| Author | Message | ||
     Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 129 Registered: 05-2005 |
Ever find yourself humming the bass line melody ? Obvious contenders I know being "Your turn my turn" but today I cannot shake off Jah Wobble's bass runs that feature all over Screamadelica. I was actually trying to hum the bass line off Tubular Bells and it morphed into "Higher than the sun". Oldfield, Wobble and McLennan...strange bedfellows indeed. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 985 Registered: 01-2005 |
Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him? Graham Maby's bass playing is the underlying strength on the whole Look Sharp! album. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 309 Registered: 05-2005 |
The bass playing on David Crosby's "Laughing" is outstanding and has been putting a smile on my face every time I've palyed it in the last 12 months or so. Can't go past McCartneys bass is "Rain" - whoooahh!!! And as for bass LINES, most everything (early) by Les Pattinson was great. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2056 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Stranglers - Peaches. Though, Michael's Joe Jackson spot is a touch of unbeatable vision. Chic - Good times. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 931 Registered: 10-2004 |
Japan - Visions of China Go-Betweens - Cattle & Cane, Part Company Blue Nile - Walk Across the Rooftops The Jam - Dreams of Children (that chorus!) Cocteau Twins - Wax and Wane Beach Boys - That's Not Me Spence - Definitely agree about the Stranglers. JJ Burnel's bass sound was unbeatable. The most guttural bass tone ever. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 986 Registered: 01-2005 |
Gang Of Four - Entertainment! Dave Allen's punk-funk bass is a wonder. Maybe the best bass player I've seen live. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 2023 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff, the bassline to Wax and Wane was played by my sisters husband Will (aka Bill) Heggie. The silver disc of the album Garlands hangs proudly in a wall mounted frame in their house. To the best of my knowledge Bill has not picked up a bass in at least 5 years now. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 932 Registered: 10-2004 |
Kevin - that's very cool. Didn't Will Heggie go on to play in Lowlife? I was always very enamored with his bass playing - he often carried the song in a pretty distinctive way. The Cocteau Twins always seemed to have wonderful bass parts, so I quite like Simon Raymonde's playing too. Michael - How could I have forgotten Gang of Four? Dave Allen's bass on both Entertainment and Solid Gold is thoroughly awesome. Sara Lee's playing on Songs of the Free is quite good too. Also forgot to mention Peter Hook: the bass in JD's 24 Hours is pretty incredible, as is She's Lost Control, just to name a few. And another I neglected to mention: the Minutemen. Mike Watt was a genius. Oh, and Flipper - Love Canal | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 131 Registered: 05-2005 |
I don't think anyone pushed the bass as far up in the mix as Burnel. A great example is a very untypical Stranglers track (and failed single) La Folie which I really love. JJB sings it himself in french and it sounds like something from a 1960's french film, all off-kilter slow organ and a great spindly guitar line...yet another film that Rachel Worth might have appeared in etc. The Fall must get a mention for having only used 3 bass lines for over 30 years ! Cruisers Creek a great example. I agree about Les in the Bunnymen, him and Pete de Freitas are unsung heroes and obviously overlooked at times due to Mac being such up front star quality and Will's sonic explorations. The first track on Crocodiles "Going Up" especially when opening the live show, building through the gregorian chant before the riff kicks in, was just mesmerising. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 934 Registered: 10-2004 |
As much as I love the Bunnymen (and I do love them), I always felt Les Pattinson was a bit of a weak link. His basslines were often a little too circular and repetitive for my tastes. Like he'd just play 3 notes over and over and over again in this very circular way. I love simplicity, especially when it comes to bass, but I felt like there were times when Pattinson's approach kind of limited where the Bunnymen's music could go. That said, I certainly wouldn't change a note on any of their classic-era records, so at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Pete de Freitas, on the other hand, might just have been post-punk's answer to John Bonham. I see him as the Bunnymen's secret weapon. One of music's most unspeakably heinous crimes was the idiot who shackled de Freitas to click tracks and midi-triggers on the "grey" album. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 2024 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff, yes Bill was the main man in Lowlife.I know the rest of the guys as well, Craig the singer and Grant the drummer especially. Grant is now a policeman!! I met Simon Raymonde numerous time in the late 80s and he is a real down to earth guy, no airs and graces at all. He now runs the Bella Union record label. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1098 Registered: 08-2006 |
