Great new interview! (waning..Jeff Berlin content)

[John Wentzien]

For information only!!!!

(disclaimer)

If you don't want to hear what Jeff has to say...don't read!

http://www.prex.com/blog/jeff-berlin...th-jeff-boule/

[John Wentzien]

You can't resist....I know!

[Ed Fuqua]

Actually, yes I can. "Waning" is right....

[John Wentzien]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Actually, yes I can. "Waning" is right....

Sorry..I meant WARNING!

Good one ED!

can't change the typo now!

[Randall]

Too Funny. Interviewer wants everyone to boycott Talkbass.com. because Jeff was banned. Sorry I like Jeff Berlin and I like Talkbass and "cant we all just get along"

[John Wentzien]

Originally Posted by Randall

Too Funny. Interviewer wants everyone to boycott Talkbass.com. because Jeff was banned. Sorry I like Jeff Berlin and I like Talkbass and "cant we all just get along"

That's what I wonder!

[John Wentzien]

His new CD is a work of art IMHO...
How about letting the music stand on its own?

[J. Crawford]

I know Jeff Berlin is a great player, and has had some good moments here on TB.

But attitude wise, TB > JB

IMO, of course.

[DreadRaver]

I just can't believe that JB is even talking about this - not an effective way to promote an album, tour or music school!

[alexgeddy]

makes me wonder why JB is so po'd and the same with carol kaye. IMHO i think it is the music business and then some people tryin to push their buttons

[TheBasicBassist]

Originally Posted by DreadRaver

I just can't believe that JB is even talking about this - not an effective way to promote an album, tour or music school!

The interviewer seems to have wanted to egg him on. Very, very tactless, imo. I, actually, really appreciated Jeff's interview until said interviewers obnoxious comment.

On another note, the album sounded great. Just wish that Jeff would turn that **** chorus pedal off and let us hear the true tone of the instrument! To each his own, though.

- John

[PhatBasstard]

Berlin: When we used to tour in Europe, we always did a couple of tunes with Richard on upright. We found that our two basses worked beautifully together because our tones were so different. My manner of soloing is unlike what one might expect from a bass player. Because my main influences aren’t bass players, when I solo, I’ve always aimed at tonalities not expected to come from a bass guitar. Therefore, Richard and I have learned not to get in each other’s octave range. Richard is such a brilliant musician; he is amazing at piano and bass, that I couldn’t resist the opportunity to use him on the upright. It works beautifully!

Boule: I reference reading how Fripp had problems with Bruford’s high-hat stealing many of Fripp’s time and hit accents, and at one point forbade him from taking an acoustic high-hat on tour (for the album Three Of A Perfect Pair). How lucky you two were to find that common ground on the same instrument, never mind within the same band or group. But I understand you did not have the same sort of meeting of the minds with the people at Talkbass.com?

Berlin: I was banned for life because I told the moderators there to go and “bleep” themselves. Not my most adult moment to be sure, but there was a reason. For months I offered help and advice to people on that website and while there, I made a lot of new friends. But mixed into the group were a few guys who pushed the boundaries of decent interaction, calling me things, accusing me of things that I didn’t deserve. The moderators didn’t interfere. I’m not made of stone and after a while, it began to make me mad. I started to shoot back and then the moderators warned me to stop. But, after months of ducking shots at my expense with no warning to anyone else, I continued to lob a couple of final comments at the offending Talkbass members and for this I was blocked for two weeks. When I was permitted to come back to the site, I instantly posted a rude response, not my finest moment to be sure, but I had had enough of taking garbage for months!

Boule: After all, what would YOU know about bass? It almost sounds like you were suckered in. So why should they have you contribute anything? What the heck, I implore on Mr. Berlin’s behalf, good blog readers, let’s boycott Talkbass.com right back! Hell, I’ve never heard of Talkbass, so it can’t be that important.

