Just wondering what the oppinion is U2's bassist. Is he a good player who uses simple paterns and rhythms, or he just not very talented and happens to play with a world famous band?

I find that Adam Clayton is a great bassplayer. His tecnique may not be the wildest, but he plays very tasty lines, and not just root notes. The work on 'Disco' is very nice, and the riff in 'sunday bloody sunday' is very very catchy.

Adam Clayton will be rememberd because he was the bass player in U2. He will not be rememberd for his bass playing. Nowadays he 's famous because he's famous person.
File under "uninspiring bass players", IMO.

Bert

I don't know if I'd go that far. I try to listen to every bass player I can, though I don't spend as much time as I'd like with a few. But, I do remember a band I was in that played a couple of U2 tunes. I was bored stiff! I didn't find the groove interesting, nor the note choice. I'm not too sure ANY of them are particularly good musicians. It's just that together they make fun-to-listen-to music. A lot of bands are like that. For proof, listen to the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and a whole host of others!

Maybe Adam Clayton isn't the most startling bass player, but I don't think I'd go as far as saying that none of them are any good. IMO, I certainly wouldn't say Edge in particular is no good, some of the stuff he has done is fantastic. Like I said though, this is just my opinion.

The Edge? Absolutely FANTASTIC. A true rock guitar innovator. Sure, he doesn't display the chops of many guitar players (in so far as dexterity is concerned, 'though he may very well have them...one can never know), but his brilliance is in other areas:
beautifully crafted lines and textures, rich and warm tone, great feel/touch, amazing use of studio capabilities (effects, looping, and the like), and originality/influence upon rock/pop music.

I think that his contributions to guitar paying are in a similar vein as those of Tom Verlaine, Kevin Shields, and Johnny Marr.

Sorry for the digression. :-)

To get back on topic: I have to preface this by stating that I think a player should be judged within the context of his idiom. To illustrate - I don't want to hear Victor Wooten substituting for Paul McCartney on The Beatles' recordings, nor vice-versa.

That being said, I think that Adam Clayton is a wonderful bass player. He really fills out U2's sound, grooves with their music, and has a very "vintage" tone, particularly on their mid-career to recent albums. This last part is a really important element of U2's sound, as it serves as a juxtaposition to some of the more modern/electronic textures in their music. Moreover, the progressive elements in some of U2's work would be harder for the average listener to digest if the "glue" that is his basswork did not underscore and bring out the harmonies/chord progressions in the music.

As far as being a technical/theoretical wizard (if that's what the original post is implying), I'd have to agree that he is not anything awe-inspiring. But then again, would we ever know unless he chose to show us? And more importantly, who gives a rat's a*s?

Some of rock/pop's most influential players were not technical wizards or theory buffs, but they were involved in a body of work which influenced subsequent generations, and are therefore studied by these subsequent generations in order to understand what made that body of work so effective. Putting U2 in this category may be a bit of a stretch for some (myself included, 'though it's only the slightest of stretches for me), but IMHO, I think that this is important to remember.

If you want an example of this phenomenon ('though I'm sure many of you don't need one), look no further than The Beatles. Sure, some will argue that they were not so bad players, but I don't think anyone would say that they were in the same league as a Return to Forever or Weather Report.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for reading it. Cheers!

First off, I never liked Adam's bass playing much I'll be honest - never liked U2 that much but the more I learn as a bassist the more I find myself getting drawn to listen to some of his bass lines. He really is solid - I cant think of any other way to describe his playing & that afterall is bassically what a bassist should do.

Interesting topic. Everytime I hear U2, I say to myself, "Where the bass (base)". IMO, there isn't any. That's not ripping on Clayton because I haven't really ever heard him play anything but straight notes on "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Maybe ole' Bono won't let him let loose.

I will admit that I'm certainly not a huge U2 fan, but would like(d) them to include a few groovy bass lines into the mix.

What would happen if you put (IMO) a GREAT rock bassist like Mike Mills or Paul McCartney in U2?

U2 was huge for me growing up.
I learned all their stuff in my teens. The best bass stuff was off October. "Gloria" is not Claypool but cool for the time.

Meter was and is his game.

Play along with "New Years Day" and the "Where the Streets have No Name" for a lesson in meter.

