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Bass players as lead singers?

#81
volt9stormrider said:
wow! Jack Bruce... Cream??? i never knew... i just always assumed it was clapton... wow. :eek:
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Jack was an amazing singer, and it bugs me that more don't know it. It's not your fault, a lot of people pretend Clapton was Cream. And Sparx either needs to read more carefully or chill out. Of course Jack is great, he was mentioned on the first page. There's no point in too many repeat mentions when there are so many other player/singers to get to.
 
#85
John Doe from X.

Fantastic singer and damn solid bass player.

Try singing and playing "Hungry Wolf" some time with his vocal phrasing, etc.

I would also have to put him high up on the "coolest looking singing bass player" list (but that's for another thread I guess . . .)
 
#87
If you rent 'The Unheard Music', a documentary about X, there's a lot of footage of John Doe playing and singing, and then at one point, working on a new song, and he writes on the bass. It's very cool - he is establishing the basic song, and the lyrics, just with the bass line. Now, they played within a rhythmically oriented genre, their own concoction of punk rockabilly, but isn't all music rhythmic?

This is one of the best music docos I've ever seen. I can't recommend it enough, it's not just about great and brave musicians, but the film makers are also very innovative. Also, if you've never heard the song 'Poor Little Girl' you're missing out on something great, and that vocal performance is spot on.

Let's also not forget Jack Bruce. Great singer, and I believe he plays fretless.

And a big ass vote for the greatness that is Lemmy.
 
#88
Kavi said:
that vocal performance is spot on.
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Doe is one of the most underrated singers in rock---the guy has friggin' perfect pitch and can sing a high and lonesome country lament or belt out a punk roots-rocker like nobody else. He mostly plays guitar these days, but as the lead-singing bassist in X he's one of the coolest that's ever been . . . Funny thing is, most people KNOW his voice from one thing or another, they just don't know who he is.
 
#91
I think this all leads to a potential 'nuther thread, in that, most of all these players, play a certain kind of bass while singing that is . . .how should I say, different from what you would(or can) play when not having to sing. I've been a lead singing bassist in many different kinds of bands, and also a rhythm guitarist/lead singer, but mostly, a bass player who does some backups. Personally, I prefer what I can contribute as a bassist more when I'm not singing---I play more, for lack of a better term, "proper" bass when I don't have to sing too.
 
#93
most of all these players, play a certain kind of bass while singing that is . . .how should I say, different from what you would(or can) play when not having to sing.
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Guessing at what you mean, I'd say Jack Bruce is the exception. The man has two brains. He simply doesn't need to compromise his playing to accomodate his singing. Allow me to demonstrate.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HO7aSk7MDUs

I rest my case.
 
#94
pedro said:
Guessing at what you mean, I'd say Jack Bruce is the exception. The man has two brains. He simply doesn't need to compromise his playing to accomodate his singing. Allow me to demonstrate.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HO7aSk7MDUs

I rest my case.
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I haven't heard this song since I was really young. Never saw it performed. Awesome. Just awesome.

In my first "band", A Goat For Sally, I played my Hohner tuned to B-E-A-D and "sang". Really, it was more like growling words in key. I'm pretty sure that the shortest note I played (in the four or five songs in AGFS's repertoire) was a quarter.

AGFS was more "recording project" than "band"; we (the guitarist and I) never even tried to get a gig because we couldn't find a reliable drummer who wanted to play in a "parody metal" band.

The song "My Pet Demon" (coincidentally the first song I ever wrote) was going to be the 'A' side of our first self-released 7". It was absolutely silly. The tapes (we were recording straight in to a 1/4" reel-to-reel machine) are possibly down here in the cellar somewhere; more than likely buried in a box and/or covered in spiderwebs.
 
#96
A little anecdote re: singing and playing bass.

Years ago a band I had did AWB's version of " If I Ever Lose This Heaven". At one point in the chorus my harmaony part was one half step higher than the bass note I was playing. Talk about hard to get a handle on!
 

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