I've been a fan forever... but I just revisited Elvis Costello's "Punch the Clock"

Man I forgot what great lines and tones Bruce has! I think I spent 3 months in the early 80's trying to comp the line to "Everyday I write the book". what a killer pop bass line!

Any other fans?

recommended tracks from Elvis Costello:

Everyday I write the book
Clubland
From a Whisper to a Scream
Beyond Belief
Accidents will Happen
Pump it up
(what's so funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
Watch Your Step

listening through this stuff tonight, I can't believe how many times I've thought "Hey, I do that!" :D guess he's more of an influence then I'd ever realised!

yeah, I like "I don't want to go to Chelsea" too.

I'm not keen on Elvis Costello's voice- one of those artists I appreciate for the bass.

I forgot to add "Shipbuilding"

Yeah, I think I like Elvis kinda like I like Jon Anderson ;) You just learn to enjoy the singing so it doesn't get in the way of the bass.

Yeah, Bruce is rockin'. The choruses in 'Pump It Up' are so cool you don't even realize it until you try to cop it.

Did anyone see the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction with the Attractions last year? Elvis said 'thanks to Bruce for all the great bass lines' and Bruce said something I can't remember verbatim, but the gist was 'I hate Elvis'. Too bad...

Now yer talkin'. As far as I'm concerned, he's right up there with Colin Moulding for melodic bass playing. The Attractions are such an interesting combo. You've got the monster pushing bass player, slamming drummer and completely anarchic keyboardist just giving Elvis' songs a workout.

Yesssh! I love Bruce's playing. Everyday I Write the Book - man, that's one great bass line!!!

:cool:

I admire Elvis for giving the bass a prominent role in his music. Most of his stuff has very good bass lines that are integral to the song, even on the stuff Bruce doesn't play on.

Yeah, I think Elvis is/was important to bass coming up front. I always thought Bruce KILLED on "Watching the Detectives" and "Allison" :o till I realised it was Huey Lewis' old band (forget the players name... it's early here).

speddling,

Dr. John Ciambotti is the bassist you're thinking of.

speddling,

Dr. John Ciambotti is the bassist you're thinking of.

that's the fellow! Coffee's kicked in now ;)

Ahhh yeah, I remember getting seriously schooled trying to master Watching the Detectives! Also I recall trying to learn Radio, Radio at a sound check, and conceding that it just wasn't going to happen without getting to sit down and study the part!

:crying:

Man, I had to learn Veronica awhile back, another great line that is somehow simultaneously 100% Elvis and 100% Sir Paul!!!

Bruce T. is the man. Virtually every bit of Elvis' first 5 records is badass (even though he wasn't on "My Aim..") I recommend "Brutal Youth", too. He still has it going on all over that one -- at least on the tracks Nick Lowe didn't play.

Great and very infrequently mentioned. Same as Colin Moulding, as corinpills already brought up w/r/t melodic playing.

And the Attractions were such a spastic band, all that bottled up energy. All four were just beasts.

To think that Bruce can count among his admirers both a secret donkey and a super monkey... what a strange world we live in, eh?

:cool: :D

...and don't forget "Get Happy" 22 tracks of heaven IMO

Bruce Thomas is my favorite bass player. My favorite song is: "I hope You're Happy now". "This year's Girl" is a close second. "Accidents will Happen", well one could go on about this for a while.

The KILLER Bass playin' is "Lipstick Vogue".

Bruce Thomas and Colin Moulding have more in common than just being melodic players, they also have very good taste in basses...they both play Wals.

Nick Lowe played on Watching the Detectives.

And Bruce didn't diss Elvis at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. He simply said "Thanks for the good memories."

I said that to my band when we split up somewhat bitterly.

Amen to all of this. Such style, such great taste. Bruce Thomas is an excellent example of what it means to develop one's own voice on the instrument... :cool:

As much as Elvis and Bruce apparently hate one another personally, it's hard to deny that they made a great team musically. One gets the feeling that Elvis' quirky, eccentric tunes brought out the best in Bruce's highly creative, high-energy, melodic, out-of-the-box playing...which in turn helped to bring Elvis' tunes to life in a big way.

Bruce is da man! :cool:

MM

a good interview from 2 yrs ago-

http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=198