Really enjoyed Timothy Schmit last night & Eagles

joegrant413 · #1 06-25-2010, 03:34 PM

Didn't know what to expect, got the tickets as a gift. But the Eagles were great last night in a St. Louis concert.

This being my first year as a bassist, of course I had to notice how Timothy Schmit was doing. Best I can tell, most of his basslines were very meat-and-potatoes simple, But they were ROCK SOLID.

I really appreciate how my foot could not stop moving to the beat, and I believe major kudos are in order to Mr. Schmit for that.

In general, the Eagles were tight and top-notch last night, except for the lead vocals at the beginning of one or two songs.

Again, what is prompting me to write is how "simple" but compelling the bass playing was, and it is schooling me on the importance of getting that rhythm thing down as cold as possible as a musician, esp. as a bass player.

Cheers,
-- Joe

boisebassco · #2 06-25-2010, 03:42 PM

Just saw them again a couple weeks ago. Amazing band, but I too noticed the vocal problems here and there.... I've had the pleasure of seeing them probably 15 times... and this was a first. Maybe sick? Anyway, Timothy B is a fine player, and a great singer... very under-rated, and his fretless playing in a couple songs was very nice. He does what most of us should... plays what the song needs, no more, no less.

joegrant413 · #3 06-25-2010, 07:05 PM

ga_edwards · #4 06-26-2010, 07:02 PM

Whilst not the most technically challenging of basslines, I wouldn't call Eagles basslines dead simple either. I think part of Tim's magic, indeed the whole bands magic, is they make it all look so simple, when in fact they are playing incredibly complex yet delicate song structures with great skill. Playing those tunes for the best part of 30 years helps a little too

JimmyM · #5 06-26-2010, 10:22 PM

i'm more of a randy meisner guy

but timothy is a hell of a player and did some great stuff with poco while randy was doing the eagles. too bad don henley is such a tremendous douchebag. it can't be easy playing in that band with him, having to kiss his ass all the time, especially for joe walsh, who really doesn't need them. henley's the entire reason it took years to get an eagles reunion going. everyone hates him.

COBRARI · #6 06-26-2010, 11:23 PM

He was a huge influence on me when he played in a band named "The New Breed".
One of the reasons I decided to pick up the bass was one night watching him play the bass line to Bobby Hebb's "Sunny".
I use the bass in his song "Want-Ad Reader" for warming up my fingers before playing.
He released a solo LP called "Feed the Fire" a few years ago and I went down to the local store and saw him play while promoting the LP. Mellow dude to say the least.

elgecko · #7 06-26-2010, 11:58 PM

Did they do New York minute or Sunset Grill? Those have some tasty fretless lines.

corinpills · #8 06-27-2010, 06:16 PM

Plus, it should be noted , Timothy sings "I Can't Tell You Why" in that beautiful falsetto of his. Yeah, Henley is a turd, but Joe Walsh and Timothy B Schmidt almost make up for him. Almost.

Thunderthumbs73 · #9 06-27-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegrant413

Didn't know what to expect, got the tickets as a gift. But the Eagles were great last night in a St. Louis concert.

This being my first year as a bassist, of course I had to notice how Timothy Schmit was doing. Best I can tell, most of his basslines were very meat-and-potatoes simple, But they were ROCK SOLID.

I really appreciate how my foot could not stop moving to the beat, and I believe major kudos are in order to Mr. Schmit for that.

In general, the Eagles were tight and top-notch last night, except for the lead vocals at the beginning of one or two songs.

Again, what is prompting me to write is how "simple" but compelling the bass playing was, and it is schooling me on the importance of getting that rhythm thing down as cold as possible as a musician, esp. as a bass player.

Cheers,
-- Joe

One of my favorite bassist/singers. I will happily watch any performance of his, or listen to anything he's been involved with.

joegrant413 · #10 06-27-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgecko

Did they do New York minute or Sunset Grill? Those have some tasty fretless lines.

Not that I recall, sorry.

BTW, I was really surprised how they gave plenty of room for Joe Walsh / James Gang tunes and Don Henley solo tunes. "Rocky Mountain Way" was even one of the encores.

Joe Walsh rocked out. I don't know how old he is, but there's magic in the way he can thump out rhythms. And shred, of course.

-- another Joe

bassman1987 · #11 06-27-2010, 10:12 PM

I saw their show about in Denver about a month back, definitely one of the all-time great bands. I've always been a big fan of Schmit's bass playing, his line on "I Can't Tell You Why" (played while also singing a killer lead vocal) = pure win.

