Krist Novoselic - Underrated?

BassFace01 · #1 01-07-2010, 09:00 AM

Sure he plays with a pick and with his bass very low, and he was in a band that everyone seems to see as "overrated", but I believe he was very underrated.

Anyone else agree?

iamthebassman · #2 01-07-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassFace01

Sure he plays with a pick and with his bass very low...

Awesomenaut · #3 01-07-2010, 10:58 AM

For the band that he was in he actually played some pretty complex stuff. I remember thinking, "Ah! Nirvana! Those would be some pretty easy songs to learn." Then I actually gave the bass lines a listen...

LaklandBass · #4 01-07-2010, 11:00 AM

I agree. It seems that between him, Jeff Ament and Ben Sheppard the whole seattle scene is home to many underrated bass players.

Riley R · #5 01-07-2010, 11:00 AM

As far a I know Nirvana is looked at as one of the greatest bands, what does it matter if he used a pick? or where he wheres his bass? Look at Justin Chancellor, he uses a pick and if you said he wasn't good because of that you would get flamed around here. Kris did what he needed to make the music, it wasn't rush by no means but it was what it was. He is a good bass player for what he did.

tomwilliams1983 · #6 01-07-2010, 11:00 AM

well thes nothing wrong with using a pick although i would of chose different for some of their songs but he did wear his bass ridiculously low.
and the was the time he knocked himself out throwing his bass in the air and trying to catch it.
but yes he did occaisonally lay down quite a complex bassline

Winterpegbass · #7 01-07-2010, 11:25 AM

I like Nirvana music but I never really thought much of the bass player.

In one of last year's Bass Player Magazines, there was an interview with the session bass player who was hired to record all of the bass parts for the Guitar Hero video game. He said that learning and recording bass parts like YYZ were easy for him because of his jazz background but that it was hard for him to get Nirvana's "Smells like teen spirit" to sound right.

Who knew?

tycobb73 · #8 01-07-2010, 11:41 AM

They guy who recored the guitar parts said something similar and blamed it to loose timing.

Rickett Customs · #9 01-07-2010, 11:44 AM

Krist doesn't even play bass anymore, does he?

Deluge Of Sound · #10 01-07-2010, 11:46 AM

I don't think so, though his post Nirvana projects (Sweet 75 and Eyes Adrift) are definitely worth checking out--Eyes Adrift in particular had one stellar album.

Rickett Customs · #11 01-07-2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

I don't think so, though his post Nirvana projects (Sweet 75 and Eyes Adrift) are definitely worth checking out--Eyes Adrift in particular had one stellar album.

Yeah, I thought "JAMPAC" would have him jampacked with very little time for bass anymore

cactus waltz · #12 01-07-2010, 12:47 PM

Well, competing with both Kurt Cobain, who was absolutely huge at the height of Nirvana's popularity, as well as Dave Grohl, who went on to form Foo Fighters, I figure Krist got a bit lost in-between?

chondro776 · #13 01-07-2010, 01:06 PM

Funny story.
For the record, I was in high school during the height of the grunge movement, and am a very big fan of Cobain's song writing (the execution leaves a little to be desired).

My band is currently learning some covers so we can get some better paying gigs (normally we play originals).

We have torn through a plethora of stuff....311, Breaking Benjamin, James Brown. Most of it with little to no problem.

Then we get to Heart Shaped Box (probably my fav tune of theirs).

All hell breaks loose.

My guitarist and I absolutely insist that each other is hearing the melody incorrectly.

Turns out, the only one who got it right was our singer who, while he can 'play' isn't a shred master by any stretch.

Apparently, if one wants to figure out a Nirvana song, it is best to jettison all musical knowledge and just hunt and peck around the neck for the right notes.

To my ear, they are not in tune with themselves let alone each other. Kurt misses the note he is aiming for as often as he hits it, and half of the notes are being marginally bent out of tune as he goes.

So yeah, I think Nirvana is deceptively challenging to learn and play for actual musicians. If however, you only own a guitar to impress the chicks, it is probably very natural to figure out.

shawshank72 · #14 01-07-2010, 01:28 PM

Underrated? BIG TIME!
I bought my first bass and actually learned how to play it because of him and the nirvana sound. If you listen to alot of the b-side and unreleased stuff it was better than the studio work. Simple straight forward and to the point.
You can play as bad as you want
As sloppy as you want
As long as you play with passion.
I am a huge nirvana fan as for many years I always had this musical sound in my head and finally someone made it come alive for me.
Most bass snobs will say he isnt talented but then cant play his stuff. example:
When I was taking lessons for a few months, as a reward my techer asked me what song would I like to learn. I chose Lounge Act by Nirvana. For all of his talent and years of experience he couldnt play it. He was so technical that he couldnt feel the song and instead played a very steril version of it. I stopped going to lessons and taught myself from then on, the only covers I learned were nirvana songs. I have been in many of bands and always still play out and have fun playing original music, and still today the way he played with passion and simplicity with a twist of underated talent, is the way I still play today.

Limeman · #15 01-07-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawshank72

... the way he played with passion and simplicity with a twist of underated talent, is the way I still play today.

If that isn't Rock, then what is?

shawshank72 · #16 01-07-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limeman

If that isn't Rock, then what is?

Oh yeah

BassFace01 · #17 01-08-2010, 12:49 PM

I didn't mean to say playing with a pick is wrong, I play with a pick a lot too. I just meant to imply he's not exactly someone that you would consider to be an artisan of his craft, yet he was incredibly influential and underrated.

southshoreconor · #18 01-08-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

I agree. It seems that between him, Jeff Ament and Ben Sheppard the whole seattle scene is home to many underrated bass players.

ahem, Nate Mendel.

Thankful birds · #19 01-08-2010, 01:05 PM

Big second on Mendel (mainly for the Sunny Day stuff, not a huge Foos fan).

southshoreconor · #20 01-08-2010, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thankful birds

Big second on Mendel (mainly for the Sunny Day stuff, not a huge Foos fan).

yeah, he's a bit more reserved in FF, but thats what most of that material calls for. he's solid as a rock. i caught a sunny day show in arizona i think about two months ago and he was rock solid then, too.