Billy Talbot, Cliff Williams, Dusty Hill...New player question.

telepbrman · #1 01-12-2009, 02:57 AM

This past year was my first year of playing the bass, and I went thru 35 bass guitars and I listened and read about a ton of different players and styles. 2008 was my, "Year of the Bass" without a doubt...

As I look back over all those magazines, books, CD's and records I went thru: I just kept coming back, and back, and back to just 3 players: Talbot, Williams, and Hill...AND it looks like my style has developed into a style like these guys; which I see as a solid - hold down the bottom - heavy type of thing.

In the eyes of my fellow TB players, who have more than a years worth of experience, tell me: Where do these guys rank in the bass playing field? How would you discribe their style and tone? Are these good players to start off with and learn from? Thanks, dy...

JTE · #2 01-12-2009, 09:14 AM

Billy "Roar in the right key" Talbot and Dusy Hill are big icons for me. Can't say anything about Williams as I don't like AC/DC's music at all (can't get past the gargling vocals). The common element is that they play what the songs need, and those songs don't need a lot. It's a great thing to learn. Now if the songs needed more would they be able to play more? I don't know. But the lesson is that a lot of players don't have the will to sublimate thier egos to the song and these guys do.

I'd add Tim Drummond (especially his work on Neil Young's "Harvest") to your list- sometimes all you need is the root on the one, and he's not afraid to do that. But they're (Talbot and Drummond) no better than Leland Skalr for example who has also recorded wtih a lot of the same people.

The key is whether people play in a simple manner because that how the music they play sounds best or do they play in a simple manner because that's all they ever cared to learn? One is musical integritcy, the other a poor example for learning from. Having read interviews with all three of your guideposts, I think they all choose a path where they focus on what the BAND and the SONG needs. And that's a good lesson for any musician.

jte

etechstan · #3 01-12-2009, 11:56 AM

I'm pretty sure williams just plays along with the rhythm guitar and not much else. Hill has that awesome blues groove going and Talbot plays with one of the greatest writers/players ever.

badstonebass · #4 01-12-2009, 12:25 PM

Their good. They all can play more if they needed to.

You actually think Billy Gibbons would be in a band with ****** musicians??

sobie18 · #5 01-12-2009, 04:34 PM

You owned/sold/traded 35 different basses? I just had to ask...

Good choices on bass players. Laying it down, being the foundation for the band, solid playing; what more can you ask for?

ThunderLizard · #6 01-12-2009, 04:37 PM

Tele-
Welcome to the brotherhood!
Check out Tommy Shannon's work when you get some time.

Alan Vorse · #7 01-12-2009, 04:50 PM

You're free to like who you want. You don't need to ask anybody's permission.

I think JTE had some very good points. Especially "what a song needs VS. that's all they can do". Personally, I like to hear some groove coming from a player. Now ZZ Top are a great band and Dusty and Frank are an incredible rhythm section. AC/DC are from that period when rock bands still grooved and the whole band is good at that.

As for Talbot, I had to look him up to know who you were talking about. Personally I always thought Crazy Horse was a detriment to Neil Young. Young is a talented songwriter, but I always thought Crazy Horse was one of the most plodding, top-of-the-beat, grooveless bands I ever heard. This is all my opinion of course and I repeat: You can like and not like whatever you want.

More important than chops (and to SOME extent, groove) does a player have a voice on the instrument? I think its very possible to be a "meat and potatoes" "playing for the song" type of player and still say something on the instrument. I'm not sure Talbot has that.

Once again, IMHO, your results may vary...

Hamrhed · #8 01-12-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderLizard

Tele-
Welcome to the brotherhood!
Check out Tommy Shannon's work when you get some time.

I second this as well... I would also check out Geezer Butler- everything he does is great, but the first 4 sabbath albums are classic

telepbrman · #9 01-13-2009, 09:23 AM

10-4 on Shannon and Butler. I'll hit them up soon. I have been going over those Fab T-bird records with Keith in them as well....as for the 35 basses, over the past 12 months, I've bought them, traded them, and borrowed them, tore them up, trashed two, gave most away, and built some cool franken-basses....yep, that's me. They were Squier and Epiphones, a few MIM's and MIA's from Fender, USA Custom guitars made me a body as well...anyhow: After all those guitars, after 12 months, I've settled in on the SCPB vibe and really enjoy that type of Fender/Squier bass, dy.

Kingkananga · #10 01-13-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamrhed

I second this as well... I would also check out Geezer Butler- everything he does is great, but the first 4 sabbath albums are classic

+1

Geezer, fantastic groove and blues sound.