Ben Shepherd - holy crap

[Adam Bomb]

Just got back from the Soundgarden show in SF. I saw them the last time they were here too, 15 years ago. And I like the bass on SG songs and learned a couple of the songs, I like them so much.

But I admit I did not understand what a monster Ben Shepherd is until tonight.

The rig. The tone. The chops. The general badassery. I'm still kind of in shock so I won't go into deets. But. Ben Shepherd. Holy frickin crap.

--Bomb

 

[FrenchAK]

...but I want deets...

 

[Adam Bomb]

Here's the rig.

But that is a "Before" picture. He beat it up.

Angriest playing I ever saw. Of any instrument. More than once he just struck the strings with his fist! But the timing and the notes were 100% on. Understandable he knows how the songs go after all this time, but the lesson was that I am really concentrating too hard.

He has let himself go, so he was kind of unrecognizable. All the other 3 look exactly the same and then there's this schlubby guy standing in front of me. And in my mind I re-read everything about the tour and I still didn't see anything about a new bass player. But after a couple songs it was so obviously him. The notes were not all the same as the records but the tone and the style was. He was so obviously the same cat I've been listening to all this time. I did not realize how distinctive his playing is. I mean, if a major label wanted to replace him they'd tweak all the right pedals and get a superfan to Beatlemania him. But it would be hard.

Most bass porn ever. He changed basses like 10 times.

Feedback: after their 4-song encore Kim (all the way on the other side of the stage) and Ben started playing with feedback. Chris and Matt left. Pretty sure that was the most bass I ever heard and felt ever. It sucked the air out of my lungs. It was awesome. This is when he beat up the rig. I'd have taken an After picture but it was also the most unruly crowd I have dealt with in memory and my hands were busy.

Thing I love about SG is that the entire band rocks equally hard. The Mars Volta opened, and although I enjoyed the frontman I couldn't really get into their music until I focused on the rhythm section - they were definitely doing the heavy lifting IMO. Every member of SG is equally responsible for how hard they rock. So, that's how hard Ben rocks.

--Bomb

 

[The Lurker]

Yeah, he's starting to look like Stu Hamm now.....

A friend of mine saw them in CT a few days ago. He was impressed.

 

[AlvarHanso]

I always considered him the weak link in SG, but glad to hear that was a bad impression on my part. Definitely want to check them out, my favorite band of the 90s, and probably the only one I can still stand listening to a whole album.

 

[Adam Bomb]

Check out, e.g., Burden in My Hand for the bass. He carries that song IMO (at least the chorus), and he kilt it last night.

--Bomb

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I saw Soundgarden last weekend and they killed.

They all sounded great. A very tight machine and Chris Cornell was on top of his game for sure.


They really sounded fresh.

 

[project2501]

I saw them in L.A. tonight and the whole show was insane. I wasn't expecting them to be that good. Chris Cornell nailed everything. Ben Shepherd sounded great.

 

[rulyongo]

Here's the rig.

But that is a "Before" picture. He beat it up.

Angriest playing I ever saw. Of any instrument. More than once he just struck the strings with his fist! But the timing and the notes were 100% on. Understandable he knows how the songs go after all this time, but the lesson was that I am really concentrating too hard.

He has let himself go, so he was kind of unrecognizable. All the other 3 look exactly the same and then there's this schlubby guy standing in front of me. And in my mind I re-read everything about the tour and I still didn't see anything about a new bass player. But after a couple songs it was so obviously him. The notes were not all the same as the records but the tone and the style was. He was so obviously the same cat I've been listening to all this time. I did not realize how distinctive his playing is. I mean, if a major label wanted to replace him they'd tweak all the right pedals and get a superfan to Beatlemania him. But it would be hard.

Most bass porn ever. He changed basses like 10 times.

Feedback: after their 4-song encore Kim (all the way on the other side of the stage) and Ben started playing with feedback. Chris and Matt left. Pretty sure that was the most bass I ever heard and felt ever. It sucked the air out of my lungs. It was awesome. This is when he beat up the rig. I'd have taken an After picture but it was also the most unruly crowd I have dealt with in memory and my hands were busy.

Thing I love about SG is that the entire band rocks equally hard. The Mars Volta opened, and although I enjoyed the frontman I couldn't really get into their music until I focused on the rhythm section - they were definitely doing the heavy lifting IMO. Every member of SG is equally responsible for how hard they rock. So, that's how hard Ben rocks.

--Bomb

Can you tell us which basses he used??? Can't wait to see them!!!

 

[Adam Bomb]

Can you tell us which basses he used??? Can't wait to see them!!!

Like, all of them. I think the switching had as much to do with all the banging on them he was doing as different sounds for different songs. Mainly Ps but a few Js. Mainly normal-looking Ps but some vintagey telecaster-looking ones too. Sorry, my fetish is amps not basses but I kind of started to acquire a bass fetish at that show.

--Bomb

 

[GrooveWarrior]

I have always had a great respect for Ben Shepherd. Listen to "Fell on Black Days" as well, he carries that song also. His choice of notes is non-conformist, and great. Playing a C when the rest of the band is in A minor, etc. Good stuff.

 

[ryco]

That band has always been great. Not your typical I-IV-V, 4/4 time band. They don't get carried away with time changes like Rush, but Ben & Matt do some great off time stuff!

IMO SG and Screaming Trees are the best bands out of that Seattle scene hands down.

 

[Dean N]

I feel like he's a guy that has always played understated stuff by choice, not because of a lack of chops. His stuff is always interesting and original. The band kills. I think Matt is one of the tastiest rock drummers out there.

 

[I<34080]

Hiro Yamamoto was a damn good bassist himself, so I wouldn't expect Soundgarden to have just picked up some slouch after he left.

 

[oldcatfish]

I've never really listened to Soundgarden. I may have to check them out.

 

[AlvarHanso]

Sounds like I do need to do some re-listening to Soundgarden. Haven't really listened to them since I started playing, so I expect I'd have a new appreciation. The songs you guys mentioned as soon as I thought about it did have great lines, and his melodies are pretty strong upon reflection. I'll listen to Badmotorfinger, Superunknown, and Down on the Upside again this week.

And I agree completely on Matt Cameron, thought Pearl Jam struck gold when they got him!

 

[Thir13teen]

Just saw Ben and the rest of his band play on Feb 6 2013 from row 2, center stage. Pretty impressive.

 

[Adam Bomb]

Saw them at the Fox Theater in Oakland last night! Everything I said in the OP still applies. Ben may be even more comfortable now. He was mixed pretty low this time, though.

--Bomb

 

[beebassdude]

id imagine he kept changing basses due to all the tunings they use. hes one of my favorite bassists not because i think his chops are good, but he plays some of the coolest counterpoint stuff to cornell/kims guitar parts. really weird underneath stuff that fits so well despite how strange it sounds.

hes one of the first guys i learned how to play "chords" from. lots of cool octave stuff in that CGCG tuning they used a lot on down on the upside.

 

[MICKUSS]

Ben the weak link in SG???!!!! Hell no! Sure he's not that present in the mix on a few albums, but he's seriously awesome. Take a good headphone listen to Down On The Upside and King Animal especially.