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Michael Anthony Bass solo

#61
It was rock and roll in it's purest form. Dit it!!!

Do I like it?? Nope. That "solo" does nothing for me as a musician.
Will I stroke Michael Anthony and say that he has the chops to go way beyond what I have heard him do with VH??? Nope. I don't think he can go far beyond what he plays currently. If he could, trust me you would hear it in some way.
BUT!!! Does he just kill the tunes he plays??? Hell yes and he does a great job at it.

I own quite a few VH records (notice I did say records!) and truely dig them. I have a lot of respect for Michael Anthony. Does what needs to be done.
But Armando did have a point to some degree. Lets not elevate someone to a high status due to record sales or "just playing for the song" when after 30 years nothing has changed in his style or what he played.
I mean, seriously, after how many albums, not one tune to show him off even a little?? If he could wail like a few have implied, I think by now we would know about it. And he has a "solo" spot. Outside of the rock & roll aspect (which I do enjoy BTW-sometimes I don't wanna be in "musician mode") you would think that maybe he would give us a peek into "Michael Anthony the musician". He is in the band as well, and I'm sure at sometime he could step up and say, "no, it's my turn".

He's a good, rock solid player. And there is a lot to be said of that. If you replaced him with say, Cliff Williams, I dought you could tell a difference at all.

Also, I know quite a few musicians who have degrees in music. It doesn't make you a good player.

Or maybe I'm full of it and he's been holding back for damn near 30 years, countless tours, and a ton of records.

Don't flame me, I dig the guy, I really do.
 
#62
darkblack99 said:
In that era, Anthony was using MXR and ADA flangers, an Electro-Harmonix Bass synth, and Roland Chorus Echos...A mix of those is the opening tone.

It's very similar to the stock 'Spaceman' patch on a BNX 3, with tighter filtering.

I like that solo...He's crowd pleasing, and that's what matters.
Click to expand...

pretty sure it was more "moog" effects, no?

but yea, while the solo was "wow, this must be awesome stoned!", listen to the song afterwards, and MA's holding down the band like a bedrock. IMHO, VH wouldnt be the same w/o his bass nor his bkg vocals.

kinda like another bassist named adam? :p
 
#64
jokerjkny said:
pretty sure it was more "moog" effects, no?
Click to expand...

No.

From E-H's Invalid Link Removed, comes an [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] to illustrate my point.

Lots of folks don't remember E-H effects (possibly due to their spectacular flameout and underpublicized return), but my information comes from a brief backstage look in the way-back-when, and Anthony's interview with Guitar Player in Oct. '81 (at the tail end of the Mean Streets tour) to refresh my dusty memory.

As to Anthony's lack of overpowering chops which some have addressed, the 'elderly' among us might remember that in this era Billy Sheehan (after Talas opened for VH, but before he toured Europe with UFO) was touted as his replacement, but was ultimately rejected for various reasons, none of them having to do with his musicianship.

Anthony weathered the storms in that band by being a solid, dependable team player with great bg's...Nothing more or less.
 
#65
MikeBass said:
It was rock and roll in it's purest form. Dit it!!!

Do I like it?? Nope. That "solo" does nothing for me as a musician.
Will I stroke Michael Anthony and say that he has the chops to go way beyond what I have heard him do with VH??? Nope. I don't think he can go far beyond what he plays currently. If he could, trust me you would hear it in some way.
BUT!!! Does he just kill the tunes he plays??? Hell yes and he does a great job at it.

I own quite a few VH records (notice I did say records!) and truely dig them. I have a lot of respect for Michael Anthony. Does what needs to be done.
But Armando did have a point to some degree. Lets not elevate someone to a high status due to record sales or "just playing for the song" when after 30 years nothing has changed in his style or what he played.
I mean, seriously, after how many albums, not one tune to show him off even a little?? If he could wail like a few have implied, I think by now we would know about it. And he has a "solo" spot. Outside of the rock & roll aspect (which I do enjoy BTW-sometimes I don't wanna be in "musician mode") you would think that maybe he would give us a peek into "Michael Anthony the musician". He is in the band as well, and I'm sure at sometime he could step up and say, "no, it's my turn".

He's a good, rock solid player. And there is a lot to be said of that. If you replaced him with say, Cliff Williams, I dought you could tell a difference at all.

Also, I know quite a few musicians who have degrees in music. It doesn't make you a good player.

Or maybe I'm full of it and he's been holding back for damn near 30 years, countless tours, and a ton of records.

Don't flame me, I dig the guy, I really do.
Click to expand...

+1, Mike. He's good at what he does. No pedestal needed..
 
#70
canadian bass said:
Invalid Link Removed

Here is a link to an interesting interview with Michael Anthony if anyone is interested.
Click to expand...


EVH sure is a douchebag, huh?
I loved them 20 years ago......what a way to ruin a band.

On a side note, I had a bootleg from a gig before their first album was recorded; Michael Anthony was playing some killer stuff on it.
That being said, the new tune they had a couple of years ago( "About Time"?) had a few nice unison bass/guitar parts....shame to learn it was Eddie playing both.

Hey Eddie: :spit:
 

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