What bassist grinds your gears?

Thunderbird91 · #1 01-03-2006, 03:48 PM

Do you ever hear someone talking about how great a bassist is but you can't stand them? Who do you think is the most overated or who do you just do like? They don't have to be bad technically.....

For me its Billy Sheehan. I know hes really fast and can go up and down scales all day but I think he should be a guitarist. This may be a horrible generalization but from all the stuff I have seen of him this holds true.

Marcus · #2 01-03-2006, 03:49 PM

You for using the phrase "grinds your gears."

ladros2 · #3 01-03-2006, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcusalan

You for using the phrase "grinds your gears."

+1

Thunderbird91 · #4 01-03-2006, 03:53 PM

its from family guy so settle down and answer the question.

Thunderbird91 · #5 01-03-2006, 04:13 PM

no one?

phxlbrmpf · #6 01-03-2006, 04:13 PM

Thunderbird91 for posting this in the wrong forum.

ladros2 · #7 01-03-2006, 04:27 PM

Wow, you're not popular here, are you?

Dave Grossman · #8 01-03-2006, 04:31 PM

I don't like dissing other musicians no matter how much I may dislike their playing.

That being said, as much of a great bassist Jeff Berlin is, he sure can come off as a ... well ... an (expletive deleted). I really admired him for most of my bass playing life and he was part of the inspiration for me playing my Bach stuff ( http://www.jsbach.net/bass/ ) but some of the stuff I heard him say was just so wrong or insensitive on so many levels that I lost much of my respect for him, personally. I'm not the only one that feels that way. He's gotten himself ostrasized from not only his own TalkBass forum but The Bottom Line list and maybe other forums too.

So, there you go.

- Dave

Philbiker · #9 01-03-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Grossman

I don't like dissing other musicians no matter how much I may dislike their playing.

That being said, as much of a great bassist Jeff Berlin is, he sure can come off as a ... well ... an arrogant prick. I really admired him for most of my bass playing life and he was part of the inspiration for me playing my Bach stuff ( http://www.jsbach.net/bass/ ) but some of the stuff I heard him say was just so wrong or insensitive on so many levels that I lost much of my respect for him, personally. I'm not the only one that feels that way. He's gotten himself ostrasized from not only his own TalkBass forum but The Bottom Line list and maybe other forums too.

So, there you go.

- Dave

Great response. One could say the same thing about Carol Kaye.

gandhirrea · #10 01-03-2006, 05:39 PM

I wish we had a sub-forum for these types of questions.

**Mark Wilson** · #11 01-03-2006, 05:44 PM

Roger Waters. I just can't stand his playing.

-Mark

B8ssMan89 · #12 01-03-2006, 05:58 PM

Jaco, I love his playing style and is a great infleuce, but... he was a racist/arrogant pig

Dave Grossman · #13 01-03-2006, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

One could say the same thing about Carol Kaye.

I've heard that before. It's too bad that some people who are so influential can be so bull-headed and insulting. I hope it doesn't rub off on their followers. Though, I can't say I've ever heard anybody but Jeff say that metronomes are bad.

- Dave

Dave Grossman · #14 01-03-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B8ssMan89

Jaco, I love his playing style and is a great infleuce, but... he was a racist/arrogant pig

I don't know about "racist" since I haven't read up too much about him. I've loved his music but his arrogance did cost him some points in my book.

Also, I hear him make a lot of mistakes even in studio recordings. They're subtle and might pass as deliberate but I hear a lot of things that don't make as much musical sense as they should. Someone with his level of self worth should be an impeccible player.

- Dave

Dbassmon · #15 01-03-2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Grossman

I don't know about "racist" since I haven't read up too much about him. I've loved his music but his arrogance did cost him some points in my book.

Also, I hear him make a lot of mistakes even in studio recordings. They're subtle and might pass as deliberate but I hear a lot of things that don't make as much musical sense as they should. Someone with his level of self worth should be an impeccible player.

- Dave

You are of coarse entitled to an opinion.

Once in a generation a musical genius comes along like Jaco. I think a little cockiness was part of the "Jaco" persona but he had the goods to back it up. He also was never malicious or mean when he would introduce himself as the world’s best bass player. It was a statement of fact. I, for one, acknowledge and concur with his assessment.
I don't recall hearing the mistakes you claim to hear on his recordings. I wish I could come up with a few mistakes of my own like his but that's just my opinion. Check out a "Remark You Made" live on Weather Report's 8:30 recording. Mr Pastorious makes a convincing case for his status as the best bassplayer in the world.
RIP Jaco

As far as B8ss's assertion that he was racist, his long standing relationship with Wayne Shorter, Alex Acuna and host of Latin and Caribbian musicians suggest the exact opposite. Jaco speaks about the melting pot of Miami, FL and how all those musicians from all walks influenced his musicallity, one would have to question any basis for calling him racist.

Dave Grossman · #16 01-03-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dbassmon

You are of coarse entitled to an opion.

Once in a generation a musical genius comes along like Jaco. I think a little cockiness was part of the "Jaco" persona but he had the goods to back it up.

Unfortunately, that part of his persona got him killed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dbassmon

He also was never malicious or mean when he would introduce himself as the world’s best bass player. It was a statement of fact. I, for one, acknowledge and concur with his assessment.

I don't recall hearing the mistakes you claim to hear on his recordings. I wish I could come up with a few mistakes of my own like his but that's just my opinion.

They are more like rhythmic aberrations rather than outright "mistakes". One could argue that they are deliberate. To me, they sound like he was grooving with a heavy funk and syncopation and missed the "one". They are more noticeable on the various live recordings (of which I have many). Or maybe they're fine and they just strike me as being wrong. I do think that these "mistakes" are the primary reason why there are some people who do not think Jaco was that great. Everything else he does is fantastic though. I just find those issues annoying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dbassmon

Check out a "Remark You Made" live on Weather Report's 8:30 recording. Mr Pastorious makes a convincing case for his status as the best bassplayer in the world.
RIP Jaco

I don't know what "remark" you are referring to but I was not at the 8:30 recording and even if I was, I would have kept my mouth shut.

- Dave

greenboy · #17 01-03-2006, 06:45 PM

Quote:

I don't like dissing other musicians no matter how much I may dislike their playing.

I guess it would be nice to actually live up to that statement. So much of what I am hearing here is both subjective and not really about the music ; }

Dbassmon · #18 01-03-2006, 06:51 PM

rawdogg360 · #19 01-03-2006, 06:56 PM

O.k..I hate the guy from korn...

FenderHotRod · #20 01-03-2006, 07:12 PM

Jaco was also a sick man! You guys should really check up on someone before you start your bashing and name calling.

James Heart posted this sometime back click on the link if you have time:
Could Jaco have been any better?