bass players selling out

[hernameisrio]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Nope. That's living YOUR dream. Yes, I stopped playing music full-time. And I am currently back in school at age 41 trying to "fit into" this world in a way that doesn't involve having a bass around my neck at 3a.m. 4 hours from home. BUT, the thing is, that shift in me occurred when I mat an amazing woman, got married, and had two of the most beautiful children you can picture in your head. That BECAME my dream. I would RATHER see them than a bunch of bar whores at 2 a.m. most nights. I can still play when I want, and get paid dearly for every gig I play or run sound for. And I STILL get to go home to a nice house and a beautiful family. THAT, my friend, is my dream. Now, in no way am I knocking you for wanting to play music as a dream. In fact, it's my whole point. As long as you are living YOUR dream, you are NOT selling out. Yours seems to be music (right now). Mine is my family. Neither of us is selling out.

The video was stupid. The "point" was stupid. If you are doing what YOU want (even if that's playing Brown Eyed Girl 4 nights a week), making ENOUGH money (whatever that means in your world), and not hurting anybody in the process, then you are living the dream. Anyone who calls you a sellout is a jerk.

However, anyone who sits around recording "their art" for 5 decades riding up and down the road in beat up rusty vans staying in rat infested hotels and sleeping with women who were in somebody else's bed last night dirt poor wondering why the rest of the world isn't "smart enough to get you and your music" just so they can say the never sold out is not living any dream either. Just sayin. (And before you jump, I'm not stupid. I know there's a huge middle ground I didn't cover there. Even as long-winded as I can get, I don't have all day to cover every possibility.)

Also, this is a really great post. I do not want kids. I am indifferent about marriage at this point (I'll be 31 next month) and don't really see that changing any time in the next decade or so. Part of it is just logistics...I tend to date older guys and if they're with someone my age and they're already in their late 40's-early 50's, the idea of marriage + kids tends to be kinda irrelevant. That...and for me personally, it's just not on my radar and doesn't fit into my life's plan...I honestly can't explain it any better than that. :shrug:

Having said this, I sometimes get a little prickly when people imply I'll someday want that dream. Yet at the same time, the rat-infested/dirt poor thing doesn't appeal to me either. Sooooo, it's really refreshing to read a post where somebody seems to have struck a decent balance and understands the concept of middle ground.

[VincentGrim]

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

Why did Rap take off??? Because it is the root of simplicity....sample someone elses hit, put a hard dance beat over the top, and talk in basic pentameter, voila, A music style that feeds the stupid and sells a ton....because it takes no muscal talent, and the non musical masses can relate, they can dream to be a rapper/ hip hop star because all they need is basic computer skill.

I don't mean to derail anything here, but I feel this needs to be addressed. I am by no means rap's greatest fan, but to say the whole genre is talentless is pretty far from the truth and, imho, lacking taste. I don't know, maybe you just aren't aware, but there are plenty of rap/hip-hop artist that are extraordinary at what they do and compose lyrics on a deep/poetic level that I'm willing to bet 99% of this board could not do with a pen, piece of paper, and a decade or two to work on. Maybe since that is lrycism, you don't want to consider it to be true "musical" talent, but it is talent nonetheless.

Youtube "Atmoshpere" or "Sage Francis", then follow the recommendation bar for more. Then tell me there is no musical talent in rap.

[Blue_Whistle88]

What amateurs call "selling out", professionals call "getting a paid gig". Landlords and supermarkets don't accept "soul" or "integrity" as currency.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by two fingers

My apologies. Your earlier remarks seemed to bemoan the fact that bass is considered a "supporting role" musically. And that's where I thought your "equal member" comment sprang from. I'm sure you are amazing, as is your band.

You are amazing too, just not in a good way

[Clef_de_fa]

To me selling out as to do with someone who would play and understand very complex music like let say John Patitucci and then being angry because he doesn't make a sh*tload of money like the bass player of Justin Beiber so he quits Jazz Fusion and all his wonderful talent to only play the root on the most brain dead music.

If you do actually like this kind of music and think they are really good and talented ... ok find but you still doesn't help the cause that this kind of music, while making a lot of money, is actually hurting the art form.

Why ? because instead to make insteresting music, have an education you only help dumbing down every art form to a marketing plot to sell cloths, a personnality and beer.

this to me is really interesting and bring back memories of my college years :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVyUHFl0iB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d5SCH0Umbs

[KwinS]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Negative. I dare you to find me any non-musician who could tell you the name of the Iron Maiden bassist.

Really, you "dare" me? That's silly.

I'm pretty sure that there are quite a few folks out there that could do as you require. I have no idea how I could prove that to you via a TB conversation, but I don't think you would believe it, even if I could provide evidence.

[RustyAxe]

OOOO ... such tender egos! If you ain't the front man, you're a side man. Get over it. The band can't play without a bass player ... being a side man makes one no less important.

[drummer5359]

I play bass, that makes me a sideman. I also play hand percussion, again I'm a sideman. Drums are my primary instrument, yet again I'm a sideman. I'm good with this. For the record I don't care for bass solos, drum solos, etc... As a sideman my job is to support the music, make it groove, make it work. I love doing just that. I support the frontman (or woman), that's the job of a sideman. Some may call it selling out. I prefer to think of myself as a working musician.