The Internet can be so petty. Unless you are Betty White. NOBODY screws with Betty White.

And so it begins.

[engedi1]

Originally Posted by TheBasicBassist

The interviewer seems to have wanted to egg him on. Very, very tactless, imo. I, actually, really appreciated Jeff's interview until said interviewers obnoxious comment.

On another note, the album sounded great. Just wish that Jeff would turn that **** chorus pedal off and let us hear the true tone of the instrument! To each his own, though.

- John

+1 with the chorus pedal. I have never understood Jeff's love of chorus. I mean, maybe for a passage here and there, but for entire songs, entire albums, for the last 10 years?! It is frustrating because he is such a monster bada** and the excessive chorus pedaling lowers my enjoyment (I am still planning on buying the new album though)

[jarrhead]

A lot of crap I've seen from Jeff on TB is shining through in this, as well as the interviewer's total admiration of Jeff

Originally Posted by Jeff

...I know of no other school anywhere in the world like The Player School of Music...But at my school, EVERYBODY learns how to play better, without exception..

Originally Posted by Jeff Berlin

They were great, just wonderful! Bill is a good friend, and (to use the cliché) we made beautiful music together

Originally Posted by Interviewer

let’s boycott Talkbass.com right back! Hell, I’ve never heard of Talkbass, so it can’t be that important.

Originally Posted by Interviewer

I have come to find that the only people who don’t think you are the end all, be all of bass players are those who haven’t heard of you.

I love this quote though

Originally Posted by Jeff Berlin

I watch those BBQ shows like I am watching Avatar for the first time. My eyes are huge!

[John Wentzien]

Originally Posted by engedi1

+1 with the chorus pedal. I have never understood Jeff's love of chorus. I mean, maybe for a passage here and there, but for entire songs, entire albums, for the last 10 years?! It is frustrating because he is such a monster bada** and the excessive chorus pedaling lowers my enjoyment (I am still planning on buying the new album though)

I can hear everything very well on this one...
His choice of "voicing" shouldn't diminish the playing...
Lots of players have a "less than desireable" tone to my ears..I can still appreciate the chops though..

[engedi1]

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

I can hear everything very well on this one...
His choice of "voicing" shouldn't diminish the playing...
Lots of players have a "less than desireable" tone to my ears..I can still appreciate the chops though..

I did check out some clips on CD Baby and the chorusing is less obnoxious than other stuff, and, like I said, I fully intend on buying the album and hopefully enjoying the hell out it! You are right to focus on the playing more than the tone, but I feel like JB is trying to make up for the lame tone out of that Dean bass with chorus pedals. I would rather here him play on a stock Fender jazz bass straight to the board (of course, Fender isn't paying him to play their basses) Jeff has always done this, first by playing an even crappier Peavey for years and years. I think he takes some perverse pleasure out of kicking everybody's A** on a cheap bass.
All I am saying that I think playing through a great bass (or even a good bass) with a straighter tone would yield more success.

[rosanne]

When the interviewer asked Jeff who was the best bassist, Jeff replied with the name of the person he considered the fastest bassist. So in his eyes good equals fast? Interesting.

[jarrhead]

Originally Posted by rosanne

When the interviewer asked Jeff who was the best bassist, Jeff replied with the name of the person he considered the fastest bassist. So in his eyes good equals fast? Interesting.

This must be the best bassist in the world then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6F8ZgbbhzI

[thombo]

i thought it was an alright interview, typical of what i would expect from JB (meant as an honest observation, not a flame). it was not a particularly good interview, due to the interviewer.

I thought Jeff avoided controversial issues that the interviewer was trying to pull him into. I also though his assessment of his ban from TB was fair.

i am not a huge JB fan, nor am i one of his detractors. i have only read his threads, never participated.

[sleepytime]

Originally Posted by jarrhead

This must be the best bassist in the world then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6F8ZgbbhzI

Oh yeah. Where do I buy the CD?