Anywho...opinions are like ??? we have one

U2 started out following the punk ethic: it doesn't matter how well you play, what matters is that you play. I read in an interview with Adam Clayton where he admitted to basically learning on the job (much like Paul Simonon of the Clash).

I think the he is THE bass player for U2. The band wouldn't sound the way they do with anyone else, and chances are his technique (or lack thereof) contributed as much to the sound and songs as anything else.

Is he a bass god? Why would he want to be?

[This message has been edited by ihixulu (edited July 10, 2000).]

You don't need to be flashy to be a good bass player, and Adam Clayton proves that. He has a real conservative style, but his lines are well thought out and add depth to the music. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is one of the simplest basslines I ever heard, but I think it sounds really cool, it's still original.

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I'm the Bassmonster....ROWWAAARRRR!!!!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by funkastorious:
Everytime I hear U2, I say to myself, "Where the bass (base)". IMO, there isn't any. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

IMO, this is the essence of perfect bass playing.

Adam Clayton is, really, more influential to me than Jaco, Wooten, etc, because his lines FIT THE SONGS. (Hey! A bit of all caps there for ya! http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif) His lines, along with The Edge's, create vibes for songs that are so distictly "U2". I wish more bands could have such uniqueness to their tone.

Adam Clayton and Mike Mills, to me, are the two best bassists in rock.

-GM

U2 missing the Bass?????
Here's a list of U2 songs with great basslines, enjoy:
Gloria
All I want is you
Elevation
New years day
One
Sweetest Thing
If God would send his angels

plus all of their songs show impecable sense of time and taste

Adam Clayton holds down the bottom and plays to suit the songs. In my opinion, that is the most important thing in music. Period. Technique is a means to an end, and not an end in itself.

He's one of the best bassists that I know, and I do not care at all for motivating this.
Have you heard their song "Please", from the Discotheque album? Such a wonderful bassline, and it increases in depth and emotion throughout the song...it's so f*cking brilliant, the sliding part.

To me he's one of the best bassists in the world, and I don't care that he doesn't care about me caring about it.

like a fish put into a bigger fish tank clayton has grown to his surroundings. he is perfect for U2

I flipped through the article on Adam in Bassplayer. He sounds like a down-to-earth, humble guy. He said that he was just glad to be in the "show", since there are so many players better than him out there. He also went into the origins of the band, and the fact that none of them really knew how to play, but he got in because he had a real amp. Maybe we should all remember that some bands perform SONGS, and don't necessarily need to demonstrate individual prowess in the process. There is an art to writing good songs, just as there is an art to individual technique.

I think Adam's a wonderful player! His work is very inspirational to me for the reasons GM listed. Can't there be some genius in simplicity? "Beautiful Day" is very straightforward, but it sounds great and propels the song melodically. Often the case with U2 is that the Edge is laying down some very textural stuff, Larry's doing his unique, bouncy approach, and Adam's right there to pull it all together. A 'technical', busy player would sound like an utter disaster in the context of U2, IMO. U2 really is the sum of it's parts, and they are right there with Rush and Yes as one of my favorite bands.

The new album is VERY good!

I don't like U2 as much as I used to, but I think Adam Clayton does his job. I liked "Boy", "War", and their older stuff better. Songs like "Angel of Harlem" just leave me cold. Having said that, I think that Adam Clayton has a very good understanding of what the bass is for, particularly in U2.

I remember reading an interview with the Police years ago, maybe in Musician magazine (anyone remember them?). The interviewer asked Andy Summers about the lack of blistering lead work in the Police albums. He responded by saying that while he could do it (and there's some at the beginning of "Spirits in the Material World"), that the Police were a SONG band. They didn't build songs around solos, but played to fit the song.

I read the Bass Player interview, too, and found Clayton's attitude refreshing. Seemed like a nice guy, with no "rock star" attitude.

I wouldn't say I'm a big U2 buff, and certainly not into Adam Clayton's style a great deal, but you can't say it's not effective. I think the thing is that, as a bass player, it's easy to listen to a song and be a bit overcritical of the bass and say you can do better - I know I have done in the past. It can be hard to take a step back and listen to a song as a whole rather than as individual parts, but Adam Clayton's whole style is based around fitting into song. It's certainly something I need to think more about at times...

