My dad quit bass 20 years ago because "there were no inspiring bassists around".

Sytadel · #1 03-12-2010, 11:34 PM

I'd like to enlist some help proving him wrong. Short background:

He playes bass originally just to get in to a band, and I doubt he ever really moved beyond "dabbling" in the instrument. He was in to Led Zeppelin, but I've never him speak especially highly of John Paul Jones (not to imply he denigrated him). I know he was also big on Deep Purple and a little Black Sabbath. He's also mentioned he has an affinity for jazz bass. While I suppose his tates centred on late-70s/early-80s early metal/hard rock, he was ultimately pretty electic in his interests.

Anyway, he stopped playing bass in the mid-late 80s. Many years later, he'd have two kids who would get heavily involved in to music - I'm a pianist and my sister plays a variety of interests. Just as he listened to Sabbath/Purple/Zeppelin, I listened to the prog and metal bands they inspired. I reintroduced him to the thread he'd lost a while ago and he's been amazed to discover what bass players are doing these days.

So, what I would like to do is put together a mix of bass songs from 15-20+ years ago that he "missed", the kind of stuff that should've kept him playing the instrument. I have a few picks already but would appreciate some help. He particularly likes mid-range bass tones, jazz bass, and I don't think harmonic stuff impresses him too much.

Here are a few of my picks but i'd appreciate additional input:
- N.I.B. by Black Sabbath
- My Generation by The Who (a less poppy alternative would be good though)
- You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette/Flea (some of Flea's earlier stuff would be ideal, but this would be more accepted)
- What is and What should never be by Led Zeppelin
- Something by The Blue Oyster Cult (not sure what though)
- YYZ by Rush
- Something from Metallica's early years

Most of my interests are too contemporary, so any further suggestions would be appreciated. Cheers

TAOspeedwagon · #2 03-12-2010, 11:36 PM

give him this

www.myspace.com/snarkypuppy

listen to the track "Flood", "Celebrity", and "Whitecap"

bommer · #3 03-12-2010, 11:41 PM

dude, for unreal bass from 80's and earlier, check out the band "Yes". Chris Squire, bass genious

Jim Campbell · #4 03-12-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sytadel

I'd like to enlist some help proving him wrong. Short background:

He playes bass originally just to get in to a band, and I doubt he ever really moved beyond "dabbling" in the instrument. He was in to Led Zeppelin, but I've never him speak especially highly of John Paul Jones (not to imply he denigrated him). I know he was also big on Deep Purple and a little Black Sabbath. He's also mentioned he has an affinity for jazz bass. While I suppose his tates centred on late-70s/early-80s early metal/hard rock, he was ultimately pretty electic in his interests.

Anyway, he stopped playing bass in the mid-late 80s. Many years later, he'd have two kids who would get heavily involved in to music - I'm a pianist and my sister plays a variety of interests. Just as he listened to Sabbath/Purple/Zeppelin, I listened to the prog and metal bands they inspired. I reintroduced him to the thread he'd lost a while ago and he's been amazed to discover what bass players are doing these days.

So, what I would like to do is put together a mix of bass songs from 15-20+ years ago that he "missed", the kind of stuff that should've kept him playing the instrument. I have a few picks already but would appreciate some help. He particularly likes mid-range bass tones, jazz bass, and I don't think harmonic stuff impresses him too much.

Here are a few of my picks but i'd appreciate additional input:
- N.I.B. by Black Sabbath
- My Generation by The Who (a less poppy alternative would be good though)
- You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette/Flea (some of Flea's earlier stuff would be ideal, but this would be more accepted)
- What is and What should never be by Led Zeppelin
- Something by The Blue Oyster Cult (not sure what though)
- YYZ by Rush
- Something from Metallica's early years

Most of my interests are too contemporary, so any further suggestions would be appreciated. Cheers

nib,what is and what should never be,and my generation are forty years old

Sytadel · #5 03-13-2010, 12:10 AM

Yeah, older is fine. Anything during the period where he played (late 60s to mid 80s) is good - as long as it's something he should've listened to, but didn't.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

**bassybill** · #6 03-13-2010, 12:23 AM

Interesting mix you got there! The songs are between 15 and 45 years old. It amuses me how youngsters chuck 60s stuff in with the 90s - well, it's all old, right?

Similar sort of thing with my dad. He'd say that his favourite 40s stuff came from a different world to the rock'n'roll of the fifties, but anything from 1970 onwards is "recent". I guess we are all very much products of our formative years.

JTE · #7 03-13-2010, 09:05 AM

You said he has eclectic tastes and appreciates jazz. Seems Jaco would an obvious choice. Rush maybe- I say "maybe because for me, I was playing a lot in those days, but Geddy et. al. just didn't impact me in any way. Prog in general just left me cold. But there's some interesting bass there if you can get into the music first.

