- Jun 25, 2007
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- Artist:TC Electronic RH450 bass system (original test-pilot)
but does he play basketball in the blouse?
Yes!....and Beatle boots!
Gotta look good playin' ball!
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Mike porcaro better than Gene Simons?
- Thread starter Langueta
- Start date
Yes!....and Beatle boots!
Gotta look good playin' ball!
Do you have some examples of his McCartney/Jamerson-esque work? I'm genuinely curious to hear what I've missed so far.
WOW! i made it through the whole thread.
Is it wrong to like both Gene and Mike?
And when did either simplicity or complexity decide whether a bass line was good or not?
I always loved the fact that someone could play a nice bassline without even being a bassist.
The one thing missing from this whole mess is the real question.
Are Gene and or Mike better players than Tal?
(this is me running for cover)
Is it wrong to like both Gene and Mike?
And when did either simplicity or complexity decide whether a bass line was good or not?
I always loved the fact that someone could play a nice bassline without even being a bassist.
The one thing missing from this whole mess is the real question.
Are Gene and or Mike better players than Tal?
(this is me running for cover)
Maybe Jamerson is a stretch, but enjoy these links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ-wWKRUYuY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0vi7o28bqM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNxNTHbFwHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j3MCO8rYCI
Invalid Link Removed
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9jSQIZJ9jE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnD6YxnGmn4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQI4uGNwhv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxrmAWzLfQk(short sample)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7w0yvQN0cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMnjxPmscuU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhYwZDun7Fs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LsJ35XkpMc(he plays it an octave lower nowadays, but still, check at about the 4:18 mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOZbXuHtnY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYi8RmIi8ZQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2DnOU2QL6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeUosbClag8(he wrote all of the music for this one except for the solo)
YOu know, it may be easy for any of us to sit here and cop those basslines but I doubt any significant number of us could write basslines as tasteful, melodic, fitting, and catchy as those.
Like I said, Jamerson may be a stretch, but one cannot deny the influence in Gene's early playing.....it's just.....tasty.
Its just Toto, I'm not going to begrudge the guys in that band any of their success or skill because I happen to dislike the music.
I don't. the only Kiss song I've heard recently enough to remember is Rock and Roll All Night. Melvins did a cover of Going Blind on their Houdini album that I enjoy, but I've never heard the original.
That said, Toto beats Kiss because they're the subject of an episode of Yacht Rock:
Some NSFW language, but the series is hilarious.
Now we're getting somewhere. I agree... Jamerson was a stretch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ-wWKRUYuY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0vi7o28bqM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNxNTHbFwHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j3MCO8rYCI
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9jSQIZJ9jE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnD6YxnGmn4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQI4uGNwhv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxrmAWzLfQk(short sample)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7w0yvQN0cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMnjxPmscuU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhYwZDun7Fs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LsJ35XkpMc(he plays it an octave lower nowadays, but still, check at about the 4:18 mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOZbXuHtnY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYi8RmIi8ZQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2DnOU2QL6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeUosbClag8(he wrote all of the music for this one except for the solo)
YOu know, it may be easy for any of us to sit here and cop those basslines but I doubt any significant number of us could write basslines as tasteful, melodic, fitting, and catchy as those.
I asked for examples and you practically gave me their entire catalog
. I am not criticizing Simmons, what I heard was competent 70's Rock-style bass playing. Having grown up during that period, I heard a ton of it. What you're describing as melodic may be considered pentatonic by many others... and that's not McCartney-esque IMO. We probably hear things differently.In any event Mike and Gene are very different basses.
BTW I did listen to all of the clips. I'm up and had nothing better to do.
Like I said, Jamerson may be a stretch, but one cannot deny the influence in Gene's early playing.....it's just.....tasty.
Give me one Jamerson-esque clip. I'm not denying it, I'm clearly missing it. One particularly tasty clip that shows what you're hearing.
I'll agree that I don't find Gene's playing akin to the great James whatsoever. I do hear a great deal of McCartney in those early lines, however.
That's what I was going to say, but I accidently left out the Mccartney part in my above post.
Now we're getting somewhere. I agree... Jamerson was a stretch.
I asked for examples and you practically gave me their entire catalog
In any event Mike and Gene are very different basses.
BTW I did listen to all of the clips. I'm up and had nothing better to do.
