Peter Cetera

[70sChicagoFan]

I mentioned the name Peter Cetera to a bass player in a rival band of mine, and he laughed and mocked one of the 80s ballads.. I told him I barely knew it, and told him to check out their 60/70s stuff (CTA is 1969), and besides the hits, he had no idea of the songs I was showing him...

I think Peter had the perfect blend of melody and bass. I also have dozens of concerts from the 70s and it must have been tough to sing and play.

I would recommend going on YouTube and going chronologically, as there's some amazing playing.. As much as I like Paul McCartney, I don't remember him also delving into jazz and funk.

Here's an isolated bass on "Something In This City Changes People"

 

[coryr1000]

I didn't realize how good he was until I relistened to Chicago on a good sound system in the 90's. Back in the 70's I could never hear what the bass was doing on the cheap gear I called a stereo as a teenager. I still listen to their first 10 albums to this day and his playing is excellent!

 

[70sChicagoFan]

I didn't realize how good he was until I relistened to Chicago on a good sound system in the 90's. Back in the 70's I could never hear what the bass was doing on the cheap gear I called a stereo as a teenager. I still listen to their first 10 albums to this day and his playing is excellent!

Nice!

(Unfortunately, my speakers are kinda blown now... Bass and tom-toms sound so horrible.. Acoustic guitar, too

 

[BBQisgood]

Karate Kid Part II

Soundtrack of my childhood, man.

He doesn’t get the credit he deserves. The ballads are great, too.

 

[jerry]

Check out his live work, he was a freight train.

 

[JazznFunk]

Peter's work, and then Jason Scheff's work after he took over for Cetera when he left Chicago, is collectively the reason I started playing bass. Anyone who judges Cetera by the 80s output and NOT the original 6-8 records or so, is displaying their ignorance of one of the best ever to do it. Cetera is a monster, and Jason was superb as well, though with a different take and feel on the melodic playing that Cetera made a trademark part of Chicago's sound. While I grew up in the 80s and that's the era of Chicago I grew up with, when I started playing I immediately went right back to the beginning with CTA.

I hope Peter is doing okay these days. He used to perform concerts fairly regularly but shortly before the pandemic he shared on social media that he got injured or sick, and he's barely been heard from since.

 

[Ostie]

I like the stuff he did with Chicago better than his solo stuff. But his musicianship is undeniable.

 

[Peteyboy]

I mean, it's kinda like Phil Collins in that anyone 5 minutes younger than me could be forgiven for thinking Soo Soo Soodio and not acknowledging his otherworldly drumming with Genesis.

 

[atquinn]

Any amazing instrumentalist who is also an incredible vocalist/frontperson is always going to get waaaaaaaay more credit for the latter. See Phil Collins and Prince among many others.

 

[jnewmark]

Always enjoyed his playing with CTA, saw him a few times with the original crew. My personal fave:

 

[jerry]

I mean, it's kinda like Phil Collins in that anyone 5 minutes younger than me could be forgiven for thinking Soo Soo Soodio and not acknowledging his otherworldly drumming with Genesis.

Brand X was enough indi-cred for me to forgive his making some cash.

 

[Peteyboy]

Brand X was enough indi-cred for me to forgive his making some cash.

SOME cash? When I was in high school you couldn't go 15 minutes without hearing or seeing the guy.

 

[denton57]

Anyone questioning Cetera just needs to listen to song 1 album 1: Introduction

 

[MCF]

I mentioned the name Peter Cetera to a bass player in a rival band of mine, and he laughed and mocked one of the 80s ballads.. I told him I barely knew it, and told him to check out their 60/70s stuff (CTA is 1969), and besides the hits, he had no idea of the songs I was showing him...

I think Peter had the perfect blend of melody and bass. I also have dozens of concerts from the 70s and it must have been tough to sing and play.

I would recommend going on YouTube and going chronologically, as there's some amazing playing.. As much as I like Paul McCartney, I don't remember him also delving into jazz and funk.

Here's an isolated bass on "Something In This City Changes People"

Although I don’t particularly care for some of the material, IMO, both Cetera and Scheff who replaced him, are two of the most versatile bassists in music.

 

[andymcclure]

Dude is no joke. First time I *really* listened was when I needed to learn "I'm a Man" for a gig. That was more than enough to send me down a rabbit hole.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Peter was the second most melodic bassist in rock history (No 1 is Sir Paul).

 

[LordRyan]

When Cetera was offered a solo deal he figured he would do like Phil Collins and still play with Chicago. The band wouldn't go for it and the solo deal was better for him financially.

 

[Dincrest]

People can diss ballads and pop songs all they want, but I say try playing them. They're fun and groovy to play. People can snort about Taylor Swift's music all they want, but Amos Heller is an absolute MONSTER player. Heck, he has to be because an artist with the kind of fame, draw, and popularity as she would want the best of the best in her backing band, and Heller's been with her since 2007.

People can snort about Chicago's 80s ballads all they want, but Peter Cetera IS a monster bassist.

 

[matti777]

Maybe not his most complex bass line but when I hear Peter Cetera's name I think of this performance

 

[Peteyboy]

People can diss ballads and pop songs all they want, but I say try playing them. They're fun and groovy to play. People can snort about Taylor Swift's music all they want, but Amos Heller is an absolute MONSTER player. Heck, he has to be because an artist with the kind of fame, draw, and popularity as she would want the best of the best in her backing band, and Heller's been with her since 2007.

People can snort about Chicago's 80s ballads all they want, but Peter Cetera IS a monster bassist.

I'd like to think that if I was nearly as talented at Peter Cetera that I'd honor that by not climbing some Adult Contemporary Mountain of Cash, but who's to say? This is not a problem that I've been fortunate enough to have to wrestle with. All I know is that I've had to hear the results of these guys business decisions for my whole life. And on my last day the ambulance driver will likely be playing Next Time I Fall on the radio.