How much do you like Simon Gallup?

zachoff · #1 05-17-2010, 12:28 AM

Dude's rarely mentioned and has become a pretty big influence on me. He's pretty much the foundation of The Cure and comes up with simple, interesting lines that carry the song... My favorite approach to music. So, here's to you, Simon... Keep rocking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbWsS8wpSRc

DiabolicLow B · #2 05-21-2010, 06:49 AM

I think Simon Gallup is fantastic, very tasty basslines, I was a big fan of The Cure back in the 80's although I am sure he did not play on all of their material.

88ric2030 · #3 05-21-2010, 06:58 AM

Really love his playing on the old Cure stuff, and the Manchester stuff in general

Ian Perge · #4 05-21-2010, 08:44 AM

A metric ton - he was one of the first bassists that I took away the "you can play bass in the midrange/upper-end of the instrument and still be playing bass" style of playing from and added it into my own. An absolutely unique bassist from his playing to his tone, as well as having a good amount of Cure songs far apart should you take him out of the equation - very much the "glue" of the band without playing 8th Roots as most glue-type players are apt to do.

vegas532 · #5 05-21-2010, 09:16 AM

Simon is what you call inventive without stepping on everyone else's toes. He carries the song's melody the vast majority of the time without EVER showboating...a lesson that all of us can use.

Bruce Lindfield · #6 05-21-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Perge

A metric ton - he was one of the first bassists that I took away the "you can play bass in the midrange/upper-end of the instrument and still be playing bass" style of playing from and added it into my own.

I feel the exact opposite and that in a lot of Cure tunes he is not playing a bass line, but rather is playing a rhythm guitar part.

In fact the only Cure bass line I like, is "Love Cats"...

jackduran · #7 05-22-2010, 12:21 PM

This is slightly off topic, and I'm not a Cure/Gallup fan, but I used his old Ampeg rig in the studio early last year. The producer/engineer there bought it back in the 90s (if I remember rightly) and had it fixed up. Here it is:

The guy who owns it now (the producer I mentioned) plays bass in a band fronted by the singer from Space (as in 'Female of the Species').

pica · #8 05-22-2010, 12:24 PM

I've been a big fan of The Cure and Simon for a long time. And your right, he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Along with Robert, Simon is the heart of The Cure. I think Robert and Simon are the only original members left. Check out "Fascination Street" to hear Simon at his best.

My Bad.....The Cure were started in 1976 and Simon didn't join until 1979. However, Robert Smith started a band that would become The Cure in 1973.

these_go211 · #9 05-25-2010, 07:55 PM

amen on 'fascination street.' such a great line, and great tone. i could listen to that looped for hours. he's a great bassist. i've always dug him.

The modifier · #10 05-25-2010, 08:52 PM

I love the man for not only his amazing bass lines and tone, but the fact the he is primarily a pick bassist (as am I) really does it for me, plus to top it off hes got a ton of style, one of my favorite Cure songs (and bass tone) can be seen on this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E9d9f5yuNM, glad to hear all the love for Simon and The Cure.

vegas532 · #11 05-25-2010, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The modifier

I love the man for not only his amazing bass lines and tone, but the fact the he is primarily a pick bassist (as am I) really does it for me, plus to top it off hes got a ton of style, one of my favorite Cure songs (and bass tone) can be seen on this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E9d9f5yuNM, glad to hear all the love for Simon and The Cure.

I love the fact that the video states that he's playing the Eccleshall, yet it's a custom Schecter in the actual video.

lunarpollen · #12 05-25-2010, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackduran

The guy who owns it now (the producer I mentioned) plays bass in a band fronted by the singer from Space (as in 'Female of the Species').

What's the name of that band??? I loved Space!

raymondl3 · #13 05-25-2010, 10:07 PM

I thought he sounded best when he used a Music Man in the mid to late 80's.

Krohurte · #14 05-25-2011, 11:46 AM

Happy to see so much respect for him in a bassists' board. He's rarely mentioned as important/influential/respectable in musician's polls or magazines, but he sure is exactly these to me. I like my upfront bass players like Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, John Paul Jones and others but Simon is - as mentioned - extremely tasty in his writing and playing and his sound. Watching the "Trilogy" DVD where he changes his bass according to the original recordings shows just that. Awesome Ricky sound for the Pornography songs.
His lines carry the Cure songs mostly on 4 chord patterns hypnotically over which the band's guitarists can shine and fizzle. I especially love his bass in "End", what a massive bass line! And on "Disintegration", "At Night", "A Strange Day", "Screw" oh too many to mention. Biiiiig influence for me.

ERIC31 · #15 05-25-2011, 12:36 PM

He was literally my first bass teacher! I first started playing and learning to 'The Cure In Orange' vhs tape back in 1988. He is awesome! All of the 80's Cure stuff with Simon is excellent.

One of my bass heroes!!!

raymondl3 · #16 05-25-2011, 12:54 PM

Yeah I liked the sound he had in "Orange." He always played simple melodic lines with confidence and without a hint of arrogance.

loendmaestro · #17 06-04-2011, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by these_go211

amen on 'fascination street.' such a great line, and great tone. i could listen to that looped for hours. he's a great bassist. i've always dug him.

Yes! I made two bands of mine cover Fascination Street because I love that tune so much...

ERIC31 · #18 06-04-2011, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondl3

I thought he sounded best when he used a Music Man in the mid to late 80's.

+1000!

This was the first CD single I ever bought because I loved the song so much.

TigerClaw · #19 06-04-2011, 10:45 AM

Haha, it was Gallup's birthday a couple days ago. The bass work on Disintegration is amazing, the newer record that came out in 2008 has some interesting stuff on it as well, but more of a post rock vibe.

http://youtu.be/1mjl7D_eyzk

My favorite Simon Gallup Bassline:

http://youtu.be/z6hmw74cCUQ

winterburn69 · #20 06-04-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I feel the exact opposite and that in a lot of Cure tunes he is not playing a bass line, but rather is playing a rhythm guitar part.

In fact the only Cure bass line I like, is "Love Cats"...

Kinda ironic, Simon didn't play bass on The Lovecats. He quit the band from 1982 to 1985, so he didn't play on the singles released after Pornography (The Walk, Let's Go to Bed & The Lovecats) and he also didn't play on The Top. He also joined the band in 1979, after Three Imaginary Boys was recorded, so he didn't play on any of that either, or the Killing an Arab, Boys Don't Cry or Jumping Someone Else's Train singles. To my knowledge, he's played bass on everything else by The Cure.

Phil Thornalley played bass on The Lovecats, I have read he used a fretless Rickenbacker 4001.

Personally, I like Simon Gallup lots, and take lots of influence from him and have kinda modeled my pedalboard and gear after his. He's got dozens of crazy awesome lines though, Close to Me, The Kiss, Disintegration, The Reasons Why, Freakshow, The Real Snow White, Why Can't I Be You?, The Holy Hour, Just Like Heaven & A Forest all stick out in my mind.

We all know he used to use flatwound strings in the '80s & '90s on his Stringrays and other basses, but does he use flats with the Thunderbirds? I downloaded the 12:13 Dream show and can't tell if they're flats, despite the really good tone and clarity of the recording... it's an awesome show actually, great setlist, recorded in December of '08. I recommend a download if everyone doesn't already have it.