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Hellfire! I wish I was Adam Clayton.
- Thread starter chuck norriss
- Start date
As cool as it would be to have mad skillz like Billy Sheehan, I would actually prefer to simply be able to hold down the low end as well as Adam Clayton. I think his playing is more complex than people give him credit for. As others have said, his restrained style is integral to their songs. It's what he doesn't play that sets him apart. IMO.
Has anybody seen U2's Imax 3D movie? The bass tone in that was unbelievable.
Has anybody seen U2's Imax 3D movie? The bass tone in that was unbelievable.
Agreed. I think there are dopes here that use the phrase 'he sucks' in place of 'I don't particularly like his playing'. Big, big difference.
It took me about 25 years to realize that playing even, grooving quarter notes and eight notes is actually just as 'hard' as the most noodling wank I've ever been capable of.
Over 20 years or so, I've come to change from thinking he was no good to thinking he's actually a great bassist in the context in which he plays.
IMO there... not a big U2 fan (always feel like punching Bono in the face for some reason), but that is a lot of sound coming out of that trio, and as others have said, not once do I feel that another bassist or line would have made any of their tunes 'better'.
Being able to perform great fretboard gymnastics doesn't make you a great musician. It makes you a great gymnast.
I must be bored to get sucked into a thread like this.
Who's to say that's the better way to play bass anyway?
I like what Adam Clayton does. A lot.
I think there's probably been an evolution of Adam Clayton. When they started out, by all accounts they didn't really know what they were doing and could barely play. Early U2 bass lines were simple because he probably wasn't really capable of anything more.
By the time an album like the Joshua Tree came out, though, they'd been playing together for 10 years or so. I think he's a lot more capable than he had been on the early albums, and some of the stuff you read about them says around this era they really felt that although they were selling albums, they weren't really good and were working hard to improve as musicians. The steady insistent bass line was signature U2, though, same as the echo-laden guitar. I think from that point on the bass lines are simple more by choice than by necessity.
Clayton's still no Victor Wooten or Jaco or anything, but I don't think saying he sucks is warranted. Not just because of sales figures. It's that his bass lines fit just right into compelling songs.
By the time an album like the Joshua Tree came out, though, they'd been playing together for 10 years or so. I think he's a lot more capable than he had been on the early albums, and some of the stuff you read about them says around this era they really felt that although they were selling albums, they weren't really good and were working hard to improve as musicians. The steady insistent bass line was signature U2, though, same as the echo-laden guitar. I think from that point on the bass lines are simple more by choice than by necessity.
Clayton's still no Victor Wooten or Jaco or anything, but I don't think saying he sucks is warranted. Not just because of sales figures. It's that his bass lines fit just right into compelling songs.
U2 is awesome and each member is a master at what the song requires. Clayton lines are just as interesting as Sting's and he has great tones to boot. IMHO of course.
A few other players I would put in this catagory:
John Stirratt
Andy Hess
Paul McCartney
All great players that know what is needed for their music.
A few other players I would put in this catagory:
John Stirratt
Andy Hess
Paul McCartney
All great players that know what is needed for their music.
Mike in Chicago said:
You have not been listening very closely at all. Bono talks all the time about how much he loves America- Rattle And Hum was virtually a love letter to Americana. I'm not a rabid fan, but can you name a single lyric that trashes the U.S.? I can't think of one. In fact, I can't think of a lyric that is specifically political in any way. His lyrics are always oblique and much more oriented towards spirituality and matters of the soul.
Moreover, U-2 was the #1 most successful touring act in the world last year, so to say that they make all their money here s just factually wrong. They pack stadiums around the entire world.
A while back Mike in Chicago was bashing Jason Newsted for playing solos, saying he was a frustrated guitarist. Now he's bashing Adam Clayton for playing driving 8th note lines, which fits perfectly with U2's music.
Sounds like he has a narrow idea of what is acceptable when playing the bass. Or he just doesn't like it when people that he deems less technically proficient make more money than he does.
Why do we get sucked into these troll threads time and time again? The OP is obviously trying to bait people.
You think Adam Clayton (or anyone else) sucks? Fine. But your energy would be better spent becoming a better bassist, writing better music, and letting your playing speak for itself. Otherwise, you're just a hater. And nobody likes haters.
You can carry around a hot coal in your hand, in the hopes of hurting someone you dislike. But eventually, you must come to realize that you're carrying around a hot coal, which only hurts yourself...
...and Adam Clayton just keeps on counting his money.
You think Adam Clayton (or anyone else) sucks? Fine. But your energy would be better spent becoming a better bassist, writing better music, and letting your playing speak for itself. Otherwise, you're just a hater. And nobody likes haters.
You can carry around a hot coal in your hand, in the hopes of hurting someone you dislike. But eventually, you must come to realize that you're carrying around a hot coal, which only hurts yourself...
...and Adam Clayton just keeps on counting his money.
Adam is a solid bass player and that is more than good enough for me and the other " non snob , gotta be Jaco , play a million notes to show my great chops bassist". I'm sure U2 would sound better with Adam Nitti riffing like crazy . Final thought*****GET A GRIP !
Hey, I would buy one of those! It does sound cool.
Anyway, I like Adam Clayton's basslines and really respect him as a bass player. He might not be very technical, but he fits perfectly in the band.
(off topic, but I never saw U2 as anti-America, quite the opposite, in fact)
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
Why so negative on a fellow bass brotha doing his gig?
Well if thats all the bass he had..
Im sure that what he did with it, would be more positive than you. He'd bang more super models than you, he'd make more money than you, he'd have a happier outlook on life than you, and he Wouldn't need a day job.. Just sayin'
Well if thats all the bass he had..
Im sure that what he did with it, would be more positive than you. He'd bang more super models than you, he'd make more money than you, he'd have a happier outlook on life than you, and he Wouldn't need a day job.. Just sayin'
I like many of his lines. They resemble some of Sting's, in that they can be technically simple but quite fitting to the song.
He's played lines that are more than 8th notes on the root the whole song. Not any technical wizardry, but more creative than that all the time.
Sometimes that is what is best called for in the music.
He's played lines that are more than 8th notes on the root the whole song. Not any technical wizardry, but more creative than that all the time.
Sometimes that is what is best called for in the music.
