Paul Simon turns his back on bass...

wateroftyne · #1 01-23-2011, 04:18 AM

Apparently, his new record is bass-free. From this month's MOJO magazine:

Quote:

I just decided I really don't like bass. The two gods I worship are Bo Diddley - no bass! - and Mystery Train by Elvis Presley which has stand-up bass you can't hear much.

Wow... working with Bakithi Kumalo and Tony Levin all those years must have really ground him down.

Here's the single he released last month, and... no bass! Regardless of whether I like the song or not, IMO it just sounds empty...

pedroims · #2 01-23-2011, 04:23 AM

well I dont like Paul Simon neither. And this song is a good example, I agree, sounds empty probably will sound worst when played alive.

phall2112 · #3 01-23-2011, 05:04 AM

The sad thing is, Bakithi Kumalo could really make that sound awesome.

trowaclown · #4 01-23-2011, 05:21 AM

Sounds empty. You can go without an upright or a bass guitar, but please please please fill up that hole with an appropriate instrument.

**mwesth** · #5 01-23-2011, 05:27 AM

Watching "Getting Ready For Christmas Day (Behind the scenes)" you can actually see Bakithi Kumalo playing bass....

http://youtu.be/saAkVT_n2Mo

Melik · #6 01-23-2011, 05:28 AM

Maybe he should try the tuba. Same function...

wateroftyne · #7 01-23-2011, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phall2112

The sad thing is, Bakithi Kumalo could really make that sound awesome.

Wow... It looks like he was mixed out? I hope he's thick-skinned!

Plays_For_Dog · #8 01-23-2011, 05:37 AM

It sucks. He's an idiot. Covering the lack of low end with effects and acoustic guitar. Yuck!

plangentmusic · #9 01-23-2011, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plays_For_Dog

It sucks. He's an idiot. Covering the lack of low end with effects and acoustic guitar. Yuck!

Paul Simon is no idiot. He's one of the most sucessful songwriters of all time with a career that spans the 60's, 70', 80's, 90's, and 2000's.

Having said that, I think he's lost his mind. This is probably an experimental phase he's in. I rememebr when Bill Bruford decided he didn't want to use cymbals anymore. At one point, I felt that the absense of a keyboard can only improve things.

I doubt it will last. Lost interest and record sales will guarantee that.

bassphase · #10 01-23-2011, 06:02 AM

I've always liked Paul Simon. He's a great songwriter and a brilliant lyricist but the quote he made about not liking bass is almost unbelievable. So many of his tunes have been groove based with the bass often being in the foreground. I would have guessed he LOVED bass. That linked tune is just begging for a groovin' bass line too....

go figure

bob

cnltb · #11 01-23-2011, 06:02 AM

Maybe they couldn't aford a bassist?

There's a bill frisell album coming out with no bass.
The samples on the website sound great and I am not missing a bass in the least.
http://www.billfrisell.com/artists/F...iscs_link.html

Meddle · #12 01-23-2011, 08:38 AM

Paul Simon did Graceland, which imho is a horrible horrible album.

RCCollins · #13 01-23-2011, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

Paul Simon did Graceland, which imho is a horrible horrible album.

you just made a lot of TBers angry!

plangentmusic · #14 01-23-2011, 08:45 AM

Actually, Graceland is revered more for it's ambitious effort of fusing African folk music with pop music than for being a collection of great songs. On 3 or 4 tunes, the concept works beautifully. Beyond that, it's a bit dull and runs into sameness.

Bjazzman · #15 01-23-2011, 08:47 AM

yeah well i've decided that i don't like guitar and my next couple of records won't have any. so there!

djero44 · #16 01-23-2011, 08:52 AM

I didn't check the link or info, but if this is for real it is ridiculous! I'm a Paul Simon fan, although I don't love everything he has done he is an amazing songwriter and lyricist, and Rhythm of the Saints is one of my all time favorite albums. I especially love Andre Manga's bass work on that album, it is absolutely fantastic!

Oh Paul, don't let a midlife crisis turn you off to the low end....

p.s. Bakithi and Tony are superb too. Go figure!

Stingray5 · #17 01-23-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djero44

Oh Paul, don't let a midlife crisis turn you off to the low end....

He's pushing 70..

Hey whatever, if the guy wants to make an album with no bass that's his call. He's earned the right to do what he wants. Maybe I'll pick up the album and play along

plangentmusic · #18 01-23-2011, 09:06 AM

Doing an album with no bass is like deciding to write songs without any C#'s.

Meddle · #19 01-23-2011, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

you just made a lot of TBers angry!

I can dig it.

If I want to listen to African music I will listen to Ali Farka Toure or similar, not Simon's jumped up blaxploitation rubbish. The guy was in a weedy singing duo in the 1960s and has done nothing of real musical substance since then. Peter Gabriel wrote the rulebook on reinventing sound and image, anybody can stir in a few African sounds using real African musicians and try and claim their dubious world musician credentials. The Graceland album is 1st generation stuff as Simon did not actually infuse the music and instead just had clomps of African stuff floating around the otherwise boring pop material. Oh and it has a horrific '80s mix as well.

Febs · #20 01-23-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

The guy was in a weedy singing duo in the 1960s and has done nothing of real musical substance since then.

Yeah. Well, except for those major hits in the 1970s and 1980s, all of those SNL appearances, the huge concerts in Central Park ...