Dirk Lance (vs Ben Kenney)

I'm only familiar with Ben's work on the Light Grenades album. I didn't really like Crow Left of the Murder. But I was listening the other day and thought that I liked Ben's role within the band. I think he brings more of a melodic, and musical vibe to the band.

 

I've been a huge Incubus fan for a long time now and was really bummed when Dirk left the band but Ben has become one of my favorite bass players. I really dig his tone (I just switched to flats on my jazz) and the way his parts fit in with Incubus' style nowadays.

I saw Ben play with his solo band a few weeks ago and he was on guitar with another guy playing bass. It was a very tight trio, I was super impressed. Love the sound of the Laklands through Walkabouts.

 

Dirk Lance is a badass. This new guy is a clown. That is a sick tone in Nebula. Deep Inside is a great song too. We roll down the street with that blaring at 3 AM all the time.

 

Your last sentence gives the first and second less credibility.

Does Ben slap with flats too or does he change basses?

 

Ben doesnt even slap....
watch a certain shade of green at red rocks and it sounds terrible. ben is just way too busy imo when they are doing that and stellar.
I like dirks tone much better, both really great bassists but i just dont like the way ben handles some of the older funkier songs, he just kills the feel

 

Oh he doesn't? I assumed that he would still slap the old songs.

 

I think they're both great players but I generally like the music the band wrote when Dirk was on board more....

Dig from the new album is a great song though.

 

I liked incubus's music with dirk more but I also would put light grenades in my top 20 cds. But I personally like ben more and I don't really know why because I agree that dirk is probably better.

 

depends on my mood dirk is the best for his funky and jazzy sound and "are you in" and "Battlestar Scralatchtica" are some of examples of this too
but ben kenny has more of a hip hop sound which makes sense since he used to be in the roots

 

agreed on them both being great players... but I think I dig Ben's era better.

 

Dirk is great
Ben is great
and the greatest thing about it is they are not even close to similar in styles. I can find stuff by both guys I really like. It was funny to see someone say Ben was too busy at times. That is like saying you prefer Victor Wooten because Jamerson is too busy.

 

Um, I dont follow on the new members? Jose and DJ Kilmore are original members? They havent changed any members except Dirk/Alex. Or am I going onto some type of unknowing idiocy?

EDIT: I also read that Mike wrote most of Dirks lines, but Ben is completely original. Any brownie points for the Root?

 

Hilakus, nuff said.

Dirk's playing is incredible, he is without a doubt a world class funk/rock bassist, the Fungus Amungus album is hard proof of this.

I'm not a fan of Ben Kenney, to be honest when compared to Dirk it's all a little... drab.

It's like wiping your ass with really thin toilet paper knowing full well you just passed up the opportunity to use some nice thick stuff.

Get what I mean?

 

Good comparison?

 

I fear I wrote that comment whilst slightly intoxicated and in the early hours of the morning, which I feel shows off my spelling and grammar skills over my ability to actually form a coherent statement.

To be honest comparing Fungus Amungus to say... A Crow Left of the Murder, different bass styles apart I just don't feel that Ben adds anything to the mix like Dirk did.
Maybe it's personal preference but I think the new albums are like listening to a completely different band that's lost the core 'groove' that Dirk provided and I can't help but feel perhaps Ben is something to do with that, I know that Mike writes virtually all the music but I think if he was regarding Ben's particular style at the time of writing it's affected the overall outcome of the music.

I hope that makes more sense...

 

I personally PICK Ben, pun intended, and think he could SLAP Dirk, pun intended. Actually, what I just typed was only because I wanted to throw those puns out there. Theyre both great, I listen to all stages of the 'Bus, but the musicianship and fun/playful attitude with the band that Ben has just makes him soo much better in my mind. He isnt as dark, and secretive as Dirk. Opinions, opinions.

 

I love the lines Dirk provided. Very cool.

And I've actually seen Ben live. He was kinda on my once-immature '$hit list' simply because he wasn't Dirk.

But my attitude shifted after that. I like his lines. I like how he runs up and down the bass as some points. It's just fun. He's got energy, and it's musical.

Andrew

PS. I will say that I'm not a fan of Brandon's new approach to singing. Or wailing all the damn time.