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Mike porcaro better than Gene Simons?

#221
In all seriousness tho,in my short time here at TB,the "Gene sucks vs. Gene is cool" argument has been played out in many many threads.All the same points have been made with nobody's opinion being changed in the least.


The OP started this thread three days ago and has not posted in it since.

Thread's dead baby.


And if not,I'm sure I can pull up some more stupid pictures and annoy everyone just a little bit more. :)
 
#222
I Beetcha, 5stringblues

images.jpg
 
#224
Im another guy who was inspired by Gene Simmons to pick up the bass. In my first band 5 of the first 20 songs I learned how to play were Kiss songs. Maybe that gives some indication of the skill level needed to play a Kiss bass line since i had only been playing for a year. :) But the bass lines were perfect for the songs. Mike Porcaro may be a better bass player but he isn't a better song writer IMO. By the time he joined Toto there best selling albums were behind them. From what I can tell he co-wrote maybe a handful of songs meanwhile Gene has wrote/co- wrote almost a hundred. He also sang lead vocals on many of their songs.
 
#231
John Wentzien said:
Here's a pic of me and Mickey Free back in the day.
Gene's TV personna is an ACT.
He was instrumental in getting my Bro. Mickey Free's career going.
Mickey was in my old band that opened shows for Kiss.
Gene saw him and helped get him the gig as guitar player and front man for Shalamar.
Grammy winner for best song for movie score "Dancin' in the sheets" for Beverly Hills Cop.

Very generous person and a great business- man.

(note the Gibson grabber I'm playing in the pic!):bassist:

Oh..Mickey Free is NOT a girl....(whatever Dave Chappelle:rollno:)
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but does he play basketball in the blouse? :D
 
#232
wade_b said:
For some reason this thread reminds me of an interview I read with Joe Zawinul (RIP).

He was asked what music he listens to, and he answered that he hasn't been listening to any other music except his own.

Maybe this is why the true pro's are so gracious and un-affected by what other's do: they are too focused on bettering themselves to even take the time to listen or care too much about what others are doing.
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I recall Zawinul saying that in a rebuttal interview after Downbeat mag gave Mr. Gone a 1-star rating. Truthfully, Joe Z. (& Jaco) was not gracious in this rebuttal...more bravura than anything else. Anyway, the comment about not listening to others came off like "...everyone else's stuff sucks so why waste my time".

This interview is again available in this book-
http://www.amazon.com/DownBeat-Grea...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265888729&sr=8-1
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#234
Stingray19 said:
:mad:

Quit spreading propoganda, dammit.

He wrote his own damn basslines for the first 6 albums, he played on them all. That solo was not intended to be a show of talent, he was trying to get the crowd going, is all. While it is true that he had ghost musicians during the 80s(he had a movie career going at the time) playing his parts, that is NOT true of the 70s, and how you can tell is because in the 80s, all the parts were roots, and Gene does NOT play roots. It's been documented, and proofed that Gene DID, in fact, play on ALL of the early albums. Why is it so hard to believe that Gene didnt play on any of the early albums if he can play those lines live?? Oh, that's right, because he doesn't solo like all of you jazz snobs....he doesn't need to, he plays rhythmic, catchy, walking basslines that fit KISS's music perfectly.

Granted, that was a bad solo, but one bad solo doesnt make 35 years of good playing go away.

And as for Gene not inspiring anybody with his playing.....he inspired me, I play bass becuase of the guy.


And by the same token, as you all state that fame does not equal talent, neither does complexity or speed, sorry. I could sit for 2 hours and play with my fingers on by bass, or slap and pop mindlessly, but it equates to nothing for me, it sounds like garbage. However, I admit I could never write a bassline as catchy as Goin Blind, or 100,000 Years, or Strutter.


I'll bet you didnt watch those videos AT ALL, either.

Someone help me out here, please??(Jimmy)


You people disgust me.

Spreading false information about ghost players when you have no idea what you're talking about.:scowl:

Sorry, my blood starts boiling when people(RE: jazz snobs) say crap like this about him.....I mean, I wouldn't be playing bass had it not been for the bassline in Goin Blind.....


And no, maybe fame doesnt equal talent, but apparently someone forgot to tell all these people that Gene is no good, and I'm willing to bet that a good 10% of those people were inspired by Gene to pick up bass....

Link Removed

Link Removed


:rollno:
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Great post!Gene inspired me also.Not my favorite bassist anymore,but he was,and was the reason I picked up bass.He can play too,maybe not as good as the TB`ers here that cut on him,but I`m glad to see anyone play bass.I don`t want to judge them,I want to encourage them.music is a great fun thing and should leave no room for BS.I think Gene is just having FUN with it all!
 
#235
JimK said:
Those are all David Hungate.
...I don't get the terrorism angle.
"Hold The Line" is a Hard Rock tune.
"Rosanna" & "Africa" are similar Pop tunes in that each has a repeated bass figure/ostinato goin' on underneath.
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Let me rephrase.

Listening to the band Toto is suffering. In fact, the action of doing so severely and negatively effects my sense of well-being, and my feelings and opinions of and about the relative worth of the entire human race. In fact, you could say that I feel the same way about Toto and their recorded output as I do acts of terrorism.



:hiding:
 
#237
Deluge Of Sound said:
Let me rephrase.

Listening to the band Toto is suffering. In fact, the action of doing so severely and negatively effects my sense of well-being, and my feelings and opinions of and about the relative worth of the entire human race. In fact, you could say that I feel the same way about Toto and their recorded output as I do acts of terrorism.



:hiding:
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OK, got it...is it just Toto or the players, too...'cause, over the years, those guys have played on a ton of stuff.
 
#238
There's nothing wrong with Gene as a bassist. Those who slag him either do it because it's fashionable to do so, they don't like KISS or they feel that they are somehow better than him and are jealous.

Fact is that Gene was schooled in the McCartney/Jamerson college of melody and rhythm. He plays exactly what's required for the song while stamping his own mark and adding some nice little signature fills. So he didn't play on some of the 80's recordings. Big deal. He played them live....

Mike Porcaro was/is as solid and tight a fully trained session musician as you could hope to find.

They're both great at what they individually do and they're both worthy of respect. There is no better or worse here..... just different, but equally valid.
 
#239
cetera said:
There's nothing wrong with Gene as a bassist. Those who slag him either do it because it's fashionable to do so, they don't like KISS or they feel that they are somehow better than him and are jealous.

Fact is that Gene was schooled in the McCartney/Jamerson college of melody and rhythm. He plays exactly what's required for the song while stamping his own mark and adding some nice little signature fills. So he didn't play on some of the 80's recordings. Big deal. He played them live....

Mike Porcaro was/is as solid and tight a fully trained session musician as you could hope to find.

They're both great at what they individually do and they're both worthy of respect. There is no better or worse here..... just different, but equally valid.
Click to expand...

Great Post!
 

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