Adam Clayton appreciation thread - Page 5

dave64o · #81 09-09-2008, 11:47 AM

My favorite genre is progressive rock and there are loads of guys with tons of chops that display them all the time. Despite that, I've always liked U2 also and I think Adam Clayton is a great fit for the band.

I was in college when they were just starting to come up and the band I was in back then played a lot of U2. I mostly played guitar at that point, but I got to play bass on a few songs and had a lot of fun with them. You might not be all over the fretboard, but in a lot of their earlier songs the bass is very prominent and drives them very well.

Nothing wrong with liking Adam Clayton.

A.CLAYTON · #82 09-10-2008, 09:37 PM

He admits he's not technically great,yet he has come up with some of the most recognisable bass lines out.There is a difference between hearing and feeling a bassline,that is why his lines work as they create a feeling.Definately my favourite player.

Philbiker · #83 09-11-2008, 08:35 AM

One word: LEMON

Mojo-Man · #84 09-11-2008, 09:03 AM

A rock solid player, with very good tone.
Playing in a great Rock & Roll band.

A gig 99% of us TBers wish we had,

Alan Vorse · #85 09-11-2008, 10:28 AM

I've weighed in on Adam Clayton in past threads. I used to think he was a pretty terrible player.

In the last year, I checked out more of his stuff. I will say his lines on earlier records are much more interesting and adventurous. After a certain point though, his non-8th note parts are usually Root-5-b7-octave type lines that range from solid and melodic to meandering.

Yeah yeah, millionaire blah blah blah but when it comes to comparable players from that style and period, Mike Mills from R.E.M. smokes Clayton.

Eminentbass · #86 09-11-2008, 01:43 PM

With or without you has to be the simplest bassline in history but I love playing it. It's one song where I don't deviate from the pattern at all and when I have tried to add a little fill it has felt wrong. There's just something about how he plays that sits right even if it is just within the context of U2. They're one of the few bands out there where every member defines the identity of the band rather than one personality and a bunch of invisible sidemen.

svtb15 · #87 09-11-2008, 02:06 PM

its more than notes played .. its is groove... Form How to "Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" the song "A Man and a Woman" is Genius. As well as dozens of their other tunes.

Chops do not make a player.Chops only show that you can count fast.. not accurately.
I think that many green players or basement players may think in their heads that its all chops.. to try to mimic Wooten, or Sheehan or "pic your flavor".. but to people in the trenches they can understand the parts that Clayton plays..

Will Lee is a groove meister that can make one note work or a flurry of notes as well as duck dunn.. They are not really chops players.. They know how to make a song work.. So unless you are a virtuoso that only does solo bass gigs for thousands of people and have platinum records for being a solo bass player... Less is more and making the song work is the key.. Its a vibe its a feeling.....

To me most chops players are like a chatterbox at a party, they may repeat allot of words but never say anything at all. just a bunch of blah blah.. but it dazzles the uneducated and inexperienced.

I give Clayton 2 thumbs up

Alan Vorse · #88 09-12-2008, 01:02 PM

Ah yes. The black and white world of absolutes that is Talk Bass where a player is either Cliff Williams or Victor Wooten with nothing in between.

While I conceed that he has some melodic and memorable bass lines that really elevate the song (what bass playing is all about as far as I'm concerned), I would not not put Clayton on any lists of "Great Groove Players."

blizzard · #89 09-12-2008, 10:05 PM

I quite enjoy Adam's lines (unfortunately I know a kid called Adam Clayton who does not do the name justice), there not the most creative ever but I group him with Sting on knowing what to play, what not to play and how to make a simple bassline define a song.

Also some of my favourite Adam Clayton related clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE8C5k12pms

http://alvaropach.multiply.com/video/item/12

phxlbrmpf · #90 09-13-2008, 08:21 AM

That "Adam solo tour" video clip is pretty funny, but I have the feeling that listening to some of the lines Edge plays without any accompaniment might sound even stranger, imagine listening to the notes G F# G A D over and over again in songs like Where the Streets have no name where he keeps on playing the same lick over the changes.

Alex E · #91 09-22-2008, 01:54 PM

U2's music is huge to a wide range of fans. Adam's style fits the Edge's playing and Bono's singing. He puts down a line that along with the drummer, allows the rest of the arrangement to be written upon.

I like his tone and style. It is more on the simplistic side, but that type of playing sacrifices for the overall melody and dynamics of the group. If the overall group is great, this is more than a reasonable concession, and within the scheme of a "team", it is the way it should be.

flea claypool · #92 09-22-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theshadow2001

There are many bass players who are masters of the simple or subtle bass line (colin greenwood to mention but one)

Adam isnt one of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaithNoMan

Living in Ireland, I'm suprised at your answer....maybe you were supposed to play in U2, and you're still sore at the fella?

BTW, I think you misread the title of this thread

Talk about tarring us all with the same brush, yes we are all raving fighting alcoholics too.. sorry that was a mindless post..

i respect him thou wouldnt be a fan of U2. i kind of overlooked them in favour of smaller irish bands... on a side note he always has great taste in gear