TomRichards Bassist Series

**TRichardsbass** · #1 11-05-2010, 10:10 AM

Hello all!

Figured I would start a new thread at least once a month. Goal is to highlight a bassist and let others rant or rave or just plain discuss. I am going to avoid the obvious bassists, Jaco, Stanley C., Jack Bruce, Entwistle, Jones, etc.

I'm going to attempt to stay post 1975. Focus on pop - no jazz.

First bassist up, a pseudo local guy, Bart Schoudel of the Churchills.

Bart was once featured in Bass Player magazine. He is a multi-instrumentalist who came to prominence playing bass for the Burrs and the Churchills.

Bart has a unique style, fueled by interesting song twists written by Ron Haney. You will find him staying in the pocket with no "bass god solos." His bass is prominent in all the Churchills' mixes. He is primarily a finger style player, and one of the few bassists who share lead singing duties as well.

I recommend listening to "Everybody Gets What they Deserve", "Sometimes your best (isn't good enough)" and "The Lights are out but noones home"to start.

Bart has played Musicman and Fender P basses on all of the Churchills stuff.

So there ya go. Comments? Questions? Let them roll!

**TRichardsbass** · #2 11-09-2010, 05:05 AM

Time for a new bassist:

John Ciambotti

He was a member of the country band Clover out of California. Most people would know Clover as being most of the band members who later formed the News portion of Huey Lewis and the News.

John Ciambotti, who passed away sadly this year, is best known for his bass playing on Elvis Costello's debut album "My Aim is True". Clover was in the UK and were hired to play as Elvis' backing band on the album.

His bass playing is prominent all over it, but of course it is key to the hits on the album Red Shoes, Less than Zero and Alison.

Dig up a copy and listen. Amazing.

Peace.

Commreman · #3 11-09-2010, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

Time for a new bassist:

John Ciambotti

He was a member of the country band Clover out of California. Most people would know Clover as being most of the band members who later formed the News portion of Huey Lewis and the News.

John Ciambotti, who passed away sadly this year, is best known for his bass playing on Elvis Costello's debut album "My Aim is True". Clover was in the UK and were hired to play as Elvis' backing band on the album.

His bass playing is prominent all over it, but of course it is key to the hits on the album Red Shoes, Less than Zero and Alison.

Dig up a copy and listen. Amazing.

Peace.

John Ciambotti was amazing, and "My Aim is True" is one of my favorite albums of all time. Although I'm not certain that he played it, Watching the Detectives is a must learn bassline for everyone.

**TRichardsbass** · #4 11-09-2010, 09:24 AM

Commreman, Andrew Bodnar (Graham Parker's bassist) was credited with "Watching the Detectives" but there has been some discussion that maybe it also was Ciambotti. Either way, very great bassline.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #5 11-09-2010, 09:29 AM

Post 75 pop, huh? Randy Jackson in his stint with Journey.

**TRichardsbass** · #6 11-14-2010, 02:12 PM

Hey all, new bassist for the week:

Les Nemes.

Yep, the bassist from Haircut 100 and for Nick Heyward later in his career.

Haircut 100 had one big hit, "Love Plus One". It was the epitome of the '80s sound around the time of Bananarama, Wham, Kajagoogoo. The song is driven by Nemes bassline. The song actually doesn't work in any way without exactly what he played.

Nemes played an Aria ProII SB series bass, which was the bass of choice at the time of most of the UK based New Wave bands. You can really hear the way it growls on the analogue recording.

So I recommend getting a copy of Haircut 100's album "Pelican West" and listening to '80s bass at its best, and a great bassist period.

**TRichardsbass** · #7 11-20-2010, 05:50 AM

This weeks bassist comes to us from a group from Southern California.

John Maurer of Social Distortion.

Always in the right spot in the right time. Deep but perfectly in the mix.

JM used his trusty Fender Precision exclusively.

Listen to the first album, Social Distortion, which in and of itself is a classic with punk anthems such as "Ring Of Fire" "Sick Boys" and "Ball and Chain."

Then contrast that with a much more mature band and John on the album "Sex,Love and Rock and Roll." "Highway 101" and "Nickels and Dimes" show a much deeper sound and although his playing throughout his career was always like mine, more simple, it seems much more in the pocket and again, more mature.

So, give it a listen. Then learn the lesson.