How about "Walk on the Wild Side"? That bass line is pretty epochal. And "Under Pressure." And pretty much anything by Charles Mingus. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 2025 Registered: 05-2005 |
Philidelphia from Correct Use of Soap | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 765 Registered: 08-2004 |
Public Image's - Death Disco & Poptones New Order's - Run2 & Regret Talk Talk's - My Foolish Friend It's My Life Talking Heads - Psycho Killer Fairly obvious stuff! | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 135 Registered: 05-2005 |
Exactly so Jeff, Heads will roll has that bass template bass loop that I feel constrains the song, the album version is lame, when played live in 83 with the added percussion and strings it soared. At the time they went acoustic/cellos and De Freitas took up the brushes they were my favourite band. Ocean Rain was overpolished, I bet the demos were amazing. I think I posted elsewhere that my bootleg tape of the Albert hall gig had rawer and slightly faster versions of Silver and Killing Moon, by the time the LP came out they had overworked them I feel.The Tube performance at the back of 83 was great though. No other band that I can think of could conjure up that atmosphere. Was it around this time that he worked with Colourfield deploying a similar feel ? I think it prompted Mac to say to Pete "You can only spread the bunnymen salmon pate so far before it ends up as Tuna !" | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1507 Registered: 03-2005 |
Funky Kingston -- Toots & the Maytals Zig Zag Wanderer -- Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band Love Your Enemies -- Microdisney | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 938 Registered: 10-2004 |
Orange Juice - Rip it Up | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 989 Registered: 01-2005 |
Wislon, I agree with you regarding the Killing Moon version that ended up on the Ocean Rain album in 1984. The 1983 "All Night" version of Killing Moon that appeared on the ep with the live version of Do It Clean was much superior to the album version. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2061 Registered: 05-2005 |
Actually, there was a great pic of Bunnymen in Mojo last month I think, from 1980/81. If a band were to ask what they should sound and look like today, then that photo has it all. I saw Bunnymen live, all I can say is that they all shone out as magnificent players. I happen to think that they were all brilliant. Personalities aside. Jeff, even though you say Les his style was circular, his effect was much more than this, there was something absolutely magical about these guys when they were all playing live together. DeFreitas, was truly original, damn damn shame that guy died. I remember feeling gutted and distraught when it made the news in '89. He'd just appeared in a lovely video at the time with Cope and he looked great and very cool. Do it CLean live, awesome. | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 134 Registered: 02-2007 |
Just about any song on Cure's first coupla albumns, 17 Seconds and 3 Imaginary Boys/Boys Don't Cry | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2063 Registered: 05-2005 |
Michael Dempsey is that David? He's a fantastic bassist, especially on The Associates Sulk album, Club Country etc, where did he get that from?!! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 939 Registered: 10-2004 |
Oh yeah, Michael Dempsey. He was on the first Cure album, then left to join the Associates. He was a great bassist - very melodic, kind of busy in a good way. His work for the Associates, especially on "Sulk," like Spence mentions, is fantastic. "Party Fears Two" is a pure classic, and Dempsey's bass on that is pretty nuts (as it is on Club Country). Dempsey then joined the Lotus Eaters and played on their excellent album "No Sense of Sin." Simon Gallup replaced Dempsey in the Cure, and his playing was very different, but also really nice. He usually had a wonderfully full tone, and often carried the songs more than Robert Smith's guitar parts. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 940 Registered: 10-2004 |
You know who else was an incredible bassist? Andy Rourke. I'm not sure how much of his parts he actually wrote, but brilliant bass lines abound with the Smiths. A few that come immediately to mind: Hand in Glove This Night Has Opened My Eyes Rusholme Ruffians Well I Wonder | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 766 Registered: 08-2004 |
Robert Vickers on Head full Of Steam is an exceptional melody, very much like Andy Rourke's playing. Happy Mondays' Paul Ryder had an amazing sound going on Squirrel... & the Bummed LP's | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 941 Registered: 10-2004 |
Agreed about Vickers on Head Full of Steam, Jerry. Vickers remains one of my very favorite bassists. He always came up with basslines that were thoughtfully melodic but understated when they needed to be. His bass part for Twins Layers of Lightning is equally brilliant. I always particularly liked what he does on Five Words, too. It's simple, but it's in this slightly odd timing, and it complements the guitars perfectly. Others that immediately spring to mind are Rare Breed, Spring Rain, I Just Get Caught Out, and To Reach Me. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2065 Registered: 05-2005 |
