Anyone here (still) playing "Low Rider?"

[Grinderman]

I'm not sure how this question generated 7 pages of answers, but here we are.

I play it in a party rock band. My only contribution is to say that this band is an all-IEM outfit with a click in every track. The bass begins this song alone, obviously. Given that most of the notes occur on the upbeats, it's deceptively challenging to play it well against a click and keep the groove.

Judging by the cross-section of angles and variety of tangential chat, Low Rider might be some kind of American zeitgeist.

 

[turf3]

Judging by the cross-section of angles and variety of tangential chat, Low Rider might be some kind of American zeitgeist.

Well, there was one short period, maybe 1968-1972, when it almost appeared like a new day might be dawning in America, where black folks, white folks, Mexicans, Asians, the whole thing, might actually be able to get along - not that everyone was going to be the same, but that maybe we could actually just hang together.

I remember that feeling.

But in another 10 years it was totally dissipated and everyone had gone back to their own corners, only listening to their own news commentators, only talking to the people who were just like them...

I know it just sounds like the vaporings of yet another impractical old hippie, but if you were there you can still (maybe) feel it in your bones. There was a chance. I think we blew it. But it was there. On the musical side WAR was one of those groups, like the Family Stone and a few others - black musicians, white musicians, guys, gals, it was about could you hang with the groove, not about where you came from.

For all the posturing of today, with each special victim group having their day in the sun to talk about how they have been mistreated, the attitude of 1970 is still far more organic and natural and real.

 

[kevindahl]

That would be a G note when the bass is playing an F.

Maybe that's why it's buried in the mix lol.

 

[51PRI]

Maybe that's why it's buried in the mix lol.

Yes, it really could be. I've been listening to the song a lot, various versions and I heard one live version where the guitarist plays that part fairly prominently but he only plays it a time or two, actually maybe only once. I need to find that again.

 

[Grinderman]

Well, there was one short period, maybe 1968-1972, when it almost appeared like a new day might be dawning in America, where black folks, white folks, Mexicans, Asians, the whole thing, might actually be able to get along - not that everyone was going to be the same, but that maybe we could actually just hang together.

I remember that feeling.

But in another 10 years it was totally dissipated and everyone had gone back to their own corners, only listening to their own news commentators, only talking to the people who were just like them...

I know it just sounds like the vaporings of yet another impractical old hippie, but if you were there you can still (maybe) feel it in your bones. There was a chance. I think we blew it. But it was there. On the musical side WAR was one of those groups, like the Family Stone and a few others - black musicians, white musicians, guys, gals, it was about could you hang with the groove, not about where you came from.

For all the posturing of today, with each special victim group having their day in the sun to talk about how they have been mistreated, the attitude of 1970 is still far more organic and natural and real.

Now we see NYU doing this in 2023. (it's a click to read but I don't want or intended that it to turn into something here that'll cause the mods to quash this thread.)

Though I was a little kid at that time I do remember a bit of that vibe, that in particular contrast to the clear cultural turn that hardened leading into, through, and beyond the Reagan years, which were my high school years. I remember a remarkably palpable change leading up to the '76 Bicentennial, through Carter's term, with the Iran hostage crisis, then Reagan at the other end.

I happen to have clear, detailed memories starting from when I was 2 which might be unusually young.

I turned into an angry questioning sort of teen and young adult, into music such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brain, Misfits, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Ramones, etc., was where I was in the late '80s. I can't say what I really think of Reagan here.

The day I signed up for the Selective Service was the day Full Metal Jacket debuted in the theaters. You bet I went with my buddies to see it that night.

This is to me an apropos opposite bookend to that era.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Dunno if anyone posted this (because I have a life and didn't read the entire thread)
But it turns out it's tenor sax AND harmonica...

 

[51PRI]

Now we see NYU doing this in 2023. (it's a click to read but I don't want or intended that it to turn into something here that'll cause the mods to quash this thread.)

Though I was a little kid at that time I do remember a bit of that vibe, that in particular contrast to the clear cultural turn that hardened leading into, through, and beyond the Reagan years, which were my high school years. I remember a remarkably palpable change leading up to the '76 Bicentennial, through Carter's term, with the Iran hostage crisis, then Reagan at the other end.

I happen to have clear, detailed memories starting from when I was 2 which might be unusually young.

I turned into an angry questioning sort of teen and young adult, into music such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brain, Misfits, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Ramones, etc., was where I was in the late '80s. I can't say what I really think of Reagan here.

The day I signed up for the Selective Service was the day Full Metal Jacket debuted in the theaters. You bet I went with my buddies to see it that night.

This is to me an apropos opposite bookend to that era.

Bad Brains are mind blowing

 

[hbarcat]

I can't give you advice on the parts, but I will say VERY FEW bands are hip enough to play that song.

Like a lot of WAR's songs, there's practically nothing there, except extreme hipness. If you don't have the 'tude, it's gonna sound like a big ball of nothing.

Some years ago, I was involved in a one time cover band project to play a local summer festival.

We played one set of a dozen songs and the audience reaction was very positive with a lot of enthusiastic cheering and applause between songs.

Except when we played "Low Rider". At the end of the song we were met with a wall of cold silence.

I couldn't understand it. I thought we all played it pretty well. I didn't hear any mistakes or any other obvious performance deficiencies.