When I switched from guitar to bass,U2's early albums and the Police were the first tunes I picked out.They'll always have a special place in my development as a player.I immediately learned the importance of creating a simple line that will stick in your head.

He has a very, "I just work here" attitude. But he fits in very well. I mean, imagine what U2 would sound like if they had Flea on board... I don't think it would work out very well.

The crazy thing about U2 is that you can not replace any of them.I honestly believe it would not work without the original members.Bono,Edge,Larry,and Adam are all unique and no one could fill their shoes.It just doesn't seem possible.I was watching their documentary on VH-1 and I witnessed their special bond that shaped U2's sound.There aren't very many bands that have their original line up.So Adam Clayton isn't the most impressive player,even he says that himself.However,he is one of a kind when you consider the bass lines he created on the early albums.He's been an integral part of a successful band for the last 20 years,he must be doing something right.

I watched the Elevation Tour Concert DVD again last night, and I have to say that Adam Clayton is pretty cool!

He is a very good bass player, with a great understanding of his instrument. He plays lots fills here and there and improvises a lot. The "ad-lib-ing" is small, but very refreshing. He doesn't show off. He just plays what he has to play, what needs to be played, and what must be played. And he is a damn lucky man too. You can see how much fun he is having.

I can say he is the closest bassist I can compare myself too.

U2 is a great band. As someone mentioned, the great thing about them is that they are a perfect match. Each memeber complements the other. As Bono said during the concert, "U2 is a family business". He is right. No way would it work if anyone of them leaves the band. And it doesn't look like anyone will leave in the near future.

I can't wait 'till they come back to Montreal.

======================================

On a side note, I heard Bono recently mention that the next U2 album is gonna be a "Guitar Album". Let's see how that's going to work out.

======================================

I saw U2 at the garden last year in NY they got soul. Adam does what bass players should do he lays the foundation and he goes a littel above that. He is not any wild style guy but he is good. When i saw them when they played sunday bloody sunday he rocked with it he a had a littel solo and improvised. He just isint that flashy thats why he is not very popular. Does he get a say in song writing.I allso wanted to know is he still playing his Sadowsky's

"U2 is family business," but they sure love to turn out the albums and keep the fresh cash coming in. and they really like to feed off off "Americana" a lot for a so-called Irish band. the last album of theirs i got was "Zooropa" and i had previously skipped "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Rattle and Hum" because i thought and still think Bono was trying to be like Robert Plant and trying to make U2 into Led Zeppelin. when i listen to "Boy" and "War" and "October" i have a hard time picking out songs i really like... i think Bono has worn on me.

anyway, i love watching Adam Clayton play. i wish he'd lose the pick some times but in the early albums it's clear he's versitile. but i think Bono has stifled him by writing simpler stuff for him so he can sing and hop around and make a fool of himself.

I think Adam Clayton is capable of doing a lot more than he shows us. As others have said, U2 is about the song, not the solo. He really started to step out on the album POP. If God Will Send His Angels, Last Night on Earth, Please, and Wake Up Dead Man. These are *VERY* melodic basslines. Simple, but very melodic, and in some cases, they are the sole melody to the song. But then listen to the last section of Please. There is some pretty nice stuff happening there, but there aren't many U2 songs that have that sort of space for Mr. Clayton to fill.

A lot of times I wish I could have that kind of patience. The ability to just slow down, play the song and do something simple and melodic instead of trying to come up with funky fills and stuff.

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
like a fish put into a bigger fish tank clayton has grown to his surroundings. he is perfect for U2

Wow, a lot of you all really like A Clayton's playing.

I'm of the mindset that he's one of the luckiest fellows on the face of the planet.

He's a decent player, and writes the occasionally inspired line, but then so do a lot of other working bassists in the world.

Who knows what U2 would hav sounded like with a Geddy-esque bassist? It may have stunk - it may have rocked. It's all conjecture anyhow.

Now, what I *do* know is that Adam married Naomi Campbell, and even if it didn't last, I will be forever jealous. ;)


-S

U2 was/is a favorite group of mine, and I consider Adam a major influence. Again, I agree with the spirit of many of the posts - he is not (or just not demonstrate he is a technical genuis) but he is very solid and a great fit for the band.

Other great basslines, besides those already mentioned, are in "Two Hearts Beat as One", "Surrender", "Bad" (live version from Wide Awake in America) and "Love Comes Tumbling" (also on WAIA), and just about the whole "Achtung Baby" album.

