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Isolated bass: John Paul Jones
- Thread starter Raman
- Start date
The Lemon Song is one where the bass takes front stage.John Paul Jones wrote what is probably the best ever blues bass line for the Lemon Song. A living legend.
More often than not, the bass is an ungrateful instrument. As the metaphor goes, you're the cement foundation that holds the whole building together, but nobody recognizes it because it's underground.
JPJ's In My Time Of Dying exemplifies that. He holds the song together by bridging the gap between the drum, the guitar and the voice. And he does it with steadiness, grace and creativity. Yet, don't ask any "civilian" (ie non bass player) to whistle his part in this song. He goes unnoticed, as bass sometimes needs to in order to work for the song.
The humility to take on this ungrateful role, yet to recreate it with genius, is further reason for me to consider JPJ one of the greatest bassists of all times.
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Yeah, I was thinking the same thing . . if he keeps practicing he could really go places
What you’re hearing are artifacts of the computer program processing/filtering that’s used to extract these kinds of solo tracks.
JPJ and Bonzo were just pure power awesomeness!!
The other two guys were pretty good, too.
The other two guys were pretty good, too.
As with Jack Bruce, while I was amazed and inspired by the work they both did in the bands that brought them to widespread fame, I’ve found their output and artistic endeavors afterwards far more interesting. JPJ’s collaborations and production activities (including the Butthole Surfers!)have demonstrated a wider awareness of musical worlds and his desire to get past the LZ pigeonhole/straitjacket, whereas in ensuing years Page kept churning out tired, lesser versions of what once was. Plant even went off in other stylistic directions, but I found it curious(as did he)that Jones never got a phone call when the other two reconvened in the 90’s for albums and a tour.
Not only did I get a kick out of the album with Diamanda Galas, as it confused and pissed off old Zep fans, I loved the spareness of the instrumental portion, Jones matched with a slamming performance by Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas. That continued on to the two solo albums Jones did for King Crimson’s label, very much in that mold, and then Nick Beggs was also brought in on Chapman Stick as counterpoint. Very forward looking. Plus them vultures, who saw that coming?
Not only did I get a kick out of the album with Diamanda Galas, as it confused and pissed off old Zep fans, I loved the spareness of the instrumental portion, Jones matched with a slamming performance by Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas. That continued on to the two solo albums Jones did for King Crimson’s label, very much in that mold, and then Nick Beggs was also brought in on Chapman Stick as counterpoint. Very forward looking. Plus them vultures, who saw that coming?
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