New Wave has thrown up some cracking bass lines

[Barking Spiders]

I guess if bass players were asked to name some good players from the New Wave era (UK definition not the US, which includes Level 42, Duran and synth pop! 😕) they would mostly come up with Norman Watt Roy, Bruce Thomas and Sting. I've recently being playing stuff from my punk/New wave collection, paying more attention to the bass, in particular the first 2 Undertones albums. Tasty bass lines by Michael Bradley throughout both. I think I recall Ali McMordie of SLF being mentioned recently on BC and their back catalogue is chocka with great bass. Just wondering who else's playing you think really stands out on which New Wave albums.

[hooky_lowdown]

Not sure Level 42 or the Undertones were new wave?!? There was a lot of Scottish bands which were new wave and didn't get there appreciation, if you're talking UK only.

[Stub Mandrel]

Would JJ Burnell and Tina Weymouth count?

'New Wave' kind of means anything late seventies that wasn't disco or heavy rock...

[tegs07]

5 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Would JJ Burnell and Tina Weymouth count?

'New Wave' kind of means anything late seventies that wasn't disco or heavy rock...

Late 70’s early ‘80’s?

I always liked the way both  Simon Gallop and Peter Hook played… 

Edited May 22, 2021 by tegs07

[Happy Jack]

7 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

'New Wave' kind of means anything late seventies that wasn't disco or heavy rock...

Unless you were in France, in which case it was Nouvelle Vague ...

 

[Guest]

New Wave

Not New Wave

....pretty similar to me. And nice basslines in both  

[Sonic_Groove]

Bruce Foxton - The Jam

Barry Adamson - Magazine

Les Pattinson - Echo and the Bunnymen

[Sonic_Groove]

2 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Not New Wave

....pretty similar to me. And nice basslines in both  

Pity Duran Duran didn't do more like that...

Edited May 22, 2021 by Sonic_Groove

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Sonic_Groove said:

Pity Duran Duran didn't do more like that...

You might like the short song Secret Oktober, the B-side to Union of the Snake.

[rushbo]

Colin Moulding.

[Lozz196]

Bruce Thomas of Elvis Costello & The Attractions & Graham Maby of Joe Jackson

Both played very melodic bass lines that imo really added to the songs

[Leonard Smalls]

The Monochrome Set had some cracking bass players, including Andy Warren ex of Adam and the Ants... Twas Jeremy Harrington before him, and their 1st single had an uncredited Simon Croft. Not quite sure if this is the Disquo Bleau or later Rough Trade 7":

 

[stewblack]

3 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Bruce Thomas of Elvis Costello & The Attractions & Graham Maby of Joe Jackson

Both played very melodic bass lines that imo really added to the songs

A very quick pass through EC's output 'post Thomas' tells you all you need to know about how utterly vital he was to their shared success. 

It's like an egg without salt. 

[Dazm66]

The bloke in 999. No idea who he was but nice bass parts. ‘Feelin alright with the crew’ springs to mind 

[Dazm66]

Oh and Tom Robinson too!

[Guest]

Are the Associates worth investigating? All I know about them is that Michael Dempsey joined them after The Cure's first album.

[PaulWarning]

Alister Donaldson (Ithink) of the Rezilloes, the bass playing their first album was something else, and it could be heard in the mix, Top of the Pops is right at the edge of bass  my playing abilities

[Frank Blank]

Metal Box - Jah Wobble

That is all.

[Sonic_Groove]

Gary Tibbs with the Vibrators

 

[Sonic_Groove]

Paul Gray - Hotrods

 

[Barking Spiders]

5 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Not sure Level 42 or the Undertones were new wave?!? There was a lot of Scottish bands which were new wave and didn't get there appreciation, if you're talking UK only.

I'm referring to the fact in the US 'new wave' is taken to include all the New Romantic and synthpop stuff but not in the UK. 

[BillyBass]

5 hours ago, Leonard Smalls said:

The Monochrome Set had some cracking bass players, including Andy Warren ex of Adam and the Ants... Twas Jeremy Harrington before him, and their 1st single had an uncredited Simon Croft. Not quite sure if this is the Disquo Bleau or later Rough Trade 7":

 

This takes me back.

I followed Adam and the Antz around the country, when they were still playing stuff like 'Plastic Surgery' and 'Beat my Guest'.  Andy Warren was a bit of a hero to us.

I saw the Monochrome Set a couple of times too, quite good they were.

[Sonic_Groove]

     Graham Lewis - Wire

 

[Sonic_Groove]

7 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

This takes me back.

I followed Adam and the Antz around the country, when they were still playing stuff like 'Plastic Surgery' and 'Beat my Guest'.  Andy Warren was a bit of a hero to us.

I saw the Monochrome Set a couple of times too, quite good they were.

Did He also play with Bow Wow Wow ??

[Frank Blank]

14 minutes ago, Sonic_Groove said:

Did He also play with Bow Wow Wow ??

No, Leigh Gorman played bass for Bow Wow Wow. Andy Warren went straight from Adam and the Antz to The Monochrome Set.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Frank Blank