What would be your bass gig of choice from all of history?

[fretmeister]

Anything Duck Dunn would have done.

[Dood]

11 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Easy for me. John Deacon's rig from the first tours. 3 x Acoustic 371s, 2 x Hiwatt heads and 2 x 4x12s.

 

D'oh GIG, not rig (berk).

 

Same answer though. JD for Queen's early tours.

 

and for me JD's Magic tour. As a teen I'd get home from school and play the entire set along to VHS start to finish. I learned how to play bass watching that video intently! ❤️ 

[leschirons]

Live in L.A by Russ Freeman (Rippingtons) Some of you will regard it as elevator music but I learned every number on that album. Kim Stone is a great player and doesn't over complicate things but simply finds exactly what the number requires. 

 

The other option would be any Steve Morse album that had Dave La Rue on it.

Edited June 28, 2022 by leschirons

[chris_b]

My gig of choice would have been either Duck Dunn at Stax and with the MG's or John McVie with Fleetwood Mac.

[ern500evo]

My choices are a bit mainstream, but I would’ve loved Bruce Foxtons job in The Jam. So many great bass lines in those songs. My other choice would be David Lee Roths Eat ‘em and Smile tour, for the chance to play with musicians of the calibre of Steve Vai and Greg Bisonette each night 

[Kiwi]

Toto.  That would have been a killer gig.  Having said that, I would happily and gladly take over for Jerry Barnes in the current Chic line up, or for Chris Brown who played bass on Kylie's Fever tour.  Both would have been fun gigs but hard work, no doubt.  The Simple Minds gig would have been awesome as well, so many anthems in their back catalogue.  

[casapete]

Mine would probably be Gary Tallent’s gig with The E Street Band. Playing all the great songs by 

Springsteen and with one of the best bands on the planet. For the same reasons I’d also like

John Conte’s gig with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes , along with Jack Daley’s

gig with Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul playing Steve Van Zandt’s stuff as well.

[Kiwi]

I'm glad we're 2 pages in and noone's mentioned Level 42 yet.

[Grahambythesea]

Is this the gig you want irrespective of your ability or the one you could play if the band let you?

[tegs07]

Its been mentioned already but Gallops slot in The Cure. One of a small number of bands with a multi decade career, have played some huge gigs and festivals, have never been pawns of record labels or fickle fans and in their 60’s are still doing what they love doing.

[Cat Burrito]

For me it would Sami Yaffa who made his name in Hanoi Rocks back in the 80s. He's solidly played since 1980 without running the risk of getting mobbed in the supermarket. He went on to play in LA band Jetboy in the late 80s, did a cool little band called Demolition 23 in the early 90s, has had his own ventures, played with Joan Jett for a while and then wound up in the reformed New York Dolls. He's currently playing with Michael Monroe and just put out an autobiography and solo album. 

 

I like the fact he's had variety, stayed grounded and always had cool kit. Personally speaking I wouldn't be chomping at the bit to play with either Joan Jett or Jetboy but to play with Hanoi or the Dolls would more than allow me to take the rough with the smooth. For any ideas of playing with big bands, I think there is a lot to be said for the ability to go for a quiet pint with your Dad occasionally. 

[Andy_L]

11 hours ago, rushbo said:

Mike Mills from REM. You get to play incredible basslines on some of the best songs of the latter half of the twentieth century on a selection of gorgeous instruments.

 

This, very much. Though I'd call it a day when Berry does.

[Bilbo]

1 hour ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this the gig you want irrespective of your ability or the one you could play if the band let you?

Yes 😄

[Nail Soup]

If the idea was to improve the music, then I'll copy  previous answer - replace Sid in the Pistols.

Otherwise I'd take place of Steve Hanley in the Fall. Or even Marc Riley who played bass on the first fall album before switching to guitar to make way for Steve.

Steve has one of the best bass sounds out there, and whose bass led the band's sound.

[Nail Soup]

1 hour ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this the gig you want irrespective of your ability or the one you could play if the band let you?

I think we are imagining that on joining the band you also acquire the required skills and equipment.

