I suppose everyone needs their own opinions. I suppose it's not so good to go around saying stuff like that, but I've never met him, so I don't really care what he says.
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Scott Thunes Interivew I don't get it?
- Thread starter kalo
- Start date
For the absolute complete interview of Thunes check out the book: In Cold Sweat. Interviews with Really Scary Musicians by Thomas Wictor. I found him to be an interesting person. I love his playing and I totally respect him and his opinions. While he could state them using much less acid and vinegar, It was and is and will be one of the greatest interviews I have ever read. Really. There's my 2 pence. Love to all.
In the world I live in, there are A-Holes with every job under the sun. Attitude is NOT everything. Doing the job that is asked of you is. I've never heard ANYTHING about Scott Thunes not being reliable in a PROFESSIONAL PLAYING setting.
The only person that Thunes had to get along with was Zappa. If the other band members didn't like it, then THEY could quit. If Frank had a problem with him, believe me--he'd have been gone. It's as simple as that in a hired gun setting. If it were a band with four equal members, that's another story. That obviously didn't appeal to Scott, so he left professional music.
He wasn't being paid to be a nice guy. He wasn't being paid to be nice to people in the audience. He was being paid to play the bass in the fashion that Frank wanted him to play it.
Not everyone is as nice as you want them to be (and, not everyone has the same idea of what is nice, either).
Why are you letting yourself get bent out of shape over what someone said in an interview 5-6 years ago? Not everyone has to be a role model on personal interaction. I give Scott credit for speaking his mind.
I agree that personality has no bearing on musicianship. I've work with and for my share of jerks. Great players, but just unbearable to be around otherwise. It goes with the territory. But that's the great thing about being a musician: Nobody's forcing you to do it. If you're not happy with those around you, leave.
Of course, if you have a rotten personality, it MAY prevent you from getting a gig. In that case, there's no one to blame but yourself.
Of course, if you have a rotten personality, it MAY prevent you from getting a gig. In that case, there's no one to blame but yourself.
If you have read The Real Frank Zappa Book, you know Zappa himself had a similar opinion about bass players. He said that for the most part they (we) are frustrated guitarists. This sounds a bit short-sighted for a man with such genius.
It seems odd that two people with seemingly very similar personalities got along like they did.
Just my 0.02$.
It seems odd that two people with seemingly very similar personalities got along like they did.
Just my 0.02$.
Yeah, but if you'll look at the book, again, you'll see that he had similar things to say about drummers, singers, keyboard players, guitar players, horn players, managers, fans, groupies, etc....
Originally posted by ONYX
True!!! But would you expect anything different from Zappa?
Well, I wouldn't, but the ombudsman thought Zappa was short sighted for knocking bass players. I simply thing Zappa had enough venom to go around for everyone, and bass players shouldn't think he singled them out for derision.
Drummers -> Frustrated Construction workers?
Singers -> Frustrated Teachers?
Keyboarders -> Frustrated typists?
Guitarists -> Frustrated Conklin 8 string Bassists?
Horners -> Frustrated Bubble Blowers?
Managers -> Frustrated Former Bullies?
Fans -> Frustrated Armchair Quarterbacks?
Groupies -> Frustrated Protitutes?
Just a guess...
From my reading of the article, his main point seems to be that he has found something more fulfilling than being a bassist. Maybe he wasn't an easy guy to get along with... maybe that's why he had a problem getting gigs despite his skills but he's found other stuff that he's happier doing.
Okay - he's not contributing anything to the world of bassplaying, and he's got some opinions that most of us would disagree with... but he's in the vast majority of people round the world for whom playing bass isn't the highlight of their existence.
I've never noticed him trying to stop me playing bass, so live and let live....
Wulf
Okay - he's not contributing anything to the world of bassplaying, and he's got some opinions that most of us would disagree with... but he's in the vast majority of people round the world for whom playing bass isn't the highlight of their existence.
I've never noticed him trying to stop me playing bass, so live and let live....
