Is Kinky right about us being a buch of sad bastards?

[JazzyLambert]

I read a Kinky Friedman book a while ago, and all that I remember about it was the line ..."I have never met a bass player who was happy.." or something very similar.

Kinky is a musician as well as a bloody funny writer. And I was wondering how he got the impression that we are a bunch of sad, downbeat, depressed, morose, dissatisfied unhappy bastards?

What do you reckon? Is there any truth in Kinky's observation?

[Darkstrike]

He's obviously never meet Larry Graham...........

[JazzyLambert]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

He's obviously never meet Larry Graham...........

Or T M Stevens

[Mr_Sore_Fingerz]

Most famous bassists seem like pretty happy guys....Flea comes to mind first.

I'm a fairly upbeat guy, can't say I'm always smiling but I hate emo bands and smile every time i pick up a decent bass =)

[Swerve]

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by Swerve

So, you have made the conclusion that he know's Atoz, and is basing his knowledge of bassists around him, no?

[steamthief]

Originally Posted by Swerve

You better check the Emot-o-Meter!

[anderbass]

I think most all musicians are constantly disappointed when they dont feel they preformed as well (or better) than the best they've ever done in the past. As we experience those wonderful occasions when everything magically clicks, our expectations go up and up and and anything less just bums us out.

I feel that most bassists results are much more dependant on fitting in well between the drums, guitars, vocals-ect than the what the rest of the band perceives and before our bass parts have a better chance to shine through, everyone else in the band has to be on.

We have to fit in and bridge the gap between everything else probably more than anyone else in a band. For this reason alone I could see why many bassist notice more problems than the rest of the band members and we probably tend blame ourselves more than the other members would, when we're actually fighting a problem being caused by someone else...

[kesslari]

Kinky meets mostly Country bass players...

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by kesslari

Kinky meets mostly Country bass players...

Zing!

I'm a pretty happy guy in general... been a bassist most of my life.

[Jeff K]

Kinky is a very funny guy. Exaggeration is a big part of humor. And remember, for many years, MOST bassists were rather quiet, stand-in-the-background types. I can see where the stereotype came from.

Maybe Kinky is a bass player at heart. Most of his humor comes with a straight face.

[JohnnyPustular]

I think of my bass like Steve Martin thinks of his banjo. How can you be sad when playing a banjo? How can you be sad when droppin' the funk? If you're droppin' the funk or walkin' a line or drivin' the groove, you're walking on the eternal sunshine of the blissful mind.

[Rick Auricchio]

Jazz players. Way too serious.

[Rick Auricchio]

Originally Posted by Jeff K

And remember, for many years, MOST bassists were rather quiet, stand-in-the-background types.

A buddy says the bassist is the "odd man out" in the band. Compared with the rest of the band members:

They move and dance; the bassist stands in the back.

They move normally; the bassist is all over the place.

They wear hats; he doesn't.

Or they wear no hats and he has one.

They dress similarly; the bassist dresses differently.

And I suppose when it comes to technical knowledge or owning equipment, we're the odd man.

It's surprising how often this looks to be true!

[Jim Nazium]

We're bummed because we wanted to be guitar players.

[thumpbass1]

Sorry, but I tend to put on a happy face when playing bass. I was scolded back in the 80's in one band for not having that scowling, too full of my own anger crap look, which was popular in that era, and still seems to be alive and well today among a lot of rockers. If I'm gigging I'm usually a pretty happy camper.

[wagstaff]

What about Les Claypool, he seems pretty jolly. Alot of TB members seem to be happy people too.

[spambot772]

bootsy collins.


also, victor wooten smiles alot.

[low-endz]

Originally Posted by Rick Auricchio

A buddy says the bassist is the "odd man out" in the band. Compared with the rest of the band members:

They move and dance; the bassist stands in the back. NO

They move normally; the bassist is all over the place.

They wear hats; he doesn't.

Or they wear no hats and he has one.

They dress similarly; the bassist dresses differently.

And I suppose when it comes to technical knowledge or owning equipment, we're the odd man.

It's surprising how often this looks to be true!

In my case:

They move normally; the bassist is all over the place.

Or they wear no hats and he has one. YEP

when it comes to technical knowledge or owning equipment, we're the odd man ( I have more gear & the only music literate in the band)

I wear glasses & rest of the band dont.

I am the oldest, but look the youngest.

[brachal]

My favorite bass player quote is from Eugene Chadbourne:
"You can always find a bass player, provided you have absolutely no standards and always carry a spare bass in your trunk."