Originally posted by shirojiro

Now, what I *do* know is that Adam married Naomi Campbell, and even if it didn't last, I will be forever jealous. ;)


-S

What you *don't* know is that he never married her, they were engaged, yes, but it never went further than that. I think he saw her true colours just in time, and saved himself a massive alimony suit.

Ah, I stand corrected. Staying on top of "celebrity" social life has never been my strong suit.

Well, I suppose since he's a good Irish lad like yourself, he never got to consummate his relationship with her outside of marriage, eh?


..... Suuuure. Riiiiight. ;)

This is from U2's website:

"None of us is a virtuoso," Mullen said. "There's no chance we would ever become session musicians. We find it difficult to play with other people [or] to play other people's songs, because we're so tuned in to each other.
"There's no doubt when the four of us get into a room, something happens. . . . We never learned how to be musicians. We only learned how to work together.
"We don't seem to be able to get bored playing with each other, so to speak."

Man, I wish I was in a band like that... It must really cool to connect like that with each member of the band. Clayton is one lucky dude.

:cool:

My two favorite U2 basslines are One Tree Hill and In God's Country (with Desire being a close 3rd). I just love what Adam does with the timing of the notes. He can make a root note bassline sing with just the timing. To me, Adam's right behind Paul McCartney when it comes to "Tasteful" bassist.

I'll add "If You Wear that Velvet Dress" as cool basslines off of POP.

A friend of mine and I were watching a U2 special on MTV2 last weekend, and would laugh at how simple their songs are. In one of the videos Clayton plays an open E for like nearly 8 bars.

But really, it doesn't matter whether they've got technical prowess. No matter how much I laugh at that, I still think they're a great band, and they write some excellent songs. Each part works so well when put together. "With or Without You" has around a 3 note solo. It doesn't sound like much when heard by itself, but with Clayton's simple, consistent bassline, Larry's thumping beat, and Bono's lyrics, it makes for one of the most well known and beautiful songs of our time. Technical prowess is good, but it can also get pretty boring sometimes. Bands aren't bands unless their parts work as a cohesive unit.

And from my experiences, U2's songs are fun to play for someone starting out, since a lot of the lines are simple enough that a new player can play a whole song without frustration.

Adam Clayton's tone and playing have improved
over the years but what makes U2 great is he and
Larry Mullins are rock solid TOGETHER.

Originally posted by Velkov
He has a very, "I just work here" attitude. But he fits in very well. I mean, imagine what U2 would sound like if they had Flea on board... I don't think it would work out very well.

Though just before I read this post I was thinking how Flea's playing on By The Way feels quite Clayton-esque at times.

Alex

His bass riffs drive a lot of their songs... a very important component. I consider that pretty kick ass.

Adam Clayton's playing was far more inventive during U2's early days, very melodic and stuff. It must have started around '88 and with releasing the Rattle And Hum album that his playing lost a lot of its class.
The same with Tony Butler who used to be Big Country's bassplayer - really good and kind of unique on the first albums and then it must have 'left' him.

Originally posted by volker
Adam Clayton's playing was far more inventive during U2's early days, very melodic and stuff. It must have started around '88 and with releasing the Rattle And Hum album that his playing lost a lot of its class.


I don't know about that - have you listened to Pop much? There are some really great lines there.

Originally posted by oddentity
...- have you listening to Pop much? There are some really great lines there. ...just like on Achtung Baby!, yeah I know. But it's still different, and I can imagine that's also because in the old days he was using the pick most of the time.

Adam Clayton plays exactly what is needed for the song,, there are plenty of places where lots of notes could be used but arn't and to great effect... okay his lines are simple but do u really want fast complex bass lines in a song like "with or without you"..in my band me guitrist for example is technically very good and if u want a full out tapping solo then he cud do it no problems he just choses not and let the beauty of the chords ring out coupled with melody and harmony...for me, warmth and richness and harmony are very inportant and that is what adam clayton gives u2..warmth..

I think Clayton is wonderful.

...Keeps a nice groove that propels the song. Very tasteful, restrained. Creates a nice "pulse" for the tunes.

Originally posted by Josh Walsh


Second this whole post. Good stuff!