Wulf
Wow, you all have great insight!!! Well, I guess it's true live and let live. I think Zappa would call me a fustrated guitarist, because I was a guitarist who switched over to bass. But, to be honest I really love bass as much as guitar and I get the best of both worlds
He can have his opinion as long as I can have mine. I can and do appreciate his playing, and anything from Zappa camp BTW, but his opinion is his and I will respect his right to it. Like someone else said, I like his playing, but don't have much to say about his comments or his choice of vocation. His denigrating remarks about bassists, or anything else for that matter, are of no concern to me, at least not anything that I care to comment on. What I think I'll keep to myself. IMO, don't waste any of your valuble energy on trying to understand why he feels the way he does. So what?
That said, I respect the fact that he agreed to an interview and said what he feels, not what he thinks we might want to hear. At least we know where he stands, whether we like it or not.
Edit: I read this interview again, and I must say, I agree with most, if not all, of what he says. IMO, he isn't bashing bassists, per se, he is making a point that his expression is the music he makes, its not the instrument of choice. Bass is the tool he chooses (choice was made for him?)to express himself.
That said, I respect the fact that he agreed to an interview and said what he feels, not what he thinks we might want to hear. At least we know where he stands, whether we like it or not.
Edit: I read this interview again, and I must say, I agree with most, if not all, of what he says. IMO, he isn't bashing bassists, per se, he is making a point that his expression is the music he makes, its not the instrument of choice. Bass is the tool he chooses (choice was made for him?)to express himself.
I have a rep for being brutaly honest mabye not around scenes that I'm involved with now but thats because Ive been in therapy for 10 years and guess what the main topic is? Being able to accept that people have diferent ways of comunicating and each is a valid as the next.
I have a friend (best friend acctually) He thinks that unless its art on the level of say Bird/coltane/hendrix/mozart(really blowing the doors off the hinges), that its regurgitated crap. A good freind of mines father (professional musician)was the same way.
Personally I dont think Id have any problem getting along with thunes.
AJ
I have a friend (best friend acctually) He thinks that unless its art on the level of say Bird/coltane/hendrix/mozart(really blowing the doors off the hinges), that its regurgitated crap. A good freind of mines father (professional musician)was the same way.
Personally I dont think Id have any problem getting along with thunes.
AJ
he, he, he,
I was just having a bad day yesterday, and just took it to heart what scott said.
Now that I am more balanced out today, I realize that everyone has a RIGHT to their own opinions!!!
If I have dissed Scott, I apologize for my ignorance...However, maybe this thread will put him in the mainstream and maybe he will want to pick up his bass again and play
I was just having a bad day yesterday, and just took it to heart what scott said.
Now that I am more balanced out today, I realize that everyone has a RIGHT to their own opinions!!!
If I have dissed Scott, I apologize for my ignorance...However, maybe this thread will put him in the mainstream and maybe he will want to pick up his bass again and play
I read that article quite some time ago. My
opinion about Thunes is still the same. I don't
give a hooey about Scott Thunes. You're only
as good as last weeks gig, and Scott's new gig
says it all. With an attitude like his, he's
soon to move up to parking cars or asking those
two important questions "paper or plastic?"
It is one's ATTITUDE that determine's one's
ALITITUDE; ability comes next. Nobody likes
to play with a jerk, I don't care how good
they are. That dude has no more ability than
I do. There's a reason why I'm having fun
gigging and making money, and he's not.
F**K him......
opinion about Thunes is still the same. I don't
give a hooey about Scott Thunes. You're only
as good as last weeks gig, and Scott's new gig
says it all. With an attitude like his, he's
soon to move up to parking cars or asking those
two important questions "paper or plastic?"
It is one's ATTITUDE that determine's one's
ALITITUDE; ability comes next. Nobody likes
to play with a jerk, I don't care how good
they are. That dude has no more ability than
I do. There's a reason why I'm having fun
gigging and making money, and he's not.
F**K him......
