Band with two bass players

[brianrost]

I was in a band called the Earth Movers, three basses and a drummer. We did stuff like Big Bottom, Dazed and Confused (I bowed my P-Bass), Birdland, Godzilla, Whipping Post.

 

[HolmeBass]

Check out "Magattraction", and "All The Rage" by Girls Against Boys - both songs feature segments where both basses are playing the identical line, in unison, and it sounds absolutely brutal.

Yes in my experience playing in perfect unison w/ another bassist provides for a massive sound, the most deeply textured chunky chorused bass sound around! Do it sparingly just to be fair to the other band members.

 

[tedious1]

I was in a band called the Earth Movers, three basses and a drummer. We did stuff like Big Bottom, Dazed and Confused (I bowed my P-Bass), Birdland, Godzilla, Whipping Post.

You know what you've done don't you? This is the beginning of the end...

Now someone is going to post a thread "What's the best bass for bowing?" and the DB guys are going to lose their collective mind...

Besides, everyone knows you should only bow a t-bird...

 

[RoaDan]

Their T-shirts were legendary

They were extraordinarily canny in that regard, being the first band of that era to truly understand, and capitialise on merchandise.

They spent years touring their asses off, building a fan base, and becoming a truly outstanding live act, before they had a record deal - so the only product they had to generate extra income, was T-Shirts.


I think between 1987, and 1996, they'd produced over 80 unique designs - and they were really high quality, with their distinctive logo embossed in 3-dimesnional rubber (the long sleeve T-shirt for the "Happy" tour had a giant, glow in the dark, hand printed on the back).

Back then, the tickets to their shows were only about £5, and the T-shirts (which were a must have item back then) were about £8 for the short sleeved designs, and £12 for the long sleeve, and still considered pretty cheap - so you can see how big a deal clever merchandise was...

These days, most bands merchandise seems lazy, and vastly overpriced (much like the tickets).

Cool... thanks for the info. Ahh, the good ol' days... or was it daze. Either way...

 

[BklynKen]

Check out "Magattraction", and "All The Rage" by Girls Against Boys - both songs feature segments where both basses are playing the identical line, in unison, and it sounds absolutely brutal.

That's really good stuff. I never listened to them, though I've always known of them. That will change.

 

[lowplaces]

King Crimson had Trey Gunn and Tony Levin together...

Two guitars, two drummers, two bass players. Saw them in Columbus Oh.

 

[Basshappi]

There is Dave Pomeroy's 'All Bass Orchestra'

 

[LBS-bass]

And that is pretty much exactly how Prince used to use 2 bassists (himself being one of them).

Since one of those bassists used to play with Prince, that's not too surprising

 

[ardgedee]

Slam Stewart and Major Holley were great.

 

[Wolford]

After considering all the examples provided here (the best that BASSISTS could come up with), I would say there is no reason to have 2 bassists (other than we're friends looking to do something together).

 

[Maxime1980]

I've seen them a couple of times. This is a weird situation. That's Peter Hook's son on the other bass. Hook doesn't play at all when he's singing.

Well, I've seen PH&TL 5 times from 2011 and 2018 (and again in late 2019 when the band will play Technique and Republic!) and while he does not play when he sings (besides some songs when he did sang lead and played bass at the same time, "Dreams Never End" for ex.), when he does play his bass, so does his son and it really gives it a different sound than simply mimicing the albums and it is quite convincing.

NB : i do not want to start a Peter Hook vs New Order debate and/or a "if some but not all members of the band are there, it is a tribute band and not legitimate band" debate here....

 

[Maxime1980]

I forgot : there is also "Carnage Visors" by The Cure ! About 30 minutes of 2 basses by Robert Smith and Simon Gallup + a drum machine, circa Faith (1981) !

 

[akrachanko]

If you’re a country band, one of you could play the I and the other could play the V.

Thank you sir! I got a good laugh out of this one!

 

[10cc]

A friend and I were thinking of starting a band. We both play bass. Anyone ever do that? Curious how you work it. What could be cool is that she plays a Fender Mustang and I play a Gibson Thunderbird.

 

[Jebberz]

Alain Caron and Michel Donato once formed as Duo - had the chance to see them live back then

 

[Tao_of_Bass]

This is a band and a song i really like.Room 429 was covered by strapping young lad of the mighty Devin Townsend.

 

[BklynKen]

We played last night, along with her husband who plays guitar. Both of them sing. It was super fun and I'd say for the first time playing together, the basses worked well together, sometimes playing the same line and sometimes different. Rarely got muddy or anything bad. Really looking forward to seeing where this goes.

 

[Eddie Boy]

We played last night, along with her husband who plays guitar. Both of them sing. It was super fun and I'd say for the first time playing together, the basses worked well together, sometimes playing the same line and sometimes different. Rarely got muddy or anything bad. Really looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Good for you dude good luck!

 

[RiffwRiter]

Too many posts to read, but I did try searching. I know another example ... Talking Heads played a lot later with Tina Weymouth & Busta Jones both on bass. Glad you guys had fun. Rock on!

 

[activa44]

Zyanose!