Andy Rourke Jeff, egffin ell guv'nor, what an unbeliveable bassist, truly truly original, youcould tel he was a natural just by looking at him playing live, Barbarism begins at the home, I taped on an old tape recorder and played it to death when I was 15, couldn't get enough, still a remarkable bassline to this day. His Meat is Murder presence is still tops | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 942 Registered: 10-2004 |
Spence - yeah, Rourke's bassline for Barbarism Begins at Home is a scorcher! My friends and I spent hours getting that one down when we were 15 too! Anyone who could play that one decently instantly earned the respect of all the other musician geeks I hung out with. | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 138 Registered: 05-2005 |
Marr and Rourke were funksters pre Smiths and I believe that bass riff workout was a hangover from those days. The bass sound was definately integral, listen to Heamaster Ritual and the intertwining is evident of a strong musical chemistry between the two. Mozz's vocals pitched between the two made the sound complete and unique but as this is thread is about bass let's raise a glass for the overlooked Rourke for so much contribution in such a short space of time, I mean just 5 bloody years and so much great music. Considering 5 years ago was Jan 2003 ! But then again as Moz once said between songs "Try to enjoy yourself....life is very long" | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 136 Registered: 02-2007 |
Thanks guys, wasn't aware Dempsey went to Associates. I think I'm gettin educated here!! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2069 Registered: 05-2005 |
I always liked Vickers bass style AND sound AND dance of course!, esp on record. The bass on Liberty Belle sounds really 60's and cool. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 999 Registered: 01-2005 |
One of the most famous bass opening lines is Berry Oakley's on the Allman Brothers Band song Whipping Post. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 771 Registered: 08-2004 |
Sugarcubes - Mama & Birthday - of course. RV's playing is the best thing about Spring Hill Fair. Is it Robert or Grant playing On River Of Money? That's a fine bass tune! | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 412 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Triffids - Stolen Property Maybe it doesn't count as a "bass-line" but those big brooding booms work for me. Powerful | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 163 Registered: 05-2005 |
Don't Look Any Further - Dennis Edwards One of THE great bass lines from this late-80s soul-funk classic by ex-Temptations singer Dennis Edwards. And they don't make videos like this anymore (thank God!): http://youtube.com/watch?v=3J8kjWfV9xw And here's a video showing just how to play that damn thing: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fnr9MMZPv00 | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 397 Registered: 07-2006 |
whenever i hear the word "bass line" i immediately think of the pixies' gigantic. the mac's "tusk" and "the chain" are both old faves too... new order, japan, that first blue nile album - class. | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 87 Registered: 02-2008 |
Ye good ole standby for me is the baseline from "Town Called Malis" by the great Jam! Another nice one is from I Gotcha by Joe Tex. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2226 Registered: 05-2005 |
JOe, its always Debaser for me. | ||
| Gee Member Username: Gee Post Number: 22 Registered: 11-2005 |
"As much as I love the Bunnymen (and I do love them), I always felt Les Pattinson was a bit of a weak link. His basslines were often a little too circular and repetitive for my tastes. Like he'd just play 3 notes over and over and over again in this very circular way." Wow. That's precisely what appeals to me so much about Les Pattinsons playing. I think there's a real art to keeping a circular bass riff over shifting chords, and he's the master of it - might well have been down to lack of technique, but the Bunnymen made real virtues from their limitations. Can I nominate 'Sleeping Gas' by the Teardrop Explodes for similar reasons? | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1088 Registered: 01-2005 |
Jah Wobble on PiL's Metal Box. | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 90 Registered: 02-2008 |
the basss line from Life Begins at the hop (la la la la la) by XTC. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1574 Registered: 03-2005 |
Josef k -- Drone | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1092 Registered: 01-2005 |
Dave Allen's bass on Gang of Four's Damaged Goods. Jimmy Garrison's four note bass line starts out A Love Supreme and before Coltrane reaches for heaven. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 803 Registered: 08-2004 |
The Jam - Funeral Pyre & Tales From The Riverbank Man O' Sand... & Radio Free Europe. Very good & similar to my ears! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2231 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, I love the Simmons drum pad Josef K used on this and other songs written around this period. I remember a friend of mine his brother used to play them in various bands, once supporting Joy Division, and the sound just stuck with me forever. Josef K - Heads Watch |