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what tune/band that got you into bass ?


phil.i.stein
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I was always into the sound of a bass as the 'main instrument' as you may say, like Level 42 or funk stuff...but the first time I realised how a bass line could[i] drive [/i]a tune along was this of all things...don't laugh....it was a great film and it took me ages to find who the tune was by...needless to say it was one of the 1st tunes I tried to play when I finally got a bass

...and as a quirke of fate we had the song from the museum sketch Please Please Please Let me Get What I Want by Dream Academy played at our wedding...yes I know it was Smiths song first :)

Edited by iconic
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The early eighties was my era too , so many good bands and bass lines ,
I first noticed the bass in my early teens listening to these guys,
John Taylor (Durans first 2 albums)
Les Nemes of Haircut 100 played some great stuff ,
Mick (spider fingers !) Karn , Avant Gard Fretless at its best,
Sting , great feel , does what the song needs, no more no less.
Bruce foxton , so underrated and underpaid by the Modfather (allegedly !!)
Mark King , Great Player , prefer the early stuff though.
Thriller - michael Jackson.
Any Bernard Edwards, Superb!! never tire of his playing.
Peter Hook New Order , definitely had his own style.

Lets not forget the great synth basslines created too ,
Human League , vince Clark Depeche mode , Gary Numan , Don't laugh !! frankie goes to hollywood - Trevor Horn's amazing production, New order . Thomas dolby,

One offs include - Head over Heels , tears for fears , Love that bass line.
Twilight Cafe by Susan Fassbender, simple but effective, good pop tune.
hit me with your Rythm stick - Ian Dury and the blockheads,
Grace Jones - pull up to the bumper,
The first Dirty Harry Film , Great bass.

Could go on all day here but these are the ones that stick out for me ,

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[quote name='jaybass 70' post='714656' date='Jan 16 2010, 10:55 AM']Les Nemes of Haircut 100 played some great stuff ,
Mick (spider fingers !) Karn , Avant Gard Fretless at its best,
Sting , great feel , does what the song needs, no more no less.
Bruce foxton , so underrated and underpaid by the Modfather (allegedly !!)
Peter Hook New Order , definitely had his own style.

Lets not forget the great synth basslines created too ,
Human League , vince Clark Depeche mode , Gary Numan , Don't laugh !! frankie goes to hollywood - Trevor Horn's amazing production, New order . Thomas dolby,

Could go on all day here but these are the ones that stick out for me ,[/quote]

Couldn't agree more! That's my kind of era too, although when looking for inspiration/to push my learning/technique, I always looked to the Ox! Awesome talent/technique for me - made playing seem effortless and natural. Such a shame he's gone. :)

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[quote name='Dandelion' post='707905' date='Jan 10 2010, 05:34 PM']The Sex Pistols. "The great rock and roll swindle"

The low slung precision, lack of technical prowess, but plenty of swagger.

The idea that it only took a rudimentary ability to be able play in a band.[/quote]


I can relate to that too!

Should've mentioned John Paul Jones earlier too, the lemon song was one that I practised over and over - drove the parents nuts :)

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='707869' date='Jan 10 2010, 05:09 PM']o.k. here we go..
as we all know, our tastes in music are highly subjective, and sometimes devisive (particularly judging by some recent threads).
people like different stuff at different stages of life, and my personal tastes constantly change/develop/revert etc.. i've liked pop, mod, metal, goth, punk, funk,electro, hip-hop, reggae, d'n'b, industrial, classical etc., etc., in my time, and still like to think i have reasonably eclectic tastes.
the psychology of music is a fascinating & exhaustive subject, and has a lot to do with our formative years in appreciating it.
[u]but[/u], can you remember the tune or the band that got you into the bass guitar (specifically) ?
be honest !
embarrassingly for me it would have been john taylor from duran duran. i was a child of the eighties, so that's my excuse.(i still rate his playing highly, it's just me cringing at the thought of being a 14-year old new romantic that makes me shiver !)
so come on, who or what got you started ?[/quote]
Phil, exactly the same for me, JT! A highly under-rated player... I've got some pretty bad photos of myself all new-romantic with floppy blonde fringe and big flowing shirts too! haha

The tune that did it for me was New Religion, from the Rio album. wicked line.

