Jack Casady with a pick?

The Lurker · #1 06-21-2008, 10:20 PM

One thing that's been nagging at me for a while now is how Anthony Jackson credits Jack Casady for getting him interested in using a pick and effects..... viz the quote from the big Bass Player interview...

Quote:

“It was Casady's sound that kept me exploring the expressive possibilities of using the pick. To this day, when I use one and a flanger, Casady's influence emerges and can be clearly detected by an aficionado.”

And with all respect to AJ, I just can't think of any instance I've seen or heard in which Jack played with a pick..... even all of the Jefferson Airplane footage I've seen shows him as playing with fingers all the time.

Not 100% sure about the flanger thing, but there was so much reverb and tape echo and stuff on the Airplane stuff that I can't make that call.

So... um... your thoughts?

jerry · #2 06-22-2008, 09:22 AM

I've seen him strum, but not pick.

JimK · #3 06-22-2008, 02:30 PM

...maybe it's Casady's "sound" & Casady's approach (guitaristic bass lines?).
I tecall that AJ interview & I admit I was confused a bit, too.

bassist15 · #4 06-22-2008, 05:44 PM

I've always thought the same thing too. I have NEVER heard or seen Jack using a pic but AJ always credits him with using one.

MLysh · #5 06-23-2008, 07:09 AM

If you check out the pictures of Jack at Woodstock, I believe you will see a pick stuck under the truss rod cover on the Guild headstock. He's definately using one on the "After Bathing At Baxter's" cut "reJoyce".

MR PC · #6 06-24-2008, 12:26 AM

Maybe Anthony saw Casady play with a pick somewhere, once.

I do remember reading an interview with Jack in which he stated that he played with index and middle fingers taped together for a time, because he felt that it would help to unlearn some "bad overplaying" technique he had been using. Pretty bizarre approach!

JimK · #7 06-24-2008, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

I do remember reading an interview with Jack in which he stated that he played with index and middle fingers taped together for a time, because he felt that it would help to unlearn some "bad overplaying" technique he had been using.

Once upon a time, I was tasked with putting a line down for a local New Country/Pop/Rock tune. The "composer" said he wanted something during the verses like McCartney on "Nowhere Man"...the chorus would have a Latin-ish beat.
In short, he wasn't diggin' it. After about 5 takes...the "composer" sits & stares at my right hand.
Eureka, he's got it...the 'problem'? I need to play with only 1 finger on my plucking hand.
The verse ended up being something like this-
l1_--3&-&l1_-&3_4_l

Why the Hell didn't he just say he wanted something totally 'stock'?

MR PC · #8 06-24-2008, 02:51 PM

Should of been the first clue the composer had spent a lot of time in an elevator going nowhere.

Session musicians are members of the worlds oldest profession. The client pays, and you play. Accept the check, get on the elevator and leave the building. Go to the bank.

Back to Jack Casady please.

**Thor** · #9 06-24-2008, 03:11 PM

Don't see it.

**Thor** · #10 06-24-2008, 03:13 PM

Not here.

**Thor** · #11 06-24-2008, 03:14 PM

Nope.

MR PC · #12 06-24-2008, 04:02 PM

Not in the pics, but still he could have used one here or there.

I can't imagine that he was able to get much sound out of that Bass Balalaika without some kind of pick, for example.

Remember, Jack became known during the "SUMMER OF LOVE" in which just about anything went for anyone as long as no one got hurt.

Of course it didn't last more than a little while.

Bobby Vega would know if Jack had ever used a pick. He's one expert on all of the "60's Bay Area electric bass players, and has a few of his instruments.

Another guy who would know is Rick Turner, he worked with Jack's instruments a lot early on.

**Thor** · #13 06-24-2008, 04:41 PM

The 69 pic with the Turner modded Starfire 2 doesn't
exactly strike me as a balalaika

, but from what I know
about Jack, and according to his DVD, he has always been
all about tone and how to derive it from what position
he plays on the fingerboard and right hand placement on the
strings.

He does get very good attack, and others probably get that
with a pick. I have never seen any picture of him with one.

If you can find any indication of that to the contrary, let me
know as I am always learning more about and from him.

Or I could just email my friend who teaches at the Fur Peace
Ranch with Jorma from time to time and ask her to ask him, but
that would take the work out of it about finding out
about it.

But my honest take is- no. No pick.

MR PC · #14 06-24-2008, 05:45 PM

The Bass Balalaika, I heard Jack play that live on KPFA once, and I read references to it being converted to four strings by Rick Turner. It sounded wonderful. Guess he mighta' been using his flesh on that one.

Seems to be one of Jack's secret weapons.

Actually, there is a lot of mystique around the artistry of his early career.

In this case, I think the answer is more like......"well maybe.....but let me think....no, maybe, I'll have to get back yo you on that".

No doubt though that Jack's greatest moments were produced with the technique he teaches now. This technique didn't happen the first time Jack picked up a bass, he had to experiment to find the sound, IMHO.

BTW, wasn't he playing a Telecaster before he picked up the Bass?

MR PC · #15 06-24-2008, 06:05 PM

"SVT" an ill fated S.F. new wave/punk musical experiment with Jack on bass.

Slide show pic # 3 shows Jack's thumb inserted into a thumbpick (probably a National brand) while holding a bass on stage.

Do you suppose that he is playing, or praying to a God Less Known?

http://www.eclypso.com/svt/index.html

cnltb · #16 07-02-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

One thing that's been nagging at me for a while now is how Anthony Jackson credits Jack Casady for getting him interested in using a pick and effects..... viz the quote from the big Bass Player interview...

And with all respect to AJ, I just can't think of any instance I've seen or heard in which Jack played with a pick..... even all of the Jefferson Airplane footage I've seen shows him as playing with fingers all the time.

Not 100% sure about the flanger thing, but there was so much reverb and tape echo and stuff on the Airplane stuff that I can't make that call.

So... um... your thoughts?

I recon casady's sound had a pick like quality which inspired to try get close to that sound ,using a pick.
I have not read the interview in a while and can not remember if it is said that casady actually used a pick. I remember his sound described , not his means to achieve this tone. As I say, I have not read it in a good while.