kwmlondon Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Okay. I have this thing where I always get quite excited when someone I never know was a bassist turns out to have form on the old four-string. I'm going to kick off with Demis Roussos. Yes. Forever And Ever, him from Abigail's Party. Described once as “a fully-laden banquet table beneath which a frightened lady appeared to be bleating for deliverance” Well, I knew he was the singer in Aphrodite's Child but I'd never really clocked that he was the bassist and I'm going to stick my head above the parapet and say 666 is one of the best prog albums ever recorded. And Roussos was the bass player! So... have you been caught out by surprise? I've got a couple in mind... 3 Quote
Dazed Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Yes, recently saw this on a tv music channel. Never had a clue. Considerable talent, singing playing and dancing simultaneously. I can barely do any individually 😄 6 1 Quote
kwmlondon Posted July 12, 2023 Author Posted July 12, 2023 25 minutes ago, Dazed said: Yes, recently saw this on a tv music channel. Never had a clue. Considerable talent, singing playing and dancing simultaneously. I can barely do any individually 😄 You went straight for disco royalty!!!! Great choice! Did you know Chaka Khan played bass from time-to-time when she was in Rufus? Also played drums. I remember and interview with Dave Swift where he said he was super-careful to nail the basslines 100% accurately for her as she was a bassist herself, but I've never been able to find any footage or a recording! 2 Quote
Dazed Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Only because I saw it so recently, otherwise it would have disappeared into the void that is my memory along with what’s my age?, where did I put that? Etc I didn’t know that about Chaka Khan! Ain’t Nobody is on my all time greatest song lists. Well well, thanks for that nugget. 1 Quote
Lozz196 Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Can’t remember what band it was, saw them on Guy Garveys Vault program but it was Liverpool based and Holly Johnson was the bassist. 1 Quote
Frank Blank Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Can’t remember what band it was, saw them on Guy Garveys Vault program but it was Liverpool based and Holly Johnson was the bassist. Big in Japan with Jayne Casey on vocals, Budgie on drums and Bill Drummond on guitar. Edited July 12, 2023 by Frank Blank 3 1 Quote
asingardenof Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 19 minutes ago, Frank Blank said: Big in Japan with Jayne Casey on vocals, Budgie on drums and Bill Drummond on guitar. Not to mention Ian Broudie off of The Lightning Seeds 2 Quote
asingardenof Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 21 minutes ago, lidl e said: This is him playing as well. The urban myth is that Bill Black couldn't play the new-fangled Fender so Elvis stepped into the breach. 2 Quote
Jackroadkill Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 (edited) On 12/07/2023 at 16:03, asingardenof said: The urban myth is that Bill Black couldn't play the new-fangled Fender so Elvis stepped into the breach. Weirdly, I read this myself only last night in Schilling's "Me and a guy Named Elvis". Edited July 18, 2023 by Jackroadkill 2 Quote
Frank Blank Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 13 minutes ago, asingardenof said: Not to mention Ian Broudie off of The Lightning Seeds Absolutely, my foolish omission, there. 1 Quote
EssentialTension Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 4 hours ago, lidl e said: Check my avatar .... 1 Quote
BigRedX Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Got to say that most of those "bassists" look very uncomfortable with a bass guitar. 2 Quote
EssentialTension Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 1 minute ago, BigRedX said: Got to say that most of those "bassists" look very uncomfortable with a bass guitar. True enough 1 Quote
KK Jale Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 (edited) The story behind those "Dylan with a Jazz Bass" pics is that Fender's East Coast salesman Jody Carver was sent by the CBS top brass to intercept the great man (then on CBS records of course) with a photographer in tow and a carload of new Fender clobber to try to get him to pose alongside some amps... and preferably holding a nice new Fender guitar as well. Dylan flatly refused but after lots of negotiation and plenty of extremely bad vibes he grudgingly consented, turned down the proffered Fender acoustic they wanted him to hold, and grabbed his bass player's instrument instead. (PS I got the story from Mr Carver himself, a remarkable man and a fine steel guitar player, RIP.] Edited July 12, 2023 by KK Jale 2 1 Quote
casapete Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 Not sure if this pic is ‘real’? Clapton’s band was involved in MusicMan endorsement in the 70’s and early 80’s, but this pic is later than that. 1 Quote
nekomatic Posted July 12, 2023 Posted July 12, 2023 https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/480642-unexpected-bassists/ Quote
joeystrange Posted July 13, 2023 Posted July 13, 2023 (edited) A lot of these seem to be guitarists who have picked up a bass for whatever reason. If we’re talking really unexpected bass players perhaps we should be looking outside f music… Edited July 13, 2023 by joeystrange Typo 3 1 Quote
.jpg.2a95db90b70ff3f3317b0f7ee3970acb.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.