Happy Jack Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Everyone's making at least some attempt to fit in with the theme ... erm ... except the bass player. How 80's can you get? One of my all-time favourite songs, by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 HJ - couldn't agree more, as Steinies were close to indestructible, I would've took hold of it by the neck and twatted him. Should've at least been a beat up P or better still an EUB or better still an upright with PUP. What a muppet, and I'm not convinced he was actually fingering the bassline properly. Oh well. The 80's were a dull time musically apart from the NWOBHM, and the realisation the blues could be mainstream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Sounds like someone doing a last minute dep all right. Two listens to the song and 1, 2, 3, 4............ T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 What he's playing fits perfectly with the music & the bass sounds great. What more do you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 What's the problem? Good song and great bass playing!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I can't see what the problem is. Surely they are not playing live anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 (edited) I was referring to the look, rather than the bassline. Everyone else on that video has made some effort to link back to either Elvis Presley (re: the title of the song) or to rockabilly (re: the feel of the song). The bass player looks like he's just wandered in from a Heaven 17 or Duran Duran video, with his [i]Miami Vice[/i] jacket and Steinberger. How difficult would it have been to use a P-bass or a semi-acoustic Hofner for this appearance? Or to put on a plaid shirt or something? Whether or not he actually played the original bassline to which he's miming I have no idea at all. Edited April 25, 2010 by Happy Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='The Burpster' post='817906' date='Apr 25 2010, 10:56 AM'].... and I'm not convinced he was actually fingering the bassline properly....[/quote] Of course he wasn't. Sounds like Dave Edmunds on guitar and Nick Lowe playing bass on the track. The band are miming, as everyone did on TOTP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I'd have worn all black and played a headless Status in the same situation. It's the notes you play and the sound you produce that counts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='818033' date='Apr 25 2010, 01:28 PM']It's the notes you play and the sound you produce that counts.[/quote] Less important when you are miming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 (edited) Double post for some reason Edited April 25, 2010 by BurritoBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Sorry I was completely distracted by the fact that Spiderman was dancing perfectly in time to the track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 This is a true and very funny story, through a friend of a friend I was asked if I wanted to play a gig at a wedding. This was a desperate case, the band had only 4 days to rehearse before the wedding, the last bass player walked out and others had all turned down the gig. The money was too good to be true £500 all in food and drink, I thought why me and not someone else, why have other turned down this gig? This was back in the early 90's, the venue was to be the Red Lion in Brentford. But what who and was the band and what was the music to be played? The band consisted of "Pete" the "husband to be" on Electric Guitar he had at the time a fruit and veg stall on the Northcote Road, west London known to always have a rockabilly or gretch type of guitar in the back of his van stacked between punnets of strawberries and the iceberg lettice, his best man was to be on drums, his father-in-law on sax, and his co-worker on rhythm guitar and keyboard, together all market traders with a passion for rockabilly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and that sort of thing. The bass player required was to be able to play upright or similar sounding instrument however... here is the catch! For the gig they had matching suits designed in seafoam green with silk shiny lapels and fake diamond cufflinks, two-tone black/white ganster shoes, you get the idea. take it or leave it, 500 smackers on the day 100 in advance, I was going to walk and tell them sorry Pete, can't do it, but I told him look if you find another bloke to do it then fine but if you get desperate and you want to use me, I will not wear your matching suit but I will use a seafoam colour bass to match and I will wear a tidy black shirt over black jeans, I will stand away in a corner and with little lights over me you'll only see the seafoam bass and everyone's a winner, you know it makes sense. Pete agreed and the rest is history, a few years later Pete asked me if I was interested to gig regularly with him as a trio with the drummer, himelf on geetar, and me on bass but I told him I was already busy. phewwww! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='818033' date='Apr 25 2010, 01:28 PM']It's the notes you play and the sound you produce that counts.[/quote] Radical! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='818006' date='Apr 25 2010, 11:42 AM']I was referring to the look, rather than the bassline. ... The bass player looks like he's just wandered in from a Heaven 17 or Duran Duran video, with his [i]Miami Vice[/i] jacket and Steinberger. How difficult would it have been to use a P-bass or a semi-acoustic Hofner for this appearance? Or to put on a plaid shirt or something?[/quote] Assuming he owned a Precision or a plaid shirt. I know I didn't own either in the 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I always thought the 80s was quite a rich and diverse decade for music - it wasn't all Stock Aitken & Waterman. As for the TOTP performance, isn't it more 'arty' and 'edgy' if they didn't all follow the theme? I certainly don't find it offensive enough to wrap his headless around his neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Next you'll be saying he needs to be playing an old double bass with one string (more than one would be decadent!), wearing dungarees and chewing a piece of straw in order to play that style of music! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='818150' date='Apr 25 2010, 04:09 PM']Next you'll be saying he needs to be playing an old double bass with one string (more than one would be decadent!), wearing dungarees and chewing a piece of straw in order to play that style of music! [/quote] I think you're missing the point....... At least I hope you're missing the point..! The bassline in the RECORDING was fine. The Miming on TOTP was dreadful. It looked like the band got the first wannabe from the stage door stuck an XL2 in his hands and told him to look like a bassplayer..... His dress and dancing were not in the smallest proportion in tune with the rest of the band. Was coke widely used pre-gig back then? it would explain a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 It's TOTP. The whole point is that the visuals come first. Then again, it was the 80s so it was ALL hopeless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='chris_b' post='818012' date='Apr 25 2010, 12:47 PM']Of course he wasn't. Sounds like Dave Edmunds on guitar and Nick Lowe playing bass on the track. The band are miming, as everyone did on TOTP.[/quote] Like the OP, I love this track - I'm pretty sure it is not the original version as I think the last couple of bars gave been changed (not just the fact that the clip ends abruptly). Also, clothes wise, at least he's made more effort than the guitarist with that weird and huge looking Burns thing standing next to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='818065' date='Apr 25 2010, 02:01 PM']take it or leave it, 500 smackers on the day 100 in advance, I was going to walk and tell them sorry Pete, can't do it, but I told him look if you find another bloke to do it then fine but if you get desperate and you want to use me, I will not wear your matching suit but I will use a seafoam colour bass to match and I will wear a tidy black shirt over black jeans, I will stand away in a corner and with little lights over me you'll only see the seafoam bass and everyone's a winner, you know it makes sense.[/quote] I don't know what the problem is about wearing a specific outfit for a gig.It's not like you had to buy the suit yourself is it? If you don't like the outfit,at least it was only for one gig. Grin and bear it. No disrespect,but if you said that to me I would have booked someone else. If I was paying you that kind of money and asked you to wear something specific,I would expect you to wear it. I'm kind of on both sides in this debate. I agree with Rich that the sound and playing is what is most important,but I also think that the visual aspect is really important. I do think that if the band is going for a certain 'look',you should adhere to it,because the one guy who goes against it stands out a mile...and not in a good way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='818059' date='Apr 25 2010, 01:52 PM']Sorry I was completely distracted by the fact that Spiderman was dancing perfectly in time to the track! [/quote] EXACTLY!! He fits in perfectly with the background dancers on the balcony, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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