The tone is polarizing no doubt but mix him with Paul Gilbert, Richie Kotzen or Steve Via and in his 70's, he still tears it up. Sorry about the crappy audio but the video gets the point across.
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Billy's still got it.
- Thread starter MotorCityMinion
- Start date
Billy is great. You can only wonder what it would be like if he joined Van Halen.
I just watched an interview with Sheehan, that I don't have a link to, and he says he was asked to join VH three separate times by EVH and that he turned them down out of respect to Anthony. The interview was on the book of faces if you care to look for it.
My personal favorite Sheehan performance was on Tony MacAlpine's Edge Of Insanity album. His partner on that album was Steve Smith from Journey and they played great together.
Sheehan playing root notes for a living with VH? Ha!
Why would he do that? Michael Anthony certainly didn't, contrary to popular belief.
Billy Sheehan is such a talent and yet, one of my least favorite bassists. It's a preference thing. He reminds me of the rock version of those jazz guys whose solos sound like they're practicing scales. I've tried and tried, but I just can't get into him (I'm sure he'll lose sleep living without my ringing endorsement... lol).
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I agree with the above statement but when I listen to what he does within the band context and not as a soloist extraordinaire, I'm good with that. The Winery Dogs is a good example of that. Those guys are great and do cross over the line into show off territory on occasion, but as a group are fun.
I respect him (and I really like him in interviews, he seems like a great guy) but I can’t get into it. Even as a soloist/virtuoso I don’t think what he’s saying is that cohesive or interesting.
He's a badass. His athleticism may outshine his musicality at times, but you can't deny the guy is impressive. Seems like a cool dude as well, in interviews. I'm a fan.
VH would have lost one of their most crucial sounds - Michael Anthony soaring backing vocals.
I recall Billy (then with Talas) doing PSA’s on TV / Buffalo back in ‘82. Yeah, he had that bastardized P draped across his knee.
Riis
Riis
I mean, we all more or less saw exactly what that would have been like. Maybe you were being clever.
I love his tone, but it wouldn’t work for anyone but him. Identifiable player in one note because of his tone. Kind of like Mike Stern.
The first time I heard Sheehan was on one of those floppy records that would sometimes come in magazines. This one was a tune he did with Tony McAlpine called “Birds of Prey” and it had a long bass solo in it. This was around 1985 and 14 year old me had never heard anything like it. Mind melting.
The first time I heard Sheehan was on one of those floppy records that would sometimes come in magazines. This one was a tune he did with Tony McAlpine called “Birds of Prey” and it had a long bass solo in it. This was around 1985 and 14 year old me had never heard anything like it. Mind melting.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
The only reason I bought tickets to see David Lee Roth in 1988 on the Skyscraper tour, but he had bailed by the time they came to Scotland and the drummer's brother (and a bunch of backing taped) was standing in.
I feel like when a good soloist plays, he/she plays for the audience. Tells them a story. It seems to me when Billy plays, he says "Look at me!". He plays AT the audience. Again, Billy is a nice guy and a great bass player, but I don't think what he does capitalizes on the strength and features of the bass. I've never liked a guitar approach to a bass.
Yet there are people in that same audience that seem to be enjoying it. Also Bill is a known quantity. I don't think there are many, if any that buy a ticket to his show that are unaware of his schtick.
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