Can you like the bassist but not the band?

[watspan]

I'm struck by many of the posts asking what do you think of this or that bassist. I know when I think about these it usually comes down to "do I like the Band the Bassist plays in?" example: geddy Lee--I don't like Rush, therefore I don't think much of Geddy Lee ( or Flea, or Geezer Butler...) Now I hear rumour that Flea may join Gov't Mule, who I love...will I stop loving Gov't Mule or start liking Flea Anyways, can you like the bassist but not the band they play in?

[Flatwound]

I listen to Mr. Big sometimes, even though it's not my style of music, just because I like Billy Sheehan, and the way he tears it up with those guys. That's the only example I can think of.

[mebusdriver]

It's absolutely possible. But in my case I'm a progressive bass player. I look at progressive as in odd-time and bands that tend to stray away from the main stream with more experimental music. So I've grown into a lot of music I never would have listened to. I often find that whenever I hear good musicians or start to listen to a bass player I like the band usually grows on me. But in your case, it should be all about the music not really who's playing it. It's up to you though. I don't hate early Dream Theater because Derek Shirinian was a cocky jack ass. Just an example you know.

[rickbass]

Originally posted by watspan
....Anyways, can you like the bassist but not the band they play in?

I find this really true in the Nashville stuff with the "hat acts" in wife-beater t-shirts and the pseudo-country soprano-chicks.

The bassists so often have a gigantic tone to die for and pull the nails out of the floor boards while some jerk is playing over-trebly chicken-pluck guitar on a souped-up Tele and the "star" invariably sings banal lyrics about "me"/"I"/"my truck"/or "daddy" with full-on nasal tone.

Michael Jackson's stuff is another example - horrendous songs but great hooks on the bass.

[Ben Mishler]

Yes, there are lots of bands where I respect the bassist and think they are good, but that they are playing with other people I just don't like. An example for me would be P-NUT and 311. No matter who much I think P-NUT is a good player, I can not get into 311 at all.

[PhatBasstard]

Sure!

PRIMUS.

Les =

Their music =

I was also a big fan of their former drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander.

[FLOYDtheBARBER]

my bassist friend hates mudvayne, but he thinks ryknow is the man.

[Woodchuck]

I wasn't a big fan of Yes', even though I loved Chris Squier. I liked some of their songs, but less than half. Same with Mudvayne, I think their music eats crap, but I feel that Ryan is a helluva bassist. I like Sam Rivers, but I wouldn't be caught dead with a Limp Bizkit CD.

[rickbass]

Originally posted by Woodchuck
....I like Sam Rivers, but I wouldn't be caught dead with a Limp Bizkit CD.

You're crackin' me up to no end, Wood!!!...Should I play well or see how high Fred the Bitch wants me to jump???

[Woodchuck]

Exactly!

[Bass Mule]

Man, I know I'm gonna get crap for saying this, but...

I like Phil Lesh and Mike Gordon... ...but, there are times when I don't like their respective bands. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I like ALOT of Grateful Dead, but there are times when they just lose me. I thought Jerry was great, but I didn't like Weir much. Phil was definitely my fav. dead member. As far as Phish go, I like all the members. They are great musicians, and they can JAM. BUT, there are times when they are just, well.... weird. They lose me with their weird stuff.


I can hear the flames... er... phlames.... coming a mile away.

[Mojo-Man]

Ya,Ya,
Les Claypool-Ya
Primas-???
Anthony Jackson-Ya
Some of people's CD he's on-???
James Jamerson-Ya
All of motown-???
Dig the Bottom-Ya

[watspan]

Originally posted by Bass Mule

I like Phil Lesh and Mike Gordon... ...but, there are times when I don't like their respective bands. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I like ALOT of Grateful Dead, but there are times when they just lose me. I thought Jerry was great, but I didn't like Weir much. Phil was definitely my fav. dead member. As far as Phish go, I like all the members. They are great musicians, and they can JAM. BUT, there are times when they are just, well.... weird. They lose me with their weird stuff.

I am an old-timer and i never liked the Dead in their day or now, for that matter, except maybe for some of their FM hits. I've never really listened to Phish, my only experience w/ Mike Gordon was through the "Rising Low" DVD, and I was unimpressed with him there(as a bassist) I did recently see Phish on reruns from SNL and Letterman and sort of saw the appeal of Gordon then. I really don't care for WSP at all, except for Schools who I really dig and their percussionist who is really good. I do think Schools fits in well w/ Gov't Mule, though I can't see Flea fitting in full-time--we'll see though.!

[gweimer]

This thread sums up my opinion of Iron Maiden.

[Wrong Robot]

Originally posted by PhatBasstard
Sure!

PRIMUS.

Les =

Their music =

I was also a big fan of their former drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander.

the funny thing about primus is since they are a trio, if you like two members thats 2/3rds of the band
of course, even if you like them all, you still might not like their music.

isn't herb playing with the Blue man group now?
and Brain is in the new guns and roses


is it possible to like the band(and their music) but not the bassist(and his contributions)?

[TheInsane]

Can you like the bassist but not the band?

Yes but I wouldn't listen to the bands music...

[No_Fingures]

Myung from dream theater is good. but i find alot of there songs drab and very uninteresting.

[FLOYDtheBARBER]

Originally posted by Wrong Robot
isn't herb playing with the Blue man group now?
and Brain is in the new guns and roses

herb recently left blueman, i believe. yeah, brain and buckethead both rock out with axl now. ugh.

[BigWig Will]

I like Ryknow, can't stand Mudvayne.
I like Mike Dirnt, but I'm not too hot on Green Day.
I like Steve Harris, but I'm not much of a fan of Iron Maiden.

I also think its possible to really like people in a band, but not like the band. Like in side projects where you have lots of cool people in the band, but their sound turns out to be less than the sum of their parts. I can't think of a specific example of this though...I supposed the new Misfits with Dez and Marky Ramone...but that doesn't fit that well.

[PhatBasstard]

Originally posted by Wrong Robot


the funny thing about primus is since they are a trio, if you like two members thats 2/3rds of the band
of course, even if you like them all, you still might not like their music.

isn't herb playing with the Blue man group now?
and Brain is in the new guns and roses


is it possible to like the band(and their music) but not the bassist(and his contributions)?

I didn't know about the Blue Man Group gig. Last I saw Herb he had done a trio album (maybe 2) with Micheal Manring on bass, and if memory serves, Alex Skolnick (sic?) on guitar called "Attention Deficit Disorder" which, ironicaly, is another example of Love the player/Hate the band.

PS. Per Primus: I actually liked "Jerry was a racecar driver" and "Tommy the cat" but I can only take that stuff in small doses.