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BBC Slates Bass Players
- Thread starter wafu_vasco
- Start date
At least Jack Bruce stuck up for our kind. We're there to make the others sound better than they actually are, and control the time, groove, everything.
GO TEAM BASS!
Nicky Wire... poor show
GO TEAM BASS!
Nicky Wire... poor show
And people wonder why I think we should get rid of TV licenses and the BBC
+1 my friend!!
well they managed to get you to start a thread about it which probably got them an extra 100 watchers, times every bass forum that has UK readers. so guess job well done
I laughted a lot.
The only person interviewed that p***ed me off was the girl labeled "music journalist" or something like that that said that "someone has to play it and you end giving the bass guitar to the least talented guy in the band".
The only person interviewed that p***ed me off was the girl labeled "music journalist" or something like that that said that "someone has to play it and you end giving the bass guitar to the least talented guy in the band".
Problem is, there's a lot of truth in that!
I've spoken to many a bass player who only took it up because it's the "easiest instrument" having only 4 strings
Still, I enjoyed the programme, because having a programme filled with common misconceptions on bass players is better than no programme about bass players...
Check their list of the greatest bass players:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/rocknrollband/bassists/
it pissed me off abit, i was looking forward to a bassist episode, and then we ended up getting dumped with crappy keyboard players
Hehe.
I know that the 5th episode will be about "bands" (thought I don't really know how they are going to focus it), but what about the 6th? What are they going to talk about there? Producers or record labels?
Anyone?
I know that the 5th episode will be about "bands" (thought I don't really know how they are going to focus it), but what about the 6th? What are they going to talk about there? Producers or record labels?
Anyone?
To non-bass players, it probably does seem a fairly simple instrument. But after all the main point of the bass is to hold the rhythm down, and for the majority of us bass players we are modest about primarily filling this role, and don't feel the need to show off unlike guitarists. Just a shame for it to always be labelled as 'the easiest instrument' in the band to play, as I had a lot more admiration for bassists even before picking up the instrument as I felt they were the unsung heroes of most bands 
... just my oppinion anyway 
... just my oppinion anyway 
Paul Simonin is a superb bass player IMO!
i do agree with the rest of your post though
regarding the series:
i watched the lead guitarist one with high hopes, but it was just a load of talking heads mixed in with stock footage and the occasional bit of cliched 60s gig footage.
and the usual nonsesnse: 'i used to play my tennis racket in the mirror! ho ho' and all the grannies watching at home can go 'aah'
i think these programmes just play to existing stereotypes for laughs, instead of saying anything really interesting or meaningful... which is what i'd foolishly hoped.
i haven't watched the bass/whatever one yet but i'm not surprised to hear they went for the 'bass players are boring LOL' angle.
i watched the lead guitarist one with high hopes, but it was just a load of talking heads mixed in with stock footage and the occasional bit of cliched 60s gig footage.
and the usual nonsesnse: 'i used to play my tennis racket in the mirror! ho ho' and all the grannies watching at home can go 'aah'
i think these programmes just play to existing stereotypes for laughs, instead of saying anything really interesting or meaningful... which is what i'd foolishly hoped.
i haven't watched the bass/whatever one yet but i'm not surprised to hear they went for the 'bass players are boring LOL' angle.
The BBC stance may be annoying, but when you look at it from a non-bassist perspective it IS a fairly true statement. It has only been a few years since the "bass player" has started to step out of the shadows and into the so called "spot light". For the vast majority of non musicians (and some very famous musicians) the bassist and keyboardist is really are least important pieces of the band. Don't take it personal, the rest of the world just hasn't caught up with us yet 
one only needs to view a gene simmons thread on here to realize that no, trash talking other bassists is not against the rules.
And people wonder why I think we should get rid of TV licenses and the BBC
Be careful what you ask for or you will end up with the TV we have in the states, which tends to be "Stab out your eyes with salad tongs to escape from it" Bad.
listen, i've seen the bbc america channel a lot and they have plenty of stab your eyes out programming as well.Be careful what you ask for or you will end up with the TV we have in the states, which tends to be "Stab out your eyes with salad tongs to escape from it" Bad.
Ok, I agree with you there, I have often wondered, when there are so many good British shows, how come the only things that are decent and consistently on BBCA are Top Gear and Dr Who?
Maybe it's some sort of giant Transatlantic joke they are playing on us.
I saw it and wasn't really annoyed. I just thought that contrary to making an effort to look beyond stereotypes, it just took the lazy option and simply pandered to them.
The thing is that these programmes are not really about the subject matter at hand, but more of a vehicle to keep a handful of minor TV presenters and Radio DJ's on the programming roundabout. It's more a question of a small clique of people using a poorly written script that's crafted to help them appear witty and massage their own ego.
The voiceover on this program is performed by the lamentable talent of Mark Radcliffe. He also does the voiceover on 'Top of the Pops 2' - which for the benefit of those outside the UK is simply a program put together from clips taken from the original and long running 'Top of the Pops' which ran every Thursday evening for 30 years. The legacy of the original program is that it produced a archive of performances from nearly every major artist, in every genre, over the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. They can now use these archive performances and 'theme' them in the 'TOTP2' programme.
As part of an intro in a recent 80's retro, this Mark Radcliffe guy said 'the noise that sounds like a flatulent warthog is, in fact, the bass guitar; which is played by the waiter on the right', so I think that speaks volumes about the guy's need to spout banalities in the name of entertainment.
The 'waiter', by the way, was Pino Palladino playing the intro to 'Wherever I lay my hat'
The thing is that these programmes are not really about the subject matter at hand, but more of a vehicle to keep a handful of minor TV presenters and Radio DJ's on the programming roundabout. It's more a question of a small clique of people using a poorly written script that's crafted to help them appear witty and massage their own ego.
The voiceover on this program is performed by the lamentable talent of Mark Radcliffe. He also does the voiceover on 'Top of the Pops 2' - which for the benefit of those outside the UK is simply a program put together from clips taken from the original and long running 'Top of the Pops' which ran every Thursday evening for 30 years. The legacy of the original program is that it produced a archive of performances from nearly every major artist, in every genre, over the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. They can now use these archive performances and 'theme' them in the 'TOTP2' programme.
As part of an intro in a recent 80's retro, this Mark Radcliffe guy said 'the noise that sounds like a flatulent warthog is, in fact, the bass guitar; which is played by the waiter on the right', so I think that speaks volumes about the guy's need to spout banalities in the name of entertainment.
The 'waiter', by the way, was Pino Palladino playing the intro to 'Wherever I lay my hat'
Yeah it's just the BBC these days.. some of what they do is just the best TV you are likely to see.. some is just pants like this.
It amazes me how lazy some of these programmers are, just taking the default route, rather than trying to educate or illuminate the subject. It's weird because there are many highly educated and brilliant people at the Beeb, who you would think would say that this program is dumb or pointless or inaccurate.
Mark Ratcliff dissing Pino, well he can talk can't he, he's Sooo talented!
