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Dressing well and dancing

#201
Dressing and dancing are, of course, two distinct things. Dress for the gig. Dance - or more generally, move - for the gig as well. You're not going to run around doing splits while playing "Autumn Leaves." You shouldn't stand stiff as a board if you're playing "Highway to Hell." Some gigs the band's job is to all be in motion putting on a big collective show, other gigs you are in the shadows while a diva singer has the spotlight on her and you darn well better not upstage her.
 
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#203
Old Blastard said:
View attachment 3014171 View attachment 3014172 I think you gotta be what you are. I wear a shirt and tie at work everyday ... usually with jeans ... so I just toss an $8 Goodwill sport coat and an old thrift store hat on to play gigs.

Drummer is into tie-dye and t-shirts and that's what he wears. The other guys are less formal, but comfortable.
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I couldn't play like that. Nothing personal, but that is just not me! :)
 
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#205
IMG_4041.JPG
Speedhitter said:
I couldn't play like that. Nothing personal, but that is just not me! :)
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My band mates feel the same. I told them what I was going to do and that I did NOT expect them to do the same but encourage the drummer to go tie dye and shorts and such. It's actually created a laid back atmosphere that folks who listen kinda dig. We sometimes also put out a tip jar that says bass wardrobe donations as a joke.
 
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#206
mellowinman said:
Hair metal was never cool. Spandex tights, leopard prints and endless hair flinging was just plain silly.
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I always thought spandex tights were ridiculous, until I wore some red tiger-skin pattern ones, as a joke, to a Halloween gig where I dressed up like an 80’s rocker.

I now completely understand why those bands wore them.
 
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#207
easyj said:
I always thought spandex tights were ridiculous, until I wore some red tiger-skin pattern ones, as a joke, to a Halloween gig where I dressed up like an 80’s rocker.

I now completely understand why those bands wore them.
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Same here!
My first spandex was red tiger stripe too.
Satin Sales-Used to advertise in the back of Circus Magazine.
Lead Singer got a pink and fishnet outfit-coat with tails.
He looked great!
Im not tall enough to do that justice, but the pants made a convert out of me.
 
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#208
Old Blastard said:
View attachment 3018100

My band mates feel the same. I told them what I was going to do and that I did NOT expect them to do the same but encourage the drummer to go tie dye and shorts and such. It's actually created a laid back atmosphere that folks who listen kinda dig. We sometimes also put out a tip jar that says bass wardrobe donations as a joke.
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IS that David Gilmour on the left?
 
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#211
easyj said:
I read somewhere that in order to be a good bass player, you need to dress well and dance while you are performing live. How many think that these two things are really necessary for being a bass player in a gigging band?
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You don't need to, but for me, those parts are more fun and interesting than doing a good job of playing notes on the bass.
 
#212
I read somewhere that in order to be a good bass player, you need to play your instrument (bass) well...

I've always believed that. As for dress, jeans and t-shirt... 40 years now. Has always seemed to work. One of many reasons I didn't aspire to be a fashion model.
 
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#213
easyj said:
I read somewhere that in order to be a good bass player, you need to dress well and dance while you are performing live. How many think that these two things are really necessary for being a bass player in a gigging band?
Click to expand...
easyj said:
I read somewhere that in order to be a good bass player, you need to dress well and dance while you are performing live. How many think that these two things are really necessary for being a bass player in a gigging band?
Click to expand...

Music comes from within, from you. I am asking you to watch videos of your favorite bass players. Is there body swaying, is the head nodding, do they have these facial expression which demonstrate outside what's going on inside? We all "express" ourselves outwardly. I think it's like anything in life, time and place! My$.02
 
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#214
I'm in an originals punk band and even we adhere to a dress code of sorts. For the most part, no shorts, no hats, nothing lame. Look the part, or what's the point?

If you wear the same clothes on stage that you'd wear to pick up some supplies from home depot on a Saturday morning, than you're ruining music performance to the casual show-goer.
 
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#215
RE: Dancing bass player: Bastages stole all my moves! First those Los Del Rio punks steal the moves for the Macarena from me, which I invented at a Dead show back in '82, (didn't call it the Macarena, called it the Fat Freddy Freakout, but exact same choreographed moves). Now that pudgy phillistine steals my ass/titty slap while plucking low E... Damn it THIS WILL NOT STAND!
 
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#216
What a question IMHO: It all depends on the band, venue, and audience. Examples: I wouldn’t plan on playing a Christian worship gig in goth attire w/ my nails painted black. I wouldn’t dress up like Bootsy for a country gig nor would I plan on rehearsing Verdine White’s dance moves for either setting. I wouldn’t be styling in an Armani 3 piece for punk set either...... but then again.....
 
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#217
two fingers said:
Simply.
Not.
True.

I would argue that you can pedal on root 8th notes all night and you will still be regarded as a "great bass player" by most audience members if you look the part and put on a show. However, if you show up looking frumpy and acting bored, you can play like Jaco and nobody will remember you in the morning.
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Perhaps true, but Jaco also had a few dance moves. Here's Peter Erskine talking about it...


-DBB
 

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