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R.I.P Louis Johnson
- Thread starter Funk$tar
- Start date
I must have been around 16 when a friend lent me his instructional video that he made in the eighties. It was awesome.
As a matter of fact, here's "Twinkle" by Earl Klugh, featuring Louis Johnson on bass.
Interestingly, my brother in law (not a musician) and I have recently been bonding over favorite bass players. He's an avid vinyl collector, and has been building a cool collection of records solely for the bassist, and Louis Johnson has been his favorite. So I've been listening to Louis quite a bit over the last couple of months.
For me personally, I know him best for his work with MJ. Specifically, I think the bass line for "Billie Jean" is one of the best ever written for a pop song (although MJ wrote it, I think). Regardless, he played bass for so much of the music of my childhood. Love him forever for that. RIP.
For me personally, I know him best for his work with MJ. Specifically, I think the bass line for "Billie Jean" is one of the best ever written for a pop song (although MJ wrote it, I think). Regardless, he played bass for so much of the music of my childhood. Love him forever for that. RIP.
Terrible news! RIP and thank you for putting the Stingray bass on my way and all your great lessons. Today at rehearsal I'll stomp to you.
If I remember correctly, Louis did write that bassline and that was one of the songs he had to fight MJ for songwriter credit on. He talked about this at a clinic I saw him at back in the 90s. He definitely talked about fighting for credit on songs from that album and he played that line for us. Pretty sure that line was all his.
RIP.. Not one of my own preferred playing styles.. or genres but the playing stands out. I always listened with amazement, wishing I could do it like that. Its sad that he passed.. BUT how many of us get to leave a mark??
RESPECT
RESPECT
Possibly my favourite.
Louis + Musicman Stingray bass: What more could one's eardrums really need ? In my case...not a lot
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Oh dear! The grim reaper seems to have lettin himself into a highpass filter spree at the moment. Just cutting the low frequencies! A short while ago Rutger Gunnarsson of ABBA, Craig Gruber of Rainbow, Sabbath etc, and now mr "Thunder Thumbs". I feel it's very unfair. No one has escaped the bass line to M.J's "Billy Jean". Everybody's heard it regardless of who played it. Period. R.I.P. mr Johnson.
Dang. I haven't been this sad in 15 years. R.I.P. Louis, the greatest of the great.
No way, did Rutger just pass away as well? Been heavily into his work the last 6 months. It must be a curse, no bassists seem to get even close to 80 years old. Even here in Norway a lot of them die in their 50s or so, even the ones I know personally.
No way, did Rutger just pass away as well? Been heavily into his work the last 6 months. It must be a curse, no bassists seem to get even close to 80 years old. Even here in Norway a lot of them die in their 50s or so, even the ones I know personally.
ABBA bass player Rutger Gunnarsson dies - The Local
Yeah, I know, BB King died at 89, which is a stretch the other way around. Maybe we have to become guitards in our sunset years just to fool the reaper?
If you see mr Reaper around town looking for me, tell him I am not really a bassist. If you've seen me out playing bass, it's just the basses I had in for repair, and wanted to check them out, taking them out for a test drive. Just as much with regular guitars. Ask him to ask the bands which I've been in, which thinks that I just suck on bass, and thus, I can't really be a real bass player. Just a guitard trying to hedge my bets with him...
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Very sad news I was not a big funk fan but had a copy of his Star Licks video, and was floored by his talent & how he came across very down to earth. I remember after watching it that I was only going to listen to slap as he set the bar as how to make it look good & sound musical. R.I.P
Have you ever been in a cover band that both had to play "Billy Jean" and "Help the Poor" as done by Robben Ford (Charles Singleton original) ? Or Hall and Oates "I can't go for that"? I have! We deliberately made a strung together medley of all 3 of them, in the same key, and you bet it was a major chore each time trying to separate the bass lines apart! You inevitably fell into one or the other from time to time. Same bassline permutated a bit. Of course, no one noticed...
When you get a chance, really dig into his resume'. He played so many different styles and genres that most don't know about. Even though most BASSIST only associate him with thumpin', he was so much more than that.
FF
from the brothers johnson,, michael jackson, and many more..One of the greatest and influencial bass player of all time passed away today, his bass lines will live forever
