Randy Jackson and the idiots who read BP

JimmyM · #1 05-10-2008, 01:08 AM

I couldn't believe what I saw in the new Bass Player tonight...two letters criticizing BP for putting Randy Jackson on the cover. Both of these morons stated how BP only put him on the cover because he's an American Idol judge. And one really prized idiot complained that he was no innovator and they should put Anthony Jackson on the cover instead.

Let's get this straight...BP is in the business of selling magazines. Anyone who thinks they're not is fooling themselves. Educating us is a distant third in their priorities, the first two being selling magazines and selling ads. Anthony Jackson is great but he doesn't sell magazines. Randy Jackson does. And while these letter writers complaining about him probably haven't done a whole lot to distinguish themselves as musicians, Randy has played with Jean Luc Ponty, Journey, Mariah Carey, and many other high profile and talented musicians, and has the respect of every great player out there. Let's see these two morons hang with Jean Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, and a host of others throughout the last 30 years. If they ever were so fortunate to get onstage with Randy, he would blow them off the stage. Is he the world's greatest bassist? No. But since when is that important? And who says that's a prerequisite for having the cover of Bass Player?

I tell you, it makes me disgusted at how people can run their mouths without knowing anything. Especially bassists. We're supposed to be the mellow, level-headed ones. One only needs to spend half an hour at Talkbass to know that's not the case, but it should be. That's typical of this de-evolving society, where everyone thinks they're experts on everything when they actually know very little.

But why the hell would BP publish those letters? Were they the only responses Randy got? I highly doubt it. That really bothers me, because despite his silly "Dawgspeak," Randy Jackson is a brilliant bassist who can hang with anyone out there, and I know I'm not the only one who believes it. And more than being a bassist, Randy is a brilliant all-around musician. So I think BP chose those letters just to generate a little controversy. It worked in my case, so hats off to them, but I think it's disrespectful not to publish letters from the other side.

Snake Doctor · #2 05-10-2008, 01:29 AM

Bottom line- Randy is and always has been a fantastic bass player. That's why he deserves to be on the cover- nuff said!

Out

Joe

Andrew Jones · #3 05-10-2008, 01:34 AM

While I agree with your theme,the particular issue your talking about has a virtually unknown young woman on the cover.

I do however believe that it's the exception.

A welcome one.

Aj

JimmyM · #4 05-10-2008, 01:48 AM

Andrew, I think it's time you get a lesson in magazine publishing:

CUTE CHICKS ALWAYS SELL MAGAZINES!

Sure, she may be unknown to most of us, but she is a gorgeous young lady who likes to wear tight tank tops. If she looked like Randy Jackson, you don't really think she'd make the cover, do you?

SunneyBoy · #5 05-10-2008, 01:59 AM

lets be honest if they were to only put innovators on magazine covers they would have run out of cover pics years ago. the well rounded working bass player makes the world of bass playing go round. and true innovators are there to inspire but unfortunately only come along every couple of years or decades.

GrooveBass · #6 05-10-2008, 02:05 AM

I do think that Randy Jackson's profile has been helped considerably because of American Idol, but they put him there in the first place because he's a damn fine player. So I think that putting him on the cover of Bass Player, while it really looks like a publicity ploy, is really not. He's not been on the cover before to my knowledge, and it's about time someone of his achievments be recognised.

As a side note....A bass player finally gets some love, and everyone comes after him with pitchforks and torches. But bassists will be some of the first to raise heck about not getting recognised. Kind of a contradiction, donchya think?

Andrew Jones · #7 05-10-2008, 02:12 AM

I think I give the BP team and Esperanza more credit than you guys.

I agree about the basic trends that I see in BP but there seems to be a little shift for the better.Indicting a internal pull towards the light for BP.

Victors not on the cover,he's support story.

I won't go as far as to call Esperanza a "innovator" because it seems to earn the title the voice has to become popularized and copped to the point of seeing it's offspring in the history of the instrument.

But I will say I'm a HUGE fan, she's has a very unique thing going on, absolutely identifiable. She's got chops, she's musical.I can't say enough about her.

She's in a Turtle neck on the Cover.Just a head shot.

I thought putting Tal on the Cover was supporting your thing more.

Aj

JimmyM · #8 05-10-2008, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Jones

I thought putting Tal on the Cover was supporting your thing more.

It'll happen. She'll probably have to put out a new solo album to make it happen, but it'll happen.