And there are some very tasty and to me inspiring bassist in the '80s onward too. Sting comes to mind along with Mike Mills (R.E.M). They both play interesting notes that shape the songs in ways that most bassist wouldn't seem to have thought of. Plus Pino's landmark work with Paul Young is going to get attention too.

John

Greevus · #8 03-13-2010, 09:15 AM

If he likes Sab/Purple/Zep, get him IRON MAIDEN. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Phantom of the Opera", "Where Eagles Dare". If he hasn't listened to YES and RUSH, then yeah, get them too.

GianGian · #9 03-13-2010, 09:22 AM

Late 60s? What about Cream and Beatles?

yeahitsanibanez · #10 03-13-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greevus

If he likes Sab/Purple/Zep, get him IRON MAIDEN. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Phantom of the Opera", "Where Eagles Dare". If he hasn't listened to YES and RUSH, then yeah, get them too.

invaders and murders in the rue morgue are good too

jgroh · #11 03-13-2010, 09:33 AM

I was going to say have him listen to alot of Rush and Yes but others here have done a good job of wrapping it up.

scott123 · #12 03-13-2010, 08:00 PM

If he is open to the style of music, give him some John Taylor from Duran Duran.

DerHoggz · #13 03-13-2010, 08:06 PM

Larry Graham if he wants something funky!

JukeBoxHero · #14 03-13-2010, 11:08 PM

For Blue Oyster Cult, I would say Nosferatu, Hot Rails to Hell, or 7 Screaming Diz Busters.

BassScum · #15 03-13-2010, 11:26 PM

He may have quit bass. But did he quit listening to music altogether as well? Seems to me that if he listened to the radio in his car or anywhere else he surley would have been exposed to a variety of different bands.

guroove · #16 03-13-2010, 11:45 PM

Mid to late 80s? How about some Chili Peppers? Freaky Styley was one of the last bastions of funk. Going backwards from that, do I have to mention Jaco? Jeff Beck's Wired and Blow by Blow are great. Headhunters had some great bass parts. Parliament is a little bit of an acquired taste, but you can't mess with Bootsy. It sounds like he decided to live under a rock if he couldn't find inspiring bass players.

archer121 · #17 03-13-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sytadel

I'd like to enlist some help proving him wrong. Short background:

He playes bass originally just to get in to a band, and I doubt he ever really moved beyond "dabbling" in the instrument. He was in to Led Zeppelin, but I've never him speak especially highly of John Paul Jones (not to imply he denigrated him). I know he was also big on Deep Purple and a little Black Sabbath. He's also mentioned he has an affinity for jazz bass. While I suppose his tates centred on late-70s/early-80s early metal/hard rock, he was ultimately pretty electic in his interests.

Anyway, he stopped playing bass in the mid-late 80s. Many years later, he'd have two kids who would get heavily involved in to music - I'm a pianist and my sister plays a variety of interests. Just as he listened to Sabbath/Purple/Zeppelin, I listened to the prog and metal bands they inspired. I reintroduced him to the thread he'd lost a while ago and he's been amazed to discover what bass players are doing these days.

So, what I would like to do is put together a mix of bass songs from 15-20+ years ago that he "missed", the kind of stuff that should've kept him playing the instrument. I have a few picks already but would appreciate some help. He particularly likes mid-range bass tones, jazz bass, and I don't think harmonic stuff impresses him too much.

Here are a few of my picks but i'd appreciate additional input:
- N.I.B. by Black Sabbath
- My Generation by The Who (a less poppy alternative would be good though)
- You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette/Flea (some of Flea's earlier stuff would be ideal, but this would be more accepted)
- What is and What should never be by Led Zeppelin
- Something by The Blue Oyster Cult (not sure what though)
- YYZ by Rush
- Something from Metallica's early years

Most of my interests are too contemporary, so any further suggestions would be appreciated. Cheers

To be honest, it doesn't really matter why your dad decided to drop the bass. What matters is that you decided to pick it back up.

Mike · #18 03-14-2010, 03:50 AM

don't exclude the rest of rush's moving pictures. yyz, as great as it is, isn't the only inspiring track on that album

BillMason · #19 03-14-2010, 06:22 AM

Almost anything from Iron Maiden's first four albums - especially Killers.

theevilplankton · #20 03-14-2010, 06:24 AM

Play him 'The Holy Bible' from the Manic Street Preachers - their last good album, and some nice bass sounds on there. Simple, but effective.

This century, I believe, is a bit harder, as so many records have the bass buried in the mix, and nowhere near as identifiable as it used to be...and I'm just 36!

The Mars Volta have some crazy bass work, though...very cool.