Prince fires his bassist.

[Duce-hands]

I just read a story that Prince fired his bassist for not knowing enough of his 150 songs. 150 songs! How much it's to much?

 

[Jefff]

If you are working any job, no matter what it is, shouldn't you know it?

 

[modulusman]

I probably know at least 300 songs. If you are in the big leagues playing with a major star you probably don't have a day job. You could spend all day wood shedding to learn the artists catalog.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Our "list" is about 400.
If an audience member or the folks we're playing for request a song and 3 of 5 of us know it....we're doing it. I would have to agree with Prince's move. In the regular workplace, not knowing something your employer requires you to know is incompetence and can have the same results.

 

[Mrzonehead]

+1 for Prince.

I've heard a story of a young player getting a gig with a big named act and he had two weeks to learn over 85 songs...it's called being a pro...and that's why they get payed really well to do those gigs. 150 songs doesn't seem unreasonable at that level.

 

[banditcosmo]

I wish I could remember that many songs. My brain is like a very small hard drive. It can only hold so much data and for every new song an old song gets deleted.

 

[Topspin]

Prince is a total prick, but I'm with him on this one. You had one job, bass player...

 

[cnltb]

If I get a job like that I'll make damn sure I know(or learn as quickly as possible) the entire catalogue.
Thumps up to Prince on this one.(not knowing anything else on what might have gone on behind the scene)

 

[smeet]

Link? Who was it?

I have a terrible memory. But playing full time for Prince, and for Princely money, I believe i would have those songs memorized. Or I would deserve to be fired.

 

[duff beer]

I once learned 30 songs in a week for a new band while working full time. If I was in Prince's or any other professional musician's band, I would learn their entire catalogue.

 

[DWBass]

Isn't Ida Funkhauser his current bassist? To be honest, he's got so many songs, it's hard to try and know them all! That's insane! But if he had a list of 150, I'd learn them. Gotta be specific though.

 

[SBassman]

http://3rdeyegirl.com/

 

[smeet]

I found a link, he said he fired an unnamed male bassist because Ida learned 150 songs to get the job and the old bassist couldn't.

 

[cnltb]

I found a link, he said he fired an unnamed male bassist because Ida learned 150 songs to get the job and the old bassist couldn't.

Would you post the link?
It's interesting to read some details rather than relying on assumptions exclusively

 

[smeet]

Sorry, here's what I found:

Invalid Link Removed

http://prince.org/msg/7/405765

 

[Eric66]

Where can I find the job application form?

 

[DWBass]

Funny how some folks on that site think it's Rhonda Smith! Wasn't she in the band for almost 10 years??? I believe it to be Josh Dunham who's wife plays drums for Prince' other jam band! Honestly, it really doesn't matter. The stigma of being fired by Prince says a lot in itself.

 

[Gaolee]

My brain can be like a sieve, but if it took learning 150 songs to play full time with Prince, it seem like the thing to do. I'm not even close to professional, but I have more than 100 songs I can play without much prompting.

 

[Slade N]

its a short list of players who would be hired be prince in the first place much less getting fired

 

[eban3]

150 songs , if your a working professional bassist should be easy if your playing them regularly or even semi regularly