Not to de-rail the thread but for simple-yet-rock-solid bass playing I'm also a big Ron Blair fan, a few days ago I caught Tom Petty/the Heartbreakers' Omaha show and Blair basically put on a two-hour clinic of how to tastefully support great songs.

corinpills · #12 06-28-2010, 09:41 AM

Hey, how were the Dixie Chicks? One of my bestest friends, Fred Eltringham, is playing drums for them.

Beginner Bass · #13 06-29-2010, 10:58 AM

Just read his article in BP yesterday. And there is one name for the Eagles' concerts for the last 30 years. Mortgage tour.

jerry · #14 06-29-2010, 03:04 PM

Henley might be a douche, but he's a talented douche, he sure can write a good song!

Mike19 · #15 06-30-2010, 04:32 AM

POCO

jk222 · #16 07-09-2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike19

POCO

Attachment 172416

Poco was an amazing band when Timothy Schmit was with them, especially when Richie Furay, Jim Messina and Rusty Young were all members. Without Poco, there would be no Eagles, as the Eagles based their style on Poco (Randy Meisner was Poco's original bass player before becoming a founding member of the Eagles). I've always liked Timothy Schmit's bass playing. His style reminds me of Paul McCartney. His bass lines are clean, always musical and fit the songs perfectly. I recall reading somewhere that when Randy Meisner left the Eagles they didn't bother with auditions, they just went out and got Timothy Schmit. It's likely that they offered him a full partnership to lure him away from Poco.

Jazzdogg · #17 07-09-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i'm more of a randy meisner guy

but timothy is a hell of a player and did some great stuff with poco while randy was doing the eagles. too bad don henley is such a tremendous douchebag. it can't be easy playing in that band with him, having to kiss his ass all the time, especially for joe walsh, who really doesn't need them. henley's the entire reason it took years to get an eagles reunion going. everyone hates him.

I sure wish you'd quit walking on eggshells and say what you're feeling, Jimmy.

jerry · #18 07-09-2010, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jk222

It's likely that they offered him a full partnership to lure him away from Poco.

He's still not a full partner, Walsh either, Henley and Frey are pretty brutal business cats.

jk222 · #19 07-09-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

He's still not a full partner, Walsh either, Henley and Frey are pretty brutal business cats.

Timothy Schmit may not be a full partner now, but he may have been, or close to it, when he first joined in the late 1970's. Poco was a well-known national touring band, and being in Poco was a good gig. The story I always heard was that the Eagles made him an offer he couldn't refuse to jump ship. I have always assumed that meant a full partnership, although I don't have enough knowledge to know this for certain. Perhaps someone else has more info. It is also my understanding that the Eagles partnership structure has changed, so he is less of a partner now. But I have a sense that his legal standing was enough so that he was still the bass player when they reformed for Hell Freezes Over.

SactoBass · #20 07-10-2010, 02:28 PM

There are only two remaining guys in the partnership: Frey and Henley. Felder WAS one, but Frey and Henley had to buy him out. The rest of the guys are "contract employees."

I have been an Eagles fan since they came out with their first album in 1971. I didn't see them in concert until 1975 (or was that '76??) which was their Hotel California tour. I have seen them numerous times since then, including at the Hollywood Bowl this past April.

JimmyM: you are right! Henley has always been a tough cookie to deal with, but his attitude toward others has mellowed in recent years now that he has decades to reflect on how he used to act. A good example of that is his song "My Thanksgiving" on the Inside Job CD. I think he is singing about his relationship with Glen in parts of that song. Another great example of his reflection on his past is the video for his "Everything Is Different Now" song. Becoming a family man has had a positive influence on his demeanor. However, there is still part of Henley's character that will [fortunately] never diminish, and that is his cynical views of big business. Just listen to "Frail Grasp on the Big Picture" and "Business As Usual" on their latest CD "Long Road Out of Eden." I love the fact that the Eagles gave the middle finger to the record companies and published their latest CD themselves. With reference to the bassist position, like you, I have always been a Meisner fan, and it took me years to "accept" TBS as the Eagles bassist. I now view TBS as a very highly talented musician and a perfect fit for the Eagles.

Joe....well, is Joe! He is a rocker, and he has a great sense of humor! He is thankful to have made it through his drinking years and still be alive.

I think alot of people view Glen as the lead singer for the Eagles, and, in fact, he was back in the early 70's. But Henley's awesome vocal abilities later overshadowed Glen's and now Henley is considered to be their lead singer (even Glen acknowledged that in a recent interview).

These guys are in their early 60's and still rockin! Go Eagles!