So quit posting and bringing it back up to the first page! Um, wait, I just did it too......damn!
Seriously, I hope this thread dies a slow painful death and sinks as fast as possible to the botto......dammit, did it again.
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Geddy Lee overrated??
- Thread starter twdavis13
- Start date
Seriously, I hope this thread dies a slow painful death and sinks as fast as possible to the botto......dammit, did it again.
To be into Geddy Lee, I suppose you'd have to actually like Rush. I hate Rush, and can't stand Geddy's whiny girl-voice. I don't drive a van with a Wizzards & Dragons mural on the side and play D&D either.
I do think Geddy is a great bass player, so I would not consider him over-rated.
I do think Geddy is a great bass player, so I would not consider him over-rated.
Someone should start a "Is Talkbass Overrated" Thread.
hah!
My feelings for Geddy Lee are love/hate. I love his tone, love his creative licks and grooves, and am blown away that I he can sing this stuff while playing such lines. However, I pretty much hate everything Rush did after Moving Pictures. The lyrics really don't work for me on most of their stuff, and I can't stand his singing most of the time. Also, I have always wished Alex Lifeson would learn to solo-great rhythm guitar player though. I really love Moving Pictures and the bass playing on that album though and would consider that one of the great rock albums.
To answer the OP, I will take Geddy Lee over Entwhistle any day. But that is more because I really don't like The Who. I didn't grow up listening to the Who and I have never learned to like them. I have never heard anything by Entwhistle that has ever really done that much for me, whereas I really like alot of Geddy's playing.
Alex Lifeson can't solo??? I'll agree that his early solos weren't great, but there are some good solos on Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures. When I hear the solo on Free Will, the one thought that never crosses my mind is "Wow that solo sucks".
To each his own I guess.
I don't think that I would say "that solo sucks" but for being such a great guitar player in every other way, his solo's just don't do a dang thang for me. Even on Moving Pictures, by far my favorite Rush album, the solo's seem to meander around without a sense of direction or purpose. They are simply not up to the standard set by the rest of the band, even Alex's own amazing guitar parts. My opinion of course...
Fair enough. While I don't completely agree with you, I can see where you're coming from. We can definitely agree that his rhythm work is just incredible.
It's amazing...we just had a discussion with opposing views without any flaming (not to say that we've flamed each other ever, but there has been plenty of flaming going on in this thread). It's amazing how enjoyable discourse can be when civility is practiced
Fair enough. While I don't completely agree with you, I can see where you're coming from. We can definitely agree that his rhythm work is just incredible.
It's amazing...we just had a discussion with opposing views without any flaming (not to say that we've flamed each other ever, but there has been plenty of flaming going on in this thread). It's amazing how enjoyable discourse can be when civility is practiced
+1 to respectful dialogue!
I too have to agree that I really do love Alex's rhythm parts, they are complex, always with great tone, and totally make the songs happen. The beauty of the best Rush tunes to me is the tasteful interchange between 3 amazing musicians who all have more chops than is natural. Many bands with 3 such talents usually overdo it, especially with "Art Rock" Bands.
Hey I may be wrong, but nobody's yet mentioned the most important reason why he's not overrated.......HE'S CANADIAN!!!!
Oh no I didn't!
Oh no I didn't!
This thread appears to be about comparing Picasso to Da Vinci, (though I'm in no way comparing the bassists to these people...) both great artists, but different, almost incomparable styles.
I can't believe that I went through 10 pages of this, who is better than who is so tiring. I would like to post that I'm not a big fan of Ged's flamenco style of playing in Rush's later discs. I do think his right hand chops have exploded, but I think there's just too much of the flamenco thing going on. Having said that, Snakes & Arrows is Rush's best since Moving Pictures.
Right.....*breathes*.....must....not....get....angry.
Firstly, as a musician (well, bassist/drummer!) I find that the best policy is to respect a famous musician even if their playing style is not to your taste. Someone out there must like 'em otherwise they wouldn't be famous.
But seriously, is the OP having a laugh?! Comparing Geddy Lee to John Entwistle is a thankless and pointless task. We're talking about two different types of bassist, playing two fairly different types of music, in two VERY different bands. Therefore you can't expect to make a fair and good comparison, much less write one bassist off.
Geddy Lee, even if Rush aren't well-known to most people now, has pretty much changed music. He manages to sing and play several instruments at the same time, as well as taking a part in song-writing and writing music.
Musically he's one of the best- his basslines are technically proficient and melodic, and he holds his own in a setting where the bass usually gets ignored.
He's also a very good keyboards and synths player, and in my opinion some of Rush's best work is the synth stuff (Prime Mover is a good example).
Sure, there are things I don't like about Rush's playing, like Alex Lifeson's seeming overuse of pedals, or some of Geddy Lee's tones, but the OP's post is musical ignorance at its best. Or worst.
Firstly, as a musician (well, bassist/drummer!) I find that the best policy is to respect a famous musician even if their playing style is not to your taste. Someone out there must like 'em otherwise they wouldn't be famous.
But seriously, is the OP having a laugh?! Comparing Geddy Lee to John Entwistle is a thankless and pointless task. We're talking about two different types of bassist, playing two fairly different types of music, in two VERY different bands. Therefore you can't expect to make a fair and good comparison, much less write one bassist off.
Geddy Lee, even if Rush aren't well-known to most people now, has pretty much changed music. He manages to sing and play several instruments at the same time, as well as taking a part in song-writing and writing music.
Musically he's one of the best- his basslines are technically proficient and melodic, and he holds his own in a setting where the bass usually gets ignored.
He's also a very good keyboards and synths player, and in my opinion some of Rush's best work is the synth stuff (Prime Mover is a good example).
Sure, there are things I don't like about Rush's playing, like Alex Lifeson's seeming overuse of pedals, or some of Geddy Lee's tones, but the OP's post is musical ignorance at its best. Or worst.
I agree it's unfair to compare the two bassists. Consider the fact that Entwistle had a lot more room to improvise in a much looser song structure, whereas Geddy tends to be heavily involved in writing and structures songs AROUND his bass lines. As such, Entwistle had to keep up with an unpredictable Keith Moon, whereas Neil Peart creates drum lines around Geddy's bass lines. As such, Geddy doesn't have a lot of room to do the same improvisation.
The thing that people overlook with Alex is that he uses some of the most interesting chordal structures to add to songs, and his solos, while not always blisteringly fast (though can be - check out La Villa Strangiato's opening), have a melody that makes each solo really feel deep - a talent few lead guitarists IMO have been able to do as well.
The thing that people overlook with Alex is that he uses some of the most interesting chordal structures to add to songs, and his solos, while not always blisteringly fast (though can be - check out La Villa Strangiato's opening), have a melody that makes each solo really feel deep - a talent few lead guitarists IMO have been able to do as well.
