Do bass players who think too much of themselves turn you off from listening to them?

[phat daddy]

I have found that when I hear a good bassist whose playing I enjoy and then meet or speak to that bassist and they hold themselves in way too high a regard, I don't want to listen to them anymore. I don't respect those who lack humility, and I get turned off by snobbery.

Does this happen to you, or can you separate the person from the listening experience and still enjoy it?

[baba]

No. Many of my favorite artists, music or otherwise, are/were complete a-holes.

[Phalex]

Never met a snobby bassist. How snobby can you be?? It's just bass.

[mothmonsterman]

Originally Posted by Phalex

Never met a snobby bassist. How snobby can you be?? It's just bass.

[Barkless Dog]

Yes, if I do not know their music first.

[jomahu]

what do you mean, think too much of themselves?
just curious, 'cause i know some people find me unapproachable - which can sometimes be misinterpreted for arrogance - but really, i'm just socially awkward.

examples?

[nsmar4211]

No bassists......but had a guitar player at work that *totally* turned me off.....
Was handling a UPS package for him, coworker asked how my gig went, he asked what I played so I tell him........ and then he goes, oh, you're a musician? Oh well then

"Let Me Tell You Who I Am"

Okay, right then and there I was done with the conversation. And it didn't get any better....."I can't tell you the names of the people I played with , but your jaw would hit the floor"....."I know all the big people".... he was *so* full of himself.

I don't CARE who you've played with or who you know if you're going to play the name dropping (or name hiding) game. I don't play games......I play bass.

Treated me like I was supposed to be some teenybopper grouppie (keep in mind I"m at work shipping out CD's for him...)... seemed to get annoyed that I wasn't fawning all over him. "Uh huh.....okay whats in the box?". Put it this was.... saw his name when I was out at a local fair and completely avoided the area when it was his turn to play......taking my friends with me.... don't care how good of a guitar player you are.

If you gotta tell me you are a good player... you're not. I'd rather hang out with my bass teacher who has some really good stories about people he's played with or fellow bandmates have... but has never uttered the words "let me tell you who I am".

Bass players seem to be a much calmer bunch

[mattq]

yeah, about as much as prince does

[phat daddy]

Originally Posted by jomahu

what do you mean, think too much of themselves?
just curious, 'cause i know some people find me unapproachable - which can sometimes be misinterpreted for arrogance - but really, i'm just socially awkward.

examples?

I am not speaking of people with social challenges, only people who purposefully speak down to other people. I would give examples, but that could be considered trolling, so I'll just have to describe what I'm talking about. Constant name-dropping, insiderism (like always having the inside scoop on anything you talk about), condescending tonalities in speech or print, and overt seriousness (lacking a sense of humor about what you do) are all candidate qualities of these people.

These things make people very hard to listen to objectively for me.

[phat daddy]

Originally Posted by mattq

yeah, about as much as prince does

Forgive me, I don't quite get the message of what you're saying.

[baba]

Originally Posted by phat daddy

I am not speaking of people with social challenges, only people who purposefully speak down to other people. I would give examples, but that could be considered trolling, so I'll just have to describe what I'm talking about. Constant name-dropping, insiderism (like always having the inside scoop on anything you talk about), condescending tonalities in speech or print, and overt seriousness (lacking a sense of humor about what you do) are all candidate qualities of these people.

These things make people very hard to listen to objectively for me.

Oddly enough, I think I know exactly who you are talking about.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by baba

Oddly enough, I think I know exactly who you are talking about.

.

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by baba

No. Many of my favorite artists, music or otherwise, are/were complete a-holes.

Ain't it the truth.

I love John Lennon. But so much of what I've read, and the candid footage I've seen of him just leads me to believe that I would have not been friends with him if I knew him.

[Matt Till]

Most ego maniacal people make terrible music... I've discovered.

[worker201]

Originally Posted by phat daddy

Constant name-dropping, insiderism (like always having the inside scoop on anything you talk about), condescending tonalities in speech or print, and overt seriousness (lacking a sense of humor about what you do) are all candidate qualities of these people.

That describes just about everyone I've ever met who worked in a record store.

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by phat daddy

I have found that when I hear a good bassist whose playing I enjoy and then meet or speak to that bassist and they hold themselves in way too high a regard, I don't want to listen to them anymore. I don't respect those who lack humility, and I get turned off by snobbery.

Does this happen to you, or can you separate the person from the listening experience and still enjoy it?

Nope.
Have a hard time when someone is a jerk.
Turns me off.

[Joe Nerve]

Only one guy I feel like that about. I won't say his name but the first letter is Jeff.

[BuffaloBass]

Mike, I''ll be VERY careful with her!

Concur, we all stand naked in the front of the Creator, literally or figuratively, so self imposed rank is a drag to me.... spent many years in uniform in deference to rank, not out here in the civilian world.... all stand naked in the eyes of God... havent met that bass player yet... they're all cool, and the best pro one ( imho) I;ve met is as well grounded as I am. Surprised, to say the least!

[lawsonman]

Sure they turn me off.And there is a fair number of them here.

[baba]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Only one guy I feel like that about. I won't say his name but the first letter is Jeff.