Andrew Jones · #9 05-10-2008, 02:20 AM

She was on the Cover a couple of months back.

Aj

JimmyM · #10 05-10-2008, 02:24 AM

She was? I know she got a feature, but I didn't know it was a cover. Been a while so I forget...

Oh well...if she did, then it reinforces what I said

Andrew Jones · #11 05-10-2008, 02:34 AM

I think she was....

Yes, I though that it was a much better example to support your point. She did get the exposer from the Clapton video....

But Esperanza on the Cover? That really surprised me. She's so unknown that theres not even a thread on this side (EB) saying "Cool" or "who?" theres nothing! On the DB side theres a thread 6 post long. Not that she's unknown over there, She gets her propers.

How long was that Tal thread?......"She's Amazing" .."She's Hot"....."She's not so great but she is hot"..over an over

Aj

Basshole · #12 05-10-2008, 02:44 AM

Hey, as a bassist, he's in the spotlight right now (bassist makes the bigtime!). It's a pretty sound business move to put him on the cover...and it's not like he's undeserving.

He is a great player.

Jean Luc Ponty
Mariah Carey
Journey

So some of today's children think he's the dawg dude from Idol.

He still plays his ass off...

Snake Doctor · #13 05-10-2008, 03:41 AM

Let's not forget his first gig with Billy Cobham.

Out

Joe

Baryonyx · #14 05-10-2008, 05:07 AM

If you had reason too believe Randy should not be on the cover because he is unqualified to be there, you're merely ignorant.

However, the way he continually says "dawg" is ridiculously annoying.

jerry · #15 05-10-2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Doctor

Let's not forget his first gig with Billy Cobham.

Out

Joe

I saw that tour when Randy was with Cobham, he was great!!!

Rico_2212 · #16 05-10-2008, 06:12 AM

As far as I can remember, Randy used to write a column for BP. I think that says more than enough about his qualifications than his current status as "American Idol" judge. Just my 2 cents.

MrBorisSpider · #17 05-10-2008, 12:04 PM

First, Randy Jackson isn't an 'innovator', but he does deserve a little recognition. For God's sake (and he's among my favourites, don't get me wrong) Adam Clayton made the cover once. Clayton is no virtuoso, although he has gotten better and has laid down some memorable basslines. Same thing with John Taylor. That in-and-of-itself should be enough. I don't want to see or hear of Jaco every damn month. I love Barbary Coast and respect what they did, but get off his sack already. He was great, but I personally think Jamerson was better. Why hasn't Jamerson gotten a cover?

Also Tal does deserve a cover. She's very good at the bass thing and, called me whatever, she's cute (I have a thing for women that play bass

). That'll sell covers by istelf.

matty589 · #18 05-10-2008, 05:03 PM

Don't magazines put someone on the cover because they've recently been in the limelight, or because they're about to be? So, as Randy Jackson has been an American Idol judge then he fits that criteria. He also happens to be a great bass player. I can't see a problem with that. although he is my favorite bass player (only Gary Willis holds a candle imho) I don't expect to see Anthony Jackson on the cover of BP soon because his profile isn't that high (although if you're in the know it's a whole different ball game!). The cover is what the casual (or not-so-casual) browser sees at a news stand, so a photo or a name that catches the eye might just sell more copies. Tal can certainly play but she has created a buzz because of her young age and gets on the cover of BP because she is the flavor of the month (and an attractive woman will always sell more music magazines than an overweight middle-aged man - not sexist but a fact of life). The cover and interview is also a small proportion of the whole magazine.
Here's hoping James Jamerson is on the next cover (25 years RIP)...

Dr. Cheese · #19 05-10-2008, 05:17 PM

I chalk the criticism of Randy on the cover to ignorance. Those of us old enough to remember know he is an incredible player. Furthermore, he is a bassist who has gone on to be a hugely successful producer, executive, and music director; if he never talked about music knowledge, he could write a three volume work on the business of music.

WJGreer · #20 05-10-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Those of us old enough to remember know he is an incredible player

This is the heart of the matter, right here. Most of BP's readers simply are too young to be aware of the breadth and depth of Jackson's career apart from American Idol.

Why did BP publish the letters, then? My guess is that, based on Idol's immense popularity and the average age of both the Idol audience and BP readership, there were a large number of letters like those, and they decided to publish a few in order to represent the volume.