like The Clash, the Pistols and the Buzzcocks. I was massively into music but didn't think to play. 

What turned it to me was the 80s Glam / Sleaze scene with bands like Dogs D'Amour, Quireboys, LA Guns & Faster Pussycat. That was when I decided to play bass. 

[Hobbayne]

Gaye Advert 😍🥰😘

 

[AngelDeVille]

Prescott Niles, the attitude and swagger can’t be beat. 

[jazzyvee]

Aston Barrett 

[EssentialTension]

Jet Harris, then Paul McCartney, then the Stax guy and the Motown guy, whose names I didn't know.

[BassThing]

I started off on guitar, bought Empire Song by Killing Joke in '82 and wanted to play like Geordie Walker. 2 years later in '84 I heard Dreamtime Live at the Lyceum and decided I had to go and buy a bass. So, my main influence is Jamie Stewart, other bass players of the time who had influence would have been the likes of JJ Burnel, Steve Severin, David Jay. 

Edited October 24, 2019 by BassThing

[Frank Blank]

2 minutes ago, BassThing said:

I started off on guitar, bought Empire Song by Killing Joke in '82 and wanted to play like Geordie Walker.

Didn’t we all! Not the easiest guitarist to emulate, I can never see what he’s actually doing, even when I was lucky enough to be at a rehearsal I still couldn’t work it out, I blame the hot sake.

5 minutes ago, BassThing said:

. 2 years later in '84 I heard Dreamtime Live at the Lyceum.

I’m not a big Cult fan oddly enough I got dragged to several of their gigs as a lot of my pals were right into them, having said that I very much enjoyed that gig at The Lyceum.

I'm glad you mentioned David Jay, I thought he was an excellent bass player in an equally excellent band whose gigs I did not have to be dragged to.

[4000]

20 hours ago, Hobbayne said:

Gaye Advert 😍🥰😘

 

She’s the reason I wanted a blue Ric. I used to have a big photobook by some photographer which had loads of live band photos; the Stiff tour, Ramones, Hawkwind, Yes, all kinds of stuff (not sure what happened to it and wish I could remember what it was so I could trace another copy). There were some pics of Gaye with her Azureglo Ric and that’s what I wanted from day 1, although it took me several years to get one in that colour and then several more to find an early 70s one in that colour with the features I love most.

[FinnDave]

1 minute ago, 4000 said:

She’s the reason I wanted a blue Ric. I used to have a big photobook by some photographer which had loads of live band photos; the Stiff tour, Ramones, Hawkwind, Yes, all kinds of stuff (not sure what happened to it and wish I could remember what it was so I could trace another copy). There were some pics of Gaye with her Azureglo Ric and that’s what I wanted from day 1, although it took me several years to get one in that colour and then several more to find an early 70s one in that colour with the features I love most.

That don't look like no Ric to me

[4000]

1 minute ago, FinnDave said:

That don't look like no Ric to me

Well spotted. She didn’t just play one bass!

 

[FinnDave]

I just googled her (not having heard of her before) - she's older than I am!

[Ricky 4000]

On 23/10/2019 at 19:53, Stub Mandrel said:

"When I got this it was like a jazz bass... but then I got them to put these things back on" 🙂

 

Ah, the fret thingies... 😄

[Skinnyman]

John Ford

[Guest gazzatriumph]

No-one.

[Lozz196]

On 24/10/2019 at 21:09, FinnDave said:

I just googled her (not having heard of her before) - she's older than I am!

And she’s still as stunning looking today, plus a very nice lady as well.

[Rich]

This chap.

 

[Frank Blank]

On 28/10/2019 at 15:24, Rich said:

This chap.

 

Get in! Sir Horace Gentleman. Top choice.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Frank Blank

[dudewheresmybass]

Originally a classically trained cellist until I watched live after death too many times and heard saints and sinners by whitesnake. 

Steve Harris initially, then Neil Murray, Geezer and McCartney