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Geddy Lee
- Thread starter Andy Flees
- Start date
There is a great book called "Standing in The Shadows of Mowtown" by Alan Slutsky. It is a biography of James Jamerson, transcriptions of some of his bass lines and some of the greatest bass players contributing a brief essay on their Motown influences and their covers of Motown classics.
Geddy Lee makes such a contribution but I cant remember what song it is. Regardless, this book is a great read and study for any bass player.
Speaking of James Brown, Alan Slutsky's other book is on the great rhythm sections that backed up JB. It's a history with transcriptions.
Geddy Lee makes such a contribution but I cant remember what song it is. Regardless, this book is a great read and study for any bass player.
Speaking of James Brown, Alan Slutsky's other book is on the great rhythm sections that backed up JB. It's a history with transcriptions.
I think Southpaw hit it on the head -Geddy's got a funk sensibility.
I actually own Standing in The Shadows of Motown [Geddy track was "Get Ready"] and to be honest, I always thought that Geddy was asked to do it because of the sellability of his name. When I was a young guy, I went to school on the Geddy's tone. I listed to the albums from Rush to GUP like nobody's business and knew the guy's tone inside and out and backwards.
But including him as a contributor on Standing? Puhleez -that was a stretch at best. He even admitted not really knowing Jamerson's stuff in a Bass Player mag shortly after Standing went on sale. I don't think Geddy was directly influenced by funk at all but through the influences he had from guys like Jack Bruce and John Entwhistle as stated earlier.
I actually own Standing in The Shadows of Motown [Geddy track was "Get Ready"] and to be honest, I always thought that Geddy was asked to do it because of the sellability of his name. When I was a young guy, I went to school on the Geddy's tone. I listed to the albums from Rush to GUP like nobody's business and knew the guy's tone inside and out and backwards.
But including him as a contributor on Standing? Puhleez -that was a stretch at best. He even admitted not really knowing Jamerson's stuff in a Bass Player mag shortly after Standing went on sale. I don't think Geddy was directly influenced by funk at all but through the influences he had from guys like Jack Bruce and John Entwhistle as stated earlier.
I suspect that Geddy Lee is like all of us in that he was influenced by what he heard on the radio or television. Given his age, I'm sure a big chunk of what he heard was Motown. It would be weird if he didn't have at least a subliminal r&b/funk influence.
You're probably right about that actually Cheese.
I'm getting a little carried away here perhaps and I don't mean to take such a "hard line" about Lee's influences. I too doubt that he heard only a few players/bands and that's it.
Anybody else discovered a Lee line that has that funk sensibility?
Some of my other favourite "funky" parts are live things he's done such as the Gtr. solo section of ByTor on "Rush in Rio" and "All The World's A Stage". A Passage To Bankok on ESL is very cool too.
I'm getting a little carried away here perhaps and I don't mean to take such a "hard line" about Lee's influences. I too doubt that he heard only a few players/bands and that's it.
Anybody else discovered a Lee line that has that funk sensibility?
Some of my other favourite "funky" parts are live things he's done such as the Gtr. solo section of ByTor on "Rush in Rio" and "All The World's A Stage". A Passage To Bankok on ESL is very cool too.
I also the reggae-ish intro to "New world man" that`s a bit funky too.
However, I also agree on "Leaving that thing alone" as being his most funk oriented line (I used to adore that Wal tone).
IIRC, there`s a Bass Player issue where Geddy said that was something funny to play that funk oriented tune "mainly considering they were 3 white guys from Toronto".
However, I also agree on "Leaving that thing alone" as being his most funk oriented line (I used to adore that Wal tone).
IIRC, there`s a Bass Player issue where Geddy said that was something funny to play that funk oriented tune "mainly considering they were 3 white guys from Toronto".
Papersen said:
Leave that Thing Alone was recorded with his Fender Jazz, despite the Wal being mentioned in the liner notes.
How about the bass line for the noisier parts of the verse in "The Big Money"?
"Big Money goes around the world..."
"Big Money goes around the world..."
It seems quite a few Geddy threads have been popping up lately....While I can't comment on Geddy's funk-a-trocity, therefore making me useless to this thread, I must mention my favorite line. Everytime I listen to Freewill, I get chills listening to Geddy's bass part during the drawn-out guitar solo. They are usually followed by a "Dude! that's sooooo bad!" YYZ on Exit Stage Left is a keeper as well......
