Very late to this thread but I'm glad I found it. Not just for some illuminating discussion but also because I realized JMJ's record collection must look a hell of a lot like mine, though in my case Otis Redding would have been the FIRST artist I listed and not the last. 
What's interesting to me is that I get where most people in this thread are coming from and I also see that none of them fall into the stereotypes that other people would like to box them into.
Justin obviously has an incredible situation. To be an on-call bassist for major artists who hire you BECAUSE of your style and feel is amazing. It means you often have a freedom that most studio players never get and can execute your musical vision in the context of supporting some great music. Vintage gear, vintage tones (with some very tasteful effects use) and the ability to cop so many different feels but always sound like you in the context of what is most often groove oriented dance music. That's what makes you one of my favorite bass players.
On the other hand you have a guy like John Turner. He plays 7 string (and even a double neck pair of 7 strings) basses with a HUGE amount of rack and floor gear, in a very technically demanding prog rock band. He even wears a puffy shirt for Christ's sake. But the thing is, he's executing his musical vision. If you listen to John's stuff (and I think more people should) the 7 strings aren't about musical masturbation, at least that's not at all what I hear. It's about having the range to play what's in his head.
To me it's like James Jamerson and Geddy Lee. Jamerson played on a ridiculous number of #1 hits for a plethora of artists and ALWAYS made the song sound better by his presence. While not the virtuoso that JJ was, Sir Paul did the same thing with the Beatles. Adding bass last (which he always did) he somehow found a way to take these great songs and add a quirky yet simple line that made them even better. That's why we love those guys and guys like him.
But there's a reason so many people love Geddy Lee. Are they as universally loved as MoTown and the Beatles? No, they are often more divisive. To the detractors they are pretentious or overly technical. To the fans they are impressive musicians who pushed boundaries and amaze with chops and songwriting. But regardless of what people think of his band, Geddy Lee is making the music HE wants to make. Same with Les Claypool, who by the way would NEVER get a major label deal in today's music business climate. And his Carl Thompson fretless 6 is as "driftwood" as it comes.
I see where JMJ is coming from and how he's been able to be successful in his world and what it would take for others to find the kind of success he's had. And I see where JT (and Jeff Schmidt and Jauqo) are coming from too.
And despite the disagreements the big lessons to take from this thread are good ones:
(1) Open your ears as wide as possible and take all the good stuff in.
(2) Use that range of influence to develop your OWN voice and direction
(3) Monster chops don't mean anything if they don't help you express yourself musically and are only for impressing others.
(4) Figure out what YOU want to do musically and then put in the work to make that happen.
Pretty universal really.
What's interesting to me is that I get where most people in this thread are coming from and I also see that none of them fall into the stereotypes that other people would like to box them into.
Justin obviously has an incredible situation. To be an on-call bassist for major artists who hire you BECAUSE of your style and feel is amazing. It means you often have a freedom that most studio players never get and can execute your musical vision in the context of supporting some great music. Vintage gear, vintage tones (with some very tasteful effects use) and the ability to cop so many different feels but always sound like you in the context of what is most often groove oriented dance music. That's what makes you one of my favorite bass players.
On the other hand you have a guy like John Turner. He plays 7 string (and even a double neck pair of 7 strings) basses with a HUGE amount of rack and floor gear, in a very technically demanding prog rock band. He even wears a puffy shirt for Christ's sake. But the thing is, he's executing his musical vision. If you listen to John's stuff (and I think more people should) the 7 strings aren't about musical masturbation, at least that's not at all what I hear. It's about having the range to play what's in his head.
To me it's like James Jamerson and Geddy Lee. Jamerson played on a ridiculous number of #1 hits for a plethora of artists and ALWAYS made the song sound better by his presence. While not the virtuoso that JJ was, Sir Paul did the same thing with the Beatles. Adding bass last (which he always did) he somehow found a way to take these great songs and add a quirky yet simple line that made them even better. That's why we love those guys and guys like him.
But there's a reason so many people love Geddy Lee. Are they as universally loved as MoTown and the Beatles? No, they are often more divisive. To the detractors they are pretentious or overly technical. To the fans they are impressive musicians who pushed boundaries and amaze with chops and songwriting. But regardless of what people think of his band, Geddy Lee is making the music HE wants to make. Same with Les Claypool, who by the way would NEVER get a major label deal in today's music business climate. And his Carl Thompson fretless 6 is as "driftwood" as it comes.
I see where JMJ is coming from and how he's been able to be successful in his world and what it would take for others to find the kind of success he's had. And I see where JT (and Jeff Schmidt and Jauqo) are coming from too.
And despite the disagreements the big lessons to take from this thread are good ones:
(1) Open your ears as wide as possible and take all the good stuff in.
(2) Use that range of influence to develop your OWN voice and direction
(3) Monster chops don't mean anything if they don't help you express yourself musically and are only for impressing others.
(4) Figure out what YOU want to do musically and then put in the work to make that happen.
Pretty universal really.
)