May i third that, is Adam still playing sadowsky or is he playing lakeland now.

He's playing a Lakland now I believe

He bought a Sadowsky Standard 4 about a decade ago.

The thing that i like the most about Adam's playing is the dynamics he brings to the music.
Sometimes he just stops playing....and when he comes back...WOW That warm sound (Listen to Velvet Dress-Pop)
He often uses the octaves to create dynamics.
Example:
Sometimes he plays an A note on E string and the second time he repeats the line he use the A note one octave above just to create a different sound, color and interest to the music. (Example: Ultra Violet-Achtung Baby)
This are (so important) little tinny aspects, that the ordinary musician often forgets.

He is an inspiration to me. I think his simplicity is wonderful and fits perfect. Plus I love that stacked knob lakland...I think it is..tha the has.

Mysterious Ways bass line is soooooo wonderful: flowing, pulsating, smooth and essentially perfect for that song. Great feel.

I'll take feel over virtuoso technical brilliance any day.

And by the way...I have no choice in that matter either.;)

Originally posted by JimS: Mysterious Ways bass line is soooooo wonderful: flowing, pulsating, smooth and essentially perfect for that song. Great feel... I second that...and actually on the whole "Achtung Baby!" album the bass has lots of deep in it - the song mentioned by JimS being a good example and also "Until The End Of The World"; it sounds frightening when switching the stereo's bass on "full"...I mean the noises not coming out of the speaker:D

I remember thinking it was pretty cool of him to cut out his Precision's pickguard to make slapping easier; that was back in the eighties. But I think it's been replaced by a new one in the meantime.

I've liked some of U2s stuff over the years although I've not been a great fan.

I think his basslines are simple but very effective. Not too difficult to pick up, but they fit the song and he holds the songs together well!

From that point of view he's a good bassist!

I had just got U2 1990-2000 and was impressed witha lot of Adams playing, seems like he has a great balance for what is needed for the song.

Adam also plays some great lines on the older U2 albums like "War" and "Boy".He even played a slap solo in "Gloria" on the "Live at the red rocks" ep.

IMO Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton are one of the best rhythem sections around at te moment. The groove the play on "In a little while" (from the Elevation dvd), is so groovy, incredible.....

Adam had some dynamic playing on pop, i actually think that is a solid record.

Though just before I read this post I was thinking how Flea's playing on By The Way feels quite Clayton-esque at times.

Alex


I can see the similarities there. . .

Flea has been quoted numerous times lately saying that these days he is more about the song and less about the flash. And from my own experience as well as other musicians I know, it seems that (in many cases) the more mature you get as a musician you tend to play "the song" and not "the instrument."

Very early on in my playing career, I used to turn up my nose at players like Clayton because I was so caught up in the Geddy Lee-Chris Squire virtuoso thing. Then I got older. I found that 90% of the time I was playing music that his was the model I most ended up emulating. It is really amazing that I found little-to-no use for all of the progressive-type material that I spent so much time learning. The music I spent most time working with required that I exhibit the restrained, groovy, tasteful style of playing that Clayton patented in U2. Now, with so many physical limitations holding back my playing (carpal tunnel syndrome), I really can appreciate his work.

:)

Quite a few Adam Clayton threads on here so I decided to post in this one - The thread I first posted in when joining TB :)

Just a little thing I'd like to add that I came across a few days ago when watching an old, old U2 clip: There, he was playing an active Ibanez 'Musician' bass - I used to think the passive one he was using during U2's "War" Tour was his only 'Musician'!

And re "Pop": Got the album around somewhere and will give it a closer listen soon!

He's got a dream gig and he deserves it. I suspect he brings more to the overall concept of the band than we know. As for the deceiving simplicity and interesting choices of where to leave holes, or shift registers, etc., I think that comes from an appreciation of dub/reggae/electronic music. My guess is he's got big ears . . . .

This thread started in 2000...and AC still has a career and respect...more power to him and U2! I grew up listening and loving U2 and they are one of my 13 year old son's favorites.

I know the thread is old, but I just wanted to add that I really love Clayton's playing. I like his basslines on all U2 albums, specially in POP. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I started playing bass by learning those lines by ear. I remember how I felt when I finally could play Please!!

BTW, Vertigo has some cool basslines. Check out a Man and a Woman and Miracle Drug, among others.