Geddy... well... he can play funk, that doesn't make him funky. His funky stuff has always been a tad cheesey. Not just from the songwriting standpoint, but his feel. I dunno, I can't really explain it. If I was making a funk band, Geddy would be pretty low on the list of bassists on the callback list.
Matt Till said:
I think this stems from the fact that you need two to *really* funk: a bassist AND a drummer. Geddy by himself is funky enough, but Peart... he makes great drum parts, has quite a set of chops, but the only way to make him swing is with a noose
(mmm, wonder what would happen if you told Geddy 'go nuts!' with Dave Garibaldi instead of Neil Peart...)
Geddy's solo album with Matt Cameron sounds a lot better in the groove/funk dept. than Rush. I love Rush, but when I want to hear some funk/groove I put on Tower of Power, early Jamiroquai, stuff like that, and certainly not Rush.
I'd agree there are certain "funky" aspects to some of Geddy's lines, but I'm not sure I'd consider him a "funky" bass player - literally or figuratively.
I guess I see funk playing as more about the notes you don't play over the ones you do. (That's been said before, I think by George Porter, Jr. and a bunch of others.)
All this aside, he is probably my favorite bassist.
I guess I see funk playing as more about the notes you don't play over the ones you do. (That's been said before, I think by George Porter, Jr. and a bunch of others.)
All this aside, he is probably my favorite bassist.
Yeah, some nice discussion going on about funk, etc.
If I were searching for a straight up funk bassist, I don't think I'd look to Geddy none too soon either.
My interest in starting this thread was more along the lines of refuting the many Rush detractors I've had discussions with over the years about their feel. Over the years, I've heard so many times that the band has "no soul" form those who are not fans. And for them I guess it's true, but I just couldn't ignore the similar feeling I got (only during certain parts of Rush tunes to be honest) that I've had listening to Meters tunes or Motown stuff.
I would agree that Neil Peart is quite lacking in the swing dept. I love the guy's playing for just what it is but lord, he's very "mathmatical" most of the time. And good grief, especially in the early years of Rush, the man just would not leave any breathing room at *all* in his parts.
I like that Dave Garibaldi idea! Now, if we could also hear Ged with Zigaboo? Hmmm....
If I were searching for a straight up funk bassist, I don't think I'd look to Geddy none too soon either.
My interest in starting this thread was more along the lines of refuting the many Rush detractors I've had discussions with over the years about their feel. Over the years, I've heard so many times that the band has "no soul" form those who are not fans. And for them I guess it's true, but I just couldn't ignore the similar feeling I got (only during certain parts of Rush tunes to be honest) that I've had listening to Meters tunes or Motown stuff.
I would agree that Neil Peart is quite lacking in the swing dept. I love the guy's playing for just what it is but lord, he's very "mathmatical" most of the time. And good grief, especially in the early years of Rush, the man just would not leave any breathing room at *all* in his parts.
I like that Dave Garibaldi idea! Now, if we could also hear Ged with Zigaboo? Hmmm....
Geddy was pretty funky in the 80s, but again I wouldn't put him on a list of funk bassists. You do have to admit that some of his 80s lines were pretty funky. Songs like Roll the Bones come to mind (1991, I know).
JoeB said:
I agree. I was told Geddy played his line on a Steinberger with a pick! It is a most un-fenderish tone...
I can hear the funkyness described, but Neil Peart is not a very funky drummer, so that side of their playing doesn't really show, IMO.
I love "Leave that thing alone". In fact I've been playing the verse line all slapped and it funks like hell. Another funkatic phrase I love is their riff on "Virtuality". Also "Home on the strange" from his solo album is funk as hell (it's in a pop context, but it's one of the funkiest). Also "Show don't tell" or "Stick it out" have funky lines. Finally, I find the bass line on "The enemy within" amazingly groovie, not really funky but certainly disco.
ANDRUCA
ANDRUCA
I think the bassline in "Digital Man" qualifies.
Also, the part in Cinderella that was mention earlier,
is just too cool.
Also, the part in Cinderella that was mention earlier,
is just too cool.