Not sure about looks though..... otherwise I'd go Paul Simenon instead (No offense to Steve Hanley 😀)!

[ern500evo]

8 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

I think we are imagining that on joining the band you also acquire the required skills and equipment.

Not sure about looks though..... otherwise I'd go Paul Simenon instead (No offense to Steve Hanley 😀)!

If we’re getting their looks and equipment, can I change my answer to John Taylor. That way, I’d be fighting off groupies with a sh*tty stick AND I’d own Bernard Edwards’ old Stingray! Win win! 😂

Edited June 29, 2022 by ern500evo

[cetera]

13 hours ago, StickyDBRmf said:

What? NOT Chicago Transit Authority? Playing with the most incredible Terry Kath? And Danny on drums? 

That WOULD be amazing.... and I did seriously consider it.... but sadly I don't think my chops are up to Peter Cetera's standard on those early Chicago albums!

 

[stewblack]

That film Talking Heads made. Stop Making Sense.

That as a real gig with me playing those amazing songs and running on the spot with the whole band and me not needing oxygen to do it.

Well, this is a fantasy right?

[Dan Dare]

4 hours ago, Kiwi said:

I'm glad we're 2 pages in and noone's mentioned Level 42 yet.

 

Lev... Level... Le... No. Sorry. I just can't.

[Nail Soup]

4 hours ago, Kiwi said:

I'm glad we're 2 pages in and noone's mentioned Level 42 yet.

Amen to that.

I think MK is the guy non-bass players imagine is the bass player to aspire to.

[Graham]

Metallica for the Shattered Justice tour would be the big one

 

Guy Pratt's chair for Pink Floyd's Pulse set too

 

Playing a tiny bar show with no barrier for The Dillinger Escape Plan would be astonishing

 

Akercocke playing The Goat Of Mendes in full at Damnation Festival last year would have been an amazing show to play too

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Having thought about it, although I'd still love to do the Thunes gig with Zappa, on a more practical level, I would have loved to have had Gail Ann Dorsey's tenure with Bowie.

That would have required minimal homework on my part and would have been a lot less stressful that the Thunes gig 😎.

[ezbass]

5 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Having thought about it, although I'd still love to do the Thunes gig with Zappa, on a more practical level, I would have loved to have had Gail Ann Dorsey's tenure with Bowie.

That would have required minimal homework on my part and would have been a lot less stressful that the Thunes gig 😎.

I did consider the Bowie gig (like you, I’ve been in a DB tribute and loved the bass lines, especially Trevor’s early ‘70s and Carmine’s stuff) but I wonder what it would be like playing for Bowie? I get the impression it might be hard work on a personal level. Same for the Zappa gig, didn’t the rest of the band dislike Thunes because of him being Frank in absentia for rehearsals, or have I made that up and that’s without dealing with FZ himself?

[MacDaddy]

Bill Black with Elvis 1954-1956. Playing in that trio with Scotty Moore must have been something special.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

I did consider the Bowie gig (like you, I’ve been in a DB tribute and loved the bass lines, especially Trevor’s early ‘70s and Carmine’s stuff) but I wonder what it would be like playing for Bowie? I get the impression it might be hard work on a personal level. Same for the Zappa gig, didn’t the rest of the band dislike Thunes because of him being Frank in absentia for rehearsals, or have I made that up and that’s without dealing with FZ himself?

Thunes was indeed Zappa's 'clonemeister' and the demise of the '88 tour has been attributed to a complex dynamic within the band of which Thunes' role was pivotal. I can't claim to know the truth as I wasn't there, but Thunes was given the role of 'clonemeister' by Frank and he ran with it. When issues reared their head, Frank had the choice of removing/replacing him and chose not to. As far as dealing with Frank himself, he either liked you or he didn't. If it was the latter, you went.

 

I think Bowie became a little insecure about playing live, especially after the Serious Moonlight Tour. That definitely changed him. Much like Zappa, I don't think he suffered fools lightly, but I think he was much less dictatorial regarding how his material was played, compared to Zappa anyway.