Gary Thain: The Unsung Rock Bass God

plangentmusic · #1 12-28-2010, 08:48 PM

He wasn;t around for long, (Died in his 20's) But damn...the man had a monster sound and feel. He also epitomized that rambunctious, rock and roll "go for it" approach without ever losing the groove.

If you don't know about him, check it out.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPOp_Lokm58&feature=fvsr

The music is pure Spinal Tap but the bass playing kills.

JimmyM · #2 12-28-2010, 08:54 PM

gary thain and joe bouchard of blue oyster cult was who got me super interested in playing bass. absolutely brilliant. overplayed like crazy at all times. i soon learned that it wasn't the best approach to playing ac/dc songs, but he was amazing. once got into an argument with their merch guy about who was better...him or trevor bolder, who's played with them since 77 or 78. trevor's great but gary thain...holy cow!

Burlington · #3 12-28-2010, 09:09 PM

Just hearing Uriah Heep for the first time, this rocks!

Bob C · #4 12-29-2010, 09:16 AM

There are a few Gary Thain threads around here. I've been revisiting music that I cut my teeth on, and U. H.'s Demos And Wizards brings a huge smile to my face.

Thains's lines were so flowing. They really pumped the songs along, and fit perfectly in between sustained guitar and organ chords.

m.oreilly · #5 12-29-2010, 11:01 AM

man, it's been awhile...loved gary's playing...i can't get "easy living" out of my head now

JimK · #6 12-29-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

If you don't know about him, check it out.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPOp_Lokm58&feature=fvsr

The music is pure Spinal Tap but the bass playing kills.

I never considered "Sweet Lorraine" as Spinal Tap-ish. Back in my day, Uriah Heep was Hard Rock (Deep Purple may have been at the top of this heap for me)...I know I wore the grooves out of this stuff. IMO, Spinal Tap is more of a '80s Heavy Metal parody/spoof.
Anyway, yes, Thain was very cool. Another Brit that was able to fuse an R&B-ish vibe into Rock (also JPJ, Dee Murray, Alan Spenner, etc)

thedovewarlord · #7 12-29-2010, 11:56 AM

A very good friend of mine turned me on to Gary Thain back in the day. Been a while since I even thought of them both. Your thread brings me back to some good times. He also pointed me to Mike Watts. Different players altogether, but keep your influences wide and keep digging. Cheeck out Jeff Beck's second album, the one with the Magrite painting of the apple -- Ron Wood's bass playing is along these lines. Thanks for sharing and bringing back Thain today.

bassplayer8953 · #8 12-29-2010, 12:03 PM

Uriah Heep: Kick ass R&R. Deep Purple/Rainbow, Uriah heep, UFO...the best of the 70's.

Gary Thain had some very tasty bass parts. Some may consider his style "overplaying". But think of what Uriah Heep would have sounded like with a root-note bassist...

JimK · #9 12-29-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassplayer8953

Gary Thain had some very tasty bass parts. Some may consider his style "overplaying". But think of what Uriah Heep would have sounded like with a root-note bassist...

Heep had a couple of bassists pre-Thain.
I admit Demons & Wizards was the 1st I had heard of Uriah Heep...I never went back to the previous albums (Look At Yourself, Salisbury, & Uriah Heep).
How were the other guys (Newton & Clarke)?

GL797 · #10 12-29-2010, 01:04 PM

wow that was really great! It's good that they mixed the bass fairly loud.

I don't know if Lee Kerslake is playing the drums on this song/album but man that guy rocked on Ozzy's first two solo albums.
Too bad they removed him and Daisley from the recordings and substituted their parts with other inferior players.
Biggest disgrace in rock history imo.

jerry · #11 12-29-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

Heep had a couple of bassists pre-Thain.
I admit Demons & Wizards was the 1st I had heard of Uriah Heep...I never went back to the previous albums (Look At Yourself, Salisbury, & Uriah Heep).
How were the other guys (Newton & Clarke)?

I first got into them with the Salisbury album, but they really turned my head around when they got the Kerslake/Thain rhythm section, that was also the version of the band I first saw in concert. Thain was a badass!

JimK · #12 12-29-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GL797

I don't know if Lee Kerslake is playing the drums on this song/album but man that guy rocked on Ozzy's first two solo albums.

It's Kerslake on "Sweet Lorraine" (& its album, The Magician's Birthday).
There's also a live version that kicks ass-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_Heep_Live

...oh yeah-
I am reading a book about Woodstock...Thain played there with the Keef Hartley Band. Never knew that until today.

Bob C · #13 12-29-2010, 04:09 PM

Everybody in Heep's lineup through the years was good, each in his own way. Thain's tone was more "up front" without being "lead bass". I never thought of him as overplaying. He was more melodic and "midrangey" than Paul Newton. And he really knew what to play and when to play it. I don't think he stepped on anyone else's parts.

jerry · #14 12-29-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

It's Kerslake on "Sweet Lorraine" (& its album, The Magician's Birthday).
There's also a live version that kicks ass-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_Heep_Live

...oh yeah-
I am reading a book about Woodstock...Thain played there with the Keef Hartley Band. Never knew that until today.

What Woodstock book is that Jim? I've read a few and can't remember that being mentioned.

/*Gets credit card ready for Amazon, there is always more to read.

stiles72 · #15 12-29-2010, 04:27 PM

Hadn't heard this before - pretty cool!

Johnny Crab · #16 12-29-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Everybody in Heep's lineup through the years was good, each in his own way. Thain's tone was more "up front" without being "lead bass". I never thought of him as overplaying. He was more melodic and "midrangey" than Paul Newton. And he really knew what to play and when to play it. I don't think he stepped on anyone else's parts.

+1000000 !
And fortunately the engineers left him alone so we could hear him.

Thanks for bringing this back.

TBird1958 · #17 12-29-2010, 04:37 PM

Love Gary Thain's playing on Magician's Birthday, U.H. Live and Sweet Freedom, medodic but not forced. I had tix to see Uriah Heep but sadly Gary passed away two weeks before the show, I did eventually see them with John Wetton on bass.

Rickengeezer · #18 12-29-2010, 07:54 PM

Thain was one of my first influences to be a bass player, and I can still hear things I've nicked from him unconsciously all these years later. He died 35 years ago this month; gone but not forgotten, at least by me.

ster · #19 12-29-2010, 08:02 PM

Can't give enough props to Gary Thain. One of my all time favorites. It always pisses me off that Uriah Heep never get s mentioned when it comes to the fathers of Metal. They are just as responsible as Black Sabbath IMO.
You be the judge. Uriah Heep circa 1970

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

ster · #20 12-29-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

Heep had a couple of bassists pre-Thain.
I admit Demons & Wizards was the 1st I had heard of Uriah Heep...I never went back to the previous albums (Look At Yourself, Salisbury, & Uriah Heep).
How were the other guys (Newton & Clarke)?

Those guys were good but it got heavier with Thain and Kerslake.
If you don't have "Look at Yourself" go get it. Their best album IMO.