Squarepusher - genius or show off?

[Rumble-Station]

Squarepusher - genius or show off?

Undeniably impressive, but is it actually good, enjoyable music, or just messy over complicated talented bass playing?

 

[EddieG]

As a bass player, I'd say yes. He's a fantastic talent.

As a musician, I'd be somewhere in the middle. I like some of his stuff, it tends to be the more melodic stuff like Iambic 9 Poetry, Hello Miaow, Theme From Squarepusher, Chunks or even Come On My Selector. But even the latter, although melodic in places, comes over a little as showboating programming for the sake of it.

Overall though, I'd say, genius.

 

[standupright]

link?

 

[bass12]

I'd say "genius" is a little too strong a word for describing ol' Tom Jenkins...

 

[wagstaff]

I would say genious... most of the time

I think he is an amazing bassist although sometimes (especially on his Solo bass album) he seems to be being technical for the sake of being technical.

 

[cosmicevan]

genius.

...mad scientist? ...long lost cousin of john medeski? ...​

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

Haven't heard his music but have read a couple of interviews with him in the British bass player mag. Interesting guy. What he does on stage is impressive i.e. how much of the show he runs from his pedals, computers etc. never mind just playing bass. He even says, in a 1/2 joking manner, he is a megalomaniac. I laughed at that.

 

[d180fuzz]

In my opinion, Squarepusher is an electronic musician first, and a bass player after that (he'd probably disagree or have some other esoteric comment about this). No doubt he's quite talented on our instrument (I'll usually have a chuckle at some of the stuff he does on bass; i.e. "Music Is Rotted One Note"), while at other times his bass playing seems - dare I say - a bit generic (some youtube live footage), but my introduction to him was via Aphex Twin & Reflex / Warp Records - the electronic side. In this genre, I believe that his compositions (and Aphex Twin's, for that matter) border on genius. The sheer complexity of some of his music must require a depth of thought and organization that few of us mere mortals can muster up. But I digress...

 

[Dave-Action-Fig]

Genius!!!!
Sometimes a bit mad but nevertheless a genius. It's not like he is shredding and showing off. I think he hears a lot of fast stuff in his mind. But it's absolutely no show-off!

 

[Barkless Dog]

Genius in his playing, the music he does, advancing the electric bass, and above all to avoid being labeled a solo bassist (kiss of commercial death), thus have non musician fans.

Genius without a doubt.

 

[Roy Vogt]

I love his stuff! It's great to see someone bringing that much energy to Drum and Bass and DJ oriented music.
Steve Lucas, a great Canadian bassist who toured with Bruce Cockburn, played me some of his music in the late 90s and I've been a fan since....

 

[Roy Vogt]

link?

Invalid Link Removed

 

[JimmyM]

if you think it's genius, it's genius. if you think it's showing off, it's showing off. such is the beauty of music.

 

[JimmyM]

Steve Lucas, a great Canadian bassist who toured with Bruce Cockburn

[beavisandbutt-head]
cockburn...huh huh huh heh heh heh
[/beavisandbutt-head]

 

[Floridabwoy]

Genius... as well as Aphex Twin, and U-ziq... love that ****. They were glitch 15 years before the Glitch Mob and all that new stuff.

 

[MattAT]

I am not a fan of a lot of his music but he is one awesome bassist.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

love his approach, have bought most of his recordings... funny though, i find them unlistenable most of the time.
glad he's doing his thing, though.

 

[EddieG]

I'd say "genius" is a little too strong a word for describing ol' Tom Jenkins...

Jenkinson.

 

[bass12]

Jenkinson.

Well what did you think the dots after "Jenkins" were for?
Thanks for the correction. I seem to be having trouble with people's names lately, leaving out letters and whatnot!

 

[thehamsterman]

i've loved his stuff for a long time now. IDK if genius is the right word, but definitely talented bass wise.