Bill Wyman did you like his bass lines?

[Bassesq]

As a new bassist, I've been learning Beatles and Motown (hate to give away my age). Anyway, I picked up a book with a bunch of Stones songs in them and I think the bass lines are pretty interesting. They seem harder (at least for me since he bounces around more) than the Beatles stuff (generally speaking) for sure.

But what do you more experienced players think of his work??

[Adam Barkley]

Under my thumb is a cool one.

[Paul A]

I've always thought Bill was underrated.
Some excellent basslines imho.

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

he's often quite sloppy in places- as if he kept the first take as the final version, but I like a lot of his lines-
eg. Undercover of the night, Start me up, Slipping away, Rock and a hard place, Miss you.

[WildeStarr]

Not a big Stones fan, but I always thought that he was the best musician in the band.

Dave Starr: Bassist with CHASTAIN & Vicious Rumors

[the ombudsman]

His lines were pretty simple but they served the songs well, IMO.

As a side note, I can't remember who said that, but I read in BP that when creating a bassline, you should start with the most notes, then strip your line down to the core elements - the little things that make people's butts move. I think Bill was pretty good at that.

I heard him play some crappy upright lines, though. Waaaay out of tune.

[Steve Holroyd]

Even keeping in mind that some classic Stones bass was played by others (e.g., "Sympathy For The Devil" is Keith, "Tumbling Dice" is Mick Taylor, "Emotional Rescue" is Ron), Wyman did a lot of nice work with the Stones. Very much the anti-McCartney--he was not interested in being melodic, but funky. Even something as simple as his line on "Satisfaction" reveals this mindset.

As far as his sloppiness...some of it might be attributable to the fact that he played a small, Japanese fretless bass back on those early sessions. Maybe his intonation was just bad.

Oh...I remember when the Undecover album came out there was a lot of talk about Mick bringing in Sly & Robbie to "funk up" the title track. I'd always assumed that Robbie was responsible for the killer bass on that song. Turns out it was Wyman after all. Great stuff.

[Da_Niet]

Originally Posted by Steve Holroyd

Even keeping in mind that some classic Stones bass was played by others (e.g., "Sympathy For The Devil" is Keith, "Tumbling Dice" is Mick Taylor, "Emotional Rescue" is Ron), Wyman did a lot of nice work with the Stones. Very much the anti-McCartney--he was not interested in being melodic, but funky. Even something as simple as his line on "Satisfaction" reveals this mindset.

As far as his sloppiness...some of it might be attributable to the fact that he played a small, Japanese fretless bass back on those early sessions. Maybe his intonation was just bad.

Oh...I remember when the Undecover album came out there was a lot of talk about Mick bringing in Sly & Robbie to "funk up" the title track. I'd always assumed that Robbie was responsible for the killer bass on that song. Turns out it was Wyman after all. Great stuff.

Well, thanks, friend. I just learned something here. I always thought it was Bill Wyman playing that slick funky bass on the song, "Emotional Rescue". Hmm. That's alright. At least it's him on, "Miss You". That's a great rhythm n' groove song...minus the lyrics and Mick's inane bantering. In fact, I wish the Stones did more instrumentals during the 70's. I think Mick ****ed up the song, "Shattered", with all that screaming and jibberish he spouts throughout. Otherwise, that could have been a greater song.

Or, that's just my opinion..............

[lonote]

After all is said and done, Bill is a blues bassist. All of his work has its roots in the blues and he never strayed far from those roots. I think Bill's "bluesiness" and Charlie's jazz sensibilities made the Stones what they were. I always thought the Stones (and to a lesser degree, Chas Chandler and the Animals) were the rootsy antithesis to the Beatles slick pop.

[Paul A]

Originally Posted by lonote

After all is said and done, Bill is a blues bassist. All of his work has its roots in the blues and he never strayed far from those roots. I think Bill's "bluesiness" and Charlie's jazz sensibilities made the Stones what they were. I always thought the Stones (and to a lesser degree, Chas Chandler and the Animals) were the rootsy antithesis to the Beatles slick pop.

Yeah - 100% agree with that!

If you listen to Bills "new" band "The Rythm Kings" theres some very solid bass playing going on there

[Steve Holroyd]

Originally Posted by Da_Niet

...At least it's him on, "Miss You". That's a great rhythm n' groove song...minus the lyrics and Mick's inane bantering. In fact, I wish the Stones did more instrumentals during the 70's. I think Mick ****ed up the song, "Shattered", with all that screaming and jibberish he spouts throughout. Otherwise, that could have been a greater song.

Don't know about "Shattered" or "Miss You," but I do know that Keith was livid that Mick shat all over the instrumental he and Ronnie came up with for the Emotional Rescue LP, "Dance," by putting lyrics to it. So it would appear the Stones might have liked to do more instrumentals, but Mick was always their to foist words on them (and, not coincidentally, get a writing credit.)

[Mud Flaps]

Bill Wyman I didn't think his basslines were worth while

[nysbob]

Bill's playing had a nice feel to it that worked well with Charlie...my fave is "We Love You" - great sound, nice slidey stuff...

McCartney was much more harmonically sophisticated...or was that George Martin?

[motorhall]

I thought some of his bass lines were okay, but I generally don't like the tone of his bass - pretty much just a lifeless thud.

[kindablue]

the problem at least to my ears is that his playing on the recordings is pretty subdued,with a few exceptions i can barely hear his lines.miss you rocks though.

[ironmaidenisgod]

These days I sometimes jam along to Stones records.I play my own lines(ahem,roots).

Yes Bill was good.Again Undercover etc. were pretty underrated IMO.Definitely better than the other horrible musicians in the band.

[Blackbird]

While people don't like most of the Stones' later output, Steel Wheels has some nice grooves.