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Roger Waters: Pink Floyd
- Thread starter Luke S Mouse
- Start date
Had some iconic basslines (Money anyone?), and he was a great singer/songwriter. The conflict between him and Gilmour did split up the band, but the conflict contributed to some great music.
Brought some nice jazz (albeit simple) basslines to the mainstream and it was very refreshing for its time. Fall asleep to Pink Floyd just about everyday since i was a wee lad. Money was the first PF song I learned and its just great!
OK bassist, average musician, brilliant writer and arranger who disappeared up his own ass by the end of Floyd's run.
"Animals" has some very cool bass. Roger was a perfect fit for the style of music. Too bad his ego got in the way. He once sued the rest of the band saying that they were not Pink Floyd without him. The courts disagreed and Pink Floyd has lived on for nearly 30 years without him.
Alot of his lines were what made me want to play bass, both pre and post Dark Side of the Moon. And I still enjoy his music.
What I like about him is the way he supports the low.
There are times where he'll just let an open E ring out. Brick in the wall is a perfect example. The chorus is perfect. Just that one note, and then the way he plays the line after is just genius.
People may ask what is so special about this, but it's the timing of it, the "when" of when he plays, and the gaps he leaves to let the other sounds breathe. The phrasing of it all.
As well as the ear he has for music, I really think he's a great bass player on top.
Took me years to understand why, though
There are times where he'll just let an open E ring out. Brick in the wall is a perfect example. The chorus is perfect. Just that one note, and then the way he plays the line after is just genius.
People may ask what is so special about this, but it's the timing of it, the "when" of when he plays, and the gaps he leaves to let the other sounds breathe. The phrasing of it all.
As well as the ear he has for music, I really think he's a great bass player on top.
Took me years to understand why, though
Great musician, probably one of the 5 best lyricists, always got a great bass sound, and Pink Floyd went downhill without him. I listened to Pro's and Con's of Hitchhiking at least 500 times. I love Animals and The Final Cut, and his concert DVD is one of the best I've ever seen. I think his band seriously blew away the Gilmour led Pink Floyd. I like Gilmour but I can't stay awake for more than 2 songs from the past 20 years.
Most of the more complicated bass from the Animals" album were played by Gilmour. "Pigs Three Different Ones" and "Sheep" I know for sure. I don't know who actually came up with the bass line though. And I'm not saying that Roger Waters couldn't play those songs because he did occassionally on the Animals Tour, Snowy White usually played the bass on most of the Animals songs though while on that tour.
Roger waters is an incredible bass player, all one needs to do is listen/watch "Pink Floyd in Pompeii" to see what I mean. A lot of times he added fills that were slightly out of time which makes his style extrememly difficult to copy. The "funk" jam in the middle of "Echoes" is an example. Try to play along with it and you'll see what I mean.
Pompous self-important arrogant prick and it comes across in his lyrics bigtime. Wrote some great songs. Plays competent bass. I love the "Final Cut" record but no matter how I try I can't warm to his post-Floyd output. He puts on a great live show - highly recommended if he comes to your town.
Saw him live for the Dark Side tour in 2007. Sixth row, center floor. Amazing show, like a dream. Mediocre bass player, but I don't think he ever signed up to be an Entwistle or a Squire anyway, and I don't think any real Floyd fan wants more busy basslines in their music anyway.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Some of the nice bass lines we give Waters credit for were played by Gilmour in the studio. Still I do enjoy his bass playing. Take a look at "live at Pompei"
Rog on bass: Sheep live, 1977. Doesn't seem to be giving him any problems there
Incidentally, what's your source for saying "most" there? Wiki says "some" and all the pics I've seen have Snowy playing guitar. I'm always keen to delve deeper into Floyd's murky workings.
I find his bass on songs like "Us & them" and "Run like hell" to be perfect examples of tasteful, supportive basslines; perfect for a band with such a busy sound.
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This place is a riot, "mediocre" "competent" LOL like anyone who posts on this forum is better.
yeah ok, that's why you're here reading this.
Give credit where credit is due, the guys written more "well-known" songs than just about anyone except for Lennon and McCartney. And btw he played the bass on 95% of them.
yeah ok, that's why you're here reading this.
Give credit where credit is due, the guys written more "well-known" songs than just about anyone except for Lennon and McCartney. And btw he played the bass on 95% of them.
Gilmour only accepts credit for fretless work and 'some of the trickier bits that Roger couldn't be bothered playing'
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Solid player, great writer, maybe not the most warm and fuzzy personality out there but thats really a different matter from his musical contributions. Take a look at the pompeii movie that shows the making of darkside at abbey road studios, personally I think he got it just right.
Some people would say Jeff Berlin or Anthony Jackson are better...
Anyway, I like Roger Waters. He's a solid player and wrote some cool stuff.