[zfunkman]

Originally Posted by Clef_de_fa

To me selling out as to do with someone who would play and understand very complex music like let say John Patitucci and then being angry because he doesn't make a sh*tload of money like the bass player of Justin Beiber so he quits Jazz Fusion and all his wonderful talent to only play the root on the most brain dead music.

If you do actually like this kind of music and think they are really good and talented ... ok find but you still doesn't help the cause that this kind of music, while making a lot of money, is actually hurting the art form.

Why ? because instead to make insteresting music, have an education you only help dumbing down every art form to a marketing plot to sell cloths, a personnality and beer.

this to me is really interesting and bring back memories of my college years :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVyUHFl0iB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d5SCH0Umbs

The bass player for Justin Beiber makes union scale and more than likely makes no more money than John Patitucci. Beiber makes the money; his band is made up of top session players who make scale. I don't get where people think Beiber's band makes "millions."

[zfunkman]

Originally Posted by Vince Klortho

Duran Duran. John Taylor was and is quite famous. He was on the cover of lots of magazines, put out solo albums, did some acting, etc...

Sex Pistols. Sid Vicious was rather famous in his day.

Obviously, these guys are the exception to the "rule."

John Entwisle, John Paul Jones

[Mykk]

Originally Posted by zfunkman

The bass player for Justin Beiber makes union scale and more than likely makes no more money than John Patitucci. Beiber makes the money; his band is made up of top session players who make scale. I don't get where people think Beiber's band makes "millions."

This is true.

[Bert Slide]

Oftentimes when I hear the words "sell out" I think of another word, "settle".

Did the guy who gave up his dream of rock stardom to raise a family and now "settles" for a weekend warrior gig in a cover band sell out or did he just make the life choice that seemed appropriate for him?

Did the guy who backs the Bieb "sell out" all his dreams or did he just settle for a steady paycheck and the chance to bang countless barely legal chicks?

Only you can decide what your priorities are and whether you can live with your choices. To call another a "sellout" without walking a few miles in their proverbial shoes is ludicrous.

[the yeti]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Name me one band where the bass player (from a NON MUSICIAN'S standpoint) is an "equal member" of the band if he is not also the lead singer. Name one band that had/has a bass player (who ONLY plays bass) who is just as familiar to the fans as the lead singer/lead guitarist is.

flea. there's always an exception.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by Bert Slide

Oftentimes when I hear the words "sell out" I think of another word, "settle".

Did the guy who gave up his dream of rock stardom to raise a family and now "settles" for a weekend warrior gig in a cover band sell out or did he just make the life choice that seemed appropriate for him?

Did the guy who backs the Bieb "sell out" all his dreams or did he just settle for a steady paycheck and the chance to bang countless barely legal chicks?

Only you can decide what your priorities are and whether you can live with your choices. To call another a "sellout" without walking a few miles in their proverbial shoes is ludicrous.

+1

There's nothing wrong with wanting to realize your artistic vision and there's nothing wrong with wanting to make money. The problem comes when people want to decide for others what they should and shouldn't do.

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by Bert Slide

Oftentimes when I hear the words "sell out" I think of another word, "settle".

Did the guy who gave up his dream of rock stardom to raise a family and now "settles" for a weekend warrior gig in a cover band sell out or did he just make the life choice that seemed appropriate for him?

Did the guy who backs the Bieb "sell out" all his dreams or did he just settle for a steady paycheck and the chance to bang countless barely legal chicks?

Only you can decide what your priorities are and whether you can live with your choices. To call another a "sellout" without walking a few miles in their proverbial shoes is ludicrous.

LOL +1

[mjac28]

The same guys calling other musicians sellouts are the same ones that would commit murder to be in their place.

[pklima]

Originally Posted by the yeti

flea. there's always an exception.

I can think of one more bassist who's at least as important and recognizable as the lead singer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-vSS5S3VqU

That is authority and leadership personified. Well, maybe personified isn't the right word. Maybe ursified?

[Stewie26]

Someone I have a lot respect for told me a long time ago that everything in life boils down to R and R. So I had to ask him what R and R meant.
He replied that when comes to getting something done, people have either one of two things, reasons (meaning excuses) or results. If you think about that there is a lot of truth to that. The guy who claims he won't sellout is just a "reason" and excuse for being were he is in life. The guys who have "results" and who are successful in their endeavors are so called sellouts to guy who just has reasons. Have you ever noticed in life that it is the same people that always have the reasons no matter what they are trying to do.? Just sayin.

[the yeti]

^that's some wise words right there.

[NWB]

Originally Posted by two fingers

If you were to stand in FRONT of or right beside the singer and lead guitarist plikity plaking away jumping around blocking the audience from interacting with them during the entire song, overshadowing what they are doing visually, and equally as "forward" in the FOH mix, your band would get nowhere fast.

Say, have you ever heard of this band called Red Hot Chili Peppers?