A few days later, I listened to a recording of our show and it was immediately clear what was wrong.

My bassline was completely out of the groove and sounded absolutely horrible.

I learned an important lesson about feel. That song has a genuine hipness to it and it's realized by the baseline. If you're not in that groove then it just falls totally flat.

 

[51PRI]

Some years ago, I was involved in a one time cover band project to play a local summer festival.

We played one set of a dozen songs and the audience reaction was very positive with a lot of enthusiastic cheering and applause between songs.

Except when we played "Low Rider". At the end of the song we were met with a wall of cold silence.

I couldn't understand it. I thought we all played it pretty well. I didn't hear any mistakes or any other obvious performance deficiencies.

A few days later, I listened to a recording of our show and it was immediately clear what was wrong.

My bassline was completely out of the groove and sounded absolutely horrible.

I learned an important lesson about feel. That song has a genuine hipness to it and it's realized by the baseline. If you're not in that groove then it just falls totally flat.

Yeah, I'm a bit concerned about being about to play that riff continuously through the whole song and maintain a good feel.

 

[pocket_groover]

Yeah, I'm a bit concerned about being about to play that riff continuously through the whole song and maintain a good feel.

Off topic, sorry ... reminds me of having to play this song: (15 minutes of the same riff)

 

[Michedelic]

Bad Brains are mind blowing

In 1989, I watched from the side of the stage as they utterly chilled out a revved up, angst ridden crowd by opening with some dub style reggae; it was like seeing an overpumped tire deflate, just amazing. I was mixing sound for the opening band, it was in a concrete building in the middle of a cornfield, in the middle of the country, in the middle of summer.

 

[Michedelic]

Off topic, sorry ... reminds me of having to play this song: (15 minutes of the same riff)

That (or “Good Times”)will demonstrate what you’re made of.

 

[Dave W]

We tried it a few years back.

My BL brought it up in a list of new stuff to learn. I cringed seeing it in the list but I didn't say anything and gave it a shot. We're not the right kind of band to be playing it.
We gigged with it a few times and nobody seemed to care too much so we ended up dropping it. I don't remember what kind of response it got, but it certainly wasn't a memorable one.

 

[51PRI]

We tried it a few years back.

My BL brought it up in a list of new stuff to learn. I cringed seeing it in the list but I didn't say anything and gave it a shot. We're not the right kind of band to be playing it.
We gigged with it a few times and nobody seemed to care too much so we ended up dropping it. I don't remember what kind of response it got, but it certainly wasn't a memorable one.

As I said, I played it in a previous band, not on bass, and it didn't do anything for us. Our BL is into harmonica right now so I think he's looking for songs that are well known, possibly danceable, and that have harmonice. I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.

Off topic, sorry ... reminds me of having to play this song: (15 minutes of the same riff)

I play the same riff throughout the entire song "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton but it has several long notes so there are spaces. In Low Rider...no spaces.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Like any new song...learn it, try it on a gig, see what happens.

 

[SteveCS]

Yeah, I'm a bit concerned about being about to play that riff continuously through the whole song and maintain a good feel.

I wouldn't sweat that too much as it is a collective responsibility - it's not all on you! The line itself is trivial so all you really have to do is listen to the others and hope they do the same!
YMMV

 

[Ben Esparza]

Bottom line is you gotta groove and funk the hell out of “Low Rider” as a cohesive band to make it groove and get people onto the dance floor. Bass and drums gotta lock in. Everyone else has to groove together as one.

We used to play it that way. When all was said and done, we’d abruptly end the song with the harp/sax riff on the one. After an 8 count, we’d go back into that same riff and do the same thing again and again and again.... We would do that around 4 to 5 times, sometimes more, depending on the crowd. Made for a great gig.

 

[51PRI]

Bottom line is you gotta groove and funk the hell out of “Low Rider” as a cohesive band to make it groove and get people onto the dance floor. Bass and drums gotta lock in. Everyone else has to groove together as one.

We used to play it that way. When all was said and done, we’d abruptly end the song with the harp/sax riff on the one. After an 8 count, we’d go back into that same riff and do the same thing again and again and again.... We would do that around 4 to 5 times, sometimes more, depending on the crowd. Made for a great gig.

What about a version where nothing is locked in? Is that jazz?

 

[ChrisB2]

What about a version where nothing is locked in? Is that jazz?

I fail to see what is not locked in on that version. Very tight and accomplished group and an entertaining version, if you ask me.

 

[Ben Esparza]

What about a version where nothing is locked in? Is that jazz?

What do you mean where nothing is locked in? That version is locked in as f**k! The drums and bass are locked in to a VERY funky groove. Jazz is not jazz unless the rhythm section is locked in and swings like crazy. Locked in doesn't mean playing the same thing together. Locked in means the bass is playing right behind the beat and the drums, while maintaining the cadence, is slightly behind the beat. The key is listening to each other without getting ahead of the other. Think David Garibaldi and Rocco Prestia. Both can be busy but neither step on the other's toes. Think "Tumbling Dice" by the Stones. While considered straight ahead rock, that tune swings and is terribly funky. Think "Knock On Wood" where nobody is playing the same thing together but the rhythm section is funk-ing the hell out of that tune.