- Sep 20, 2000
- 4,433
- 537
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Kiesel Basses, Ampeg Amplification, Hotone Ampero II effects
So I've been over in a Forum where it seems like the debate is going on between the Jazzbos and the Rockers about the relative merits of a well-known Jazz Icon (that would be Jaco). That got me to thinking. Most people on TB assume from my profile and posts I'm a Jazzbo-Fuzo guy all the way. Here's some of my guilty pleasures and why.
1. Gene Simmons-there, I said it. I appreciate his sense of humor, his business acumen, the fact he's built this Rock Band he started into a business empire, the way he comes off as a total mensch and family guy on his Reality Show. I even think his bass lines totally work in all those KISS songs.
2. Mike Watt-Old Man Punk himself. I appreciate his creativity, his take no prisoners attitude in the pursuit of his Art and the way he plays every note as if it's his last.
3. Lemmy-the Original Derek Smalls. I can really appreciate the intensity he puts into his Music and demands from his Bands. Quite invigorating, really!
4. Flea-I actually got to open for the RHCP with a band in the late 80s. Really intense, high-energy stuff. He's not afraid to learn new things, either, as evidenced by his study of Bach and counterpoint during the band's hiatus. When he jammed with Stanley and all those other bassists on Stanley Clarke's Night School DVD he showed he could hang on School Days with the best of 'em.
5. Rick Danko (The Band)-Great use of space and funk in Americana style music. No chops, just taste. A great pickstyle player.
6. Bob Moore-played on over 20,000 records. If you listen to Pasty Cline you'll hear Bob on Upright. That cool walking intro to "King of the Road" by Roger Miller? That's Bob, too. When I first moved to Nashville I thought that playing Country was easy and Country Record dates would be a snap. I was wrong, but studying Bob's playing taught me how to do it right.
7. Byron House-a true gentleman and a great bassist on everything from Mark O'Connor to Robert Plant's Band of Joy. Great tone, touch, feel and heart on Electric and Double Bass.
8. Chris Hillman-my first bass hero. Never mind that session guys played on those first Byrds records. He was why I picked up the bass in the first place. Let's hear it for First Bass Heroes.
9. Bobby Valentin-after my trial by fire on a Latin gig, the MD suggested I study Bobby and how he plays in his band. I took it to heart and he's in every Latin/Afro Cuban tune I play to this day.
10. Dee Dee Ramone-Lester Bangs made me furious when he wrote that The Ramones mattered because they could play Rock and Roll like no other band in the late 70s and that we didn't get it because we couldn't play it yet, but that we would learn. He was right.....
So there's my top 10 guilty pleasures-bassists no one would ever suspect me of liking. Anyone else want to chime in?
1. Gene Simmons-there, I said it. I appreciate his sense of humor, his business acumen, the fact he's built this Rock Band he started into a business empire, the way he comes off as a total mensch and family guy on his Reality Show. I even think his bass lines totally work in all those KISS songs.
2. Mike Watt-Old Man Punk himself. I appreciate his creativity, his take no prisoners attitude in the pursuit of his Art and the way he plays every note as if it's his last.
3. Lemmy-the Original Derek Smalls. I can really appreciate the intensity he puts into his Music and demands from his Bands. Quite invigorating, really!
4. Flea-I actually got to open for the RHCP with a band in the late 80s. Really intense, high-energy stuff. He's not afraid to learn new things, either, as evidenced by his study of Bach and counterpoint during the band's hiatus. When he jammed with Stanley and all those other bassists on Stanley Clarke's Night School DVD he showed he could hang on School Days with the best of 'em.
5. Rick Danko (The Band)-Great use of space and funk in Americana style music. No chops, just taste. A great pickstyle player.
6. Bob Moore-played on over 20,000 records. If you listen to Pasty Cline you'll hear Bob on Upright. That cool walking intro to "King of the Road" by Roger Miller? That's Bob, too. When I first moved to Nashville I thought that playing Country was easy and Country Record dates would be a snap. I was wrong, but studying Bob's playing taught me how to do it right.
7. Byron House-a true gentleman and a great bassist on everything from Mark O'Connor to Robert Plant's Band of Joy. Great tone, touch, feel and heart on Electric and Double Bass.
8. Chris Hillman-my first bass hero. Never mind that session guys played on those first Byrds records. He was why I picked up the bass in the first place. Let's hear it for First Bass Heroes.
9. Bobby Valentin-after my trial by fire on a Latin gig, the MD suggested I study Bobby and how he plays in his band. I took it to heart and he's in every Latin/Afro Cuban tune I play to this day.
10. Dee Dee Ramone-Lester Bangs made me furious when he wrote that The Ramones mattered because they could play Rock and Roll like no other band in the late 70s and that we didn't get it because we couldn't play it yet, but that we would learn. He was right.....
So there's my top 10 guilty pleasures-bassists no one would ever suspect me of liking. Anyone else want to chime in?
I'm postin' this on FB!..If you don't mind!