Ok cool. It's very possible we have different ears, as Eric and I both hear Mccartney esque, you hear pentatonics, no problem, interpretation is 9/10 of it.
However, after liatening to those clips, you do agree that he doesnt suck anywhere near the extent that everyone on this board says he does??
You haven't said he sucks. I haven't said he sucks. That's two people right there. I bet we can find more.
Not trying to flame you, but when you interpret "not as good as Mike Porcaro" as "sucks", it's going to call into question your interpretation of a lot of other things... like Gene's style (Sorry, but I don't hear JJ or Sir Paul there, either).
I never said he, or you said he sucks, but a few people in this thread, and quite a few on this board HAVE said he sucks.
And he may not sound like Jamerson, but an awful lot of people hear a Sir Paul quality to his playing. Nobody ever said his playing was EXACTLY like Macca's, just that it resembles it in that he plays alot of walking, rhythmic basslines.
But everyone on this board doesn't say that. Not even close IMO. That may explain the angst on the part of his fans.
He gets the job done perfectly for his groups. That's all he needs to do. I can appreciate anyone who does that... but it won't necessarily blow me away.
The whole "who's better?" thing is pretty silly anyway. Context matters. Simmon's role in Kiss is not simply standing there and playing bass so focusing solely on his bass work really makes little sense to me. Could he play with Toto? Who cares... it's not like that's going to happen.
And when you narrow it down to who's better strictly as a bassist, bringing anything else into it is kind of lame too. Songwriting? Who cares? I can't recall a tune that Jamerson wrote.
Bottom line, if you dig him, that should be enough. If youneed others to feel the same as you do, you might want to step back and ask yourself why.
I'm 53, I've been listening to (and in a sense studying) Paul McCartney's work since the mid 1960's starting on the Ed Sullivan show. I honestly don't hear any more than the vaguest resemblance to his early work when I've listened to Kiss (and I've been listening to them since the mid '70's). And as far as Jamerson goes, the reigning king of spontanaeity in my book... not even close. Simmons' playing is way too static for that. IMO.
Personally I couldn't care less if people like who I like. I like it and that's enough. I like Percy Jones, guess how that goes over with the average bassist? I like Robert "Kool" Bell, definitely not a chops monster but the guy came up with some killer funk bass grooves. Without 16ths or slapping.
Appreciate things for what they are, if others dig them, cool. If not, smile and move on. You can always say it's their loss. In this case, it could be mine.
You've now downgraded from everyone to quite a few people on this board. Just think about how many didn't. Thousands alone just on TB
. Most people in this thread didn't either.I understand the early influence/bass hero thing... but a little perspective goes a long way.
BTW I didn't hear a lot of walking, rhythmic basslines in the links. I heard predominantly 70's rock licks. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just saying. Point out a single clip with the Sir Paul thing happening. I'm pretty sure I've asked before.
I'd also point out that McCartney grew as a bassist over the years.
i don't see how you could listen to any of those clips and not hear a paul thing happening. yeah, it's not the same type of music, but there's a lot of melody, a lot of walking basslines, and a lot of plowing over the drummer, all of which paul did and does on a regular basis.
Oh..Mickey Free is NOT a girl....(whatever Dave Chappelle)
I think it was Charlie Murphy who implied that one of his friends said that, "Have you seen the new chick in Shalimar, man that $&#@ is fine like a mutha $@*&@" And Charlie said, "But Mickey Free wasn't a girl".
I didn't get that Charlie was insulting Mickey, but just relaying something he'd heard which illustrated the androgynous nature of glam rock/funk at that time.
But I totally respect you standing up for your friend. That's awesome... and I mean you no disrespect in my clarification. I love the Charlie Murphy True Hollywood Stories clips and admit I've probably seen them too many times.
As for Gene Simons and Porcaro, they've recorded, toured and are both highly respected with fans and/or a fan-base... So who is better than the other is a matter of personal taste.
I think that one could argue that Gene has spent a lot of energy on things other than the playing/making of his music; more on the business/promotion end of things. And Porcaro has probably dedicated much more time to his artistry and craft regarding his playing. So in this they are not in the same arena... meaning Gene as a player compared to Porcaro or Porcaro in terms of being a businessman when compared to Gene.
Yeah. I think it's apples and oranges really.