Steve

Edited by Clarky72
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It was JJ playing Peaches that lit the blue touchpaper. Subsequently I learned to play by copying every line on The Stranglers' Rattus Norvegicus.

It was probably Geddy Lee, & specifically that riff from Xanadu which kept me playing, but there have been a hell of a lot of others...

Jon.

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The first thing that made me wanna play music was watching old Metallica videos and wanting to be James Hetfield. Although nothing has changed there haha

But it was Les Claypool that made me want a bass. Never actually learnt anything by him.

And just recently for me to start playing again was Geddy Lee and Sir Horace from The Specials.

Edited by stresszilla
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I was listening to some Guns 'n' Roses this morning (first time for ages) and realised that all my favourite bits were the licks and solos done by Duff.
Like the little bit at the end of the chorus to Paradise City, it's not complicated but I've always loved it, even before I started playing bass. Perhaps something subconsciously entered my small brain.

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[quote]The Sex Pistols. "The great rock and roll swindle"

The low slung precision, lack of technical prowess, but plenty of swagger.

The idea that it only took a rudimentary ability to be able play in a band.[/quote]

The reason I love Krist Novoselic! :) Also similar, Nicky Wire (although he has some skills!)


[quote name='Bassassin' post='751709' date='Feb 20 2010, 12:33 PM']It was probably Geddy Lee, & specifically that riff from Xanadu which kept me playing, but there have been a hell of a lot of others...

Jon.[/quote]

Rush are one of my fave bands of all time although I've never learned any of Geddy's work, I was a guitarist first so I grew up wanting to be Alex Lifeson (When everyone else wanted to be Noel Gallagher!)

My biggest influence now, bass-wise is Andy Rourke of The Smiths!

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Lots of bass players have influenced me over the years but without question, it was Trevor Bolder (bassist with David Bowie's 'Spiders from Mars') and Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper) that got me started as a bass player...

Bolder's playing was the more traditional; locking in with the drums, playing the lines, supporting the song with just a few flourishes here and there. Whereas Dunaway's playing was much more to the fore, very melodic and often being the strongest hookline in the song.

I love the fact that bass can be really supportive in a group situation and also, that it can completely lead the way!

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It was 1983 and my sis, who was studying music at the RNCM and sharing a house with a bass player, bought me Level 42 - Level 42 and Weather Report - Heavy Weather, so for me it was Mark King and Jaco with Love Games and Birdland respecively. I went on to discover Stanley Clark, Marcus Miller, Bernard Edwards and a host of others.

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I have no band, I had no idea what a bass but ny dad, who collects guitars, didn't have one so I thought I might get one just to be annoying and different. I suppose , Sunshine of Your Love by Cream and Smoke on The Water were the first songs I learned, from my dad. I was like nine when I got my first bass so I wasn't really aware of anything other than a guitar.

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It was Hella Good by No Doubt that planted bassy thoughts in my head when I was probably about 10 or something. I thought the sound and image of Tony Kanal when I saw it on Top of The Pops was awesome. Didn't really know it was a bass guitar, or anything else about music though!

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....well, 'Meet me on the corner' by Lindisfarne .. suprisingly!..., great bass line! ... I was 11 at the time!
I heard the bass above all other instruments.. then at 12, I got into Hawkwind... Lemmy on 'Space Ritual' & Gong - the album [b]'You'[/b] in the trilogy..... mike howlett really got my bass bone moving!..... & the list from there whould be endless & ever growing! :)

Edited by bottomfeed
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a band needed a drummer and a bass player so i said i could play drums, they didn't need a drummer anymore so asked if i could play bass. so i learnt. i'd have to say i don't have any vigour for any specific bass lines or players.

i listened to a program about jaco pastorius t'other day, that guy was some serious business.

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