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Double Bass Sting
- Thread starter TroyK
- Start date
If lip syncing and posing behind instruments I don't gig with will make my net worth climb to Sting's estimated $400 million dollars, sign me up!!!!
We all did things in the '80s we're not proud of.
I remember a video shoot at the Southfork ranch for a top 40 band I was in. The bandleader had complained that we all lacked any kind of charisma or stage presence (true). So, we all decided to go completely over the top in acting out as we were playing. It was beyond laughable.
As far as I know, this tape has been lost to the sands of time. Now let us never speak of this again.
In my experience playing music for TV programming (more than I care to remember), TV production staff are interested in making video impressions -- eye candy -- whereas audio impressions are somebody else's department, and if the studio doesn't happen to have someone good to work with audio, they'll have a non-essential member of the video staff do the audio work (or often just leave it as-is).
MTV is probably a little more concerned about the audio, but undoubtedly still far more concerned about the video. Consider their general audience.
Let's face it: for non-musician audiences, watching normal musicians play music is about as exciting as watching paint peel. The sound might sell, but the visual won't. But get a couple of people dancing on stage with instruments, no matter whether they really play them or not, and you'll light up the stage.
Of course, a couple of serious musicians strategically placed to listen along with the rest of the audience can change everything too.
MTV is probably a little more concerned about the audio, but undoubtedly still far more concerned about the video. Consider their general audience.
Let's face it: for non-musician audiences, watching normal musicians play music is about as exciting as watching paint peel. The sound might sell, but the visual won't. But get a couple of people dancing on stage with instruments, no matter whether they really play them or not, and you'll light up the stage.
Of course, a couple of serious musicians strategically placed to listen along with the rest of the audience can change everything too.
I would say he impresses me, but, I feel like he wants to evolve as a musician more than most huge rock stars do. His music isn't really for me, but, I feel like he is pushing himself and even experimenting in a certain way.
Ha! I dunno whether that old VHS tape will even still play, and I'm not sure I'd like to see it again if it does.
No, no. Everything exists in this world. If you can't post it, tell us what to search on!
The more interesting question is why people do videos that aren't live performances in the first place.
As a teenager of the 80s, I have a profound affection for 80s music videos.
Little movies of our teen fantasy lives, brought to us by our cool college-aged sister, Martha Quinn.
Little movies of our teen fantasy lives, brought to us by our cool college-aged sister, Martha Quinn.
Most pop music videos are short commercials for a song. And like television commercials, their approach and level of artistic merit depends on the talent, budget and intent of those involved, not to mention the target audience. Viewers know this and suspend disbelief if the "commercial" is well-made.
Yeah, that was right after the operation, which seemed OK at the time, but didn't take. It was fun being a lesbian for a couple weeks, though.
Considering all we have now is horrible (IMO) reality shows on MTV, I would welcome any music videos like we had back in the day. Sting is a monster player too. I have seen him play some electric Upright and he kills it!
Here's a few videos by bands I liked in the 80's and 90's where the bassist is playing a double bass even though they played electric bass on the recording. I don't know about Mike Mills, but I think Nick Seymour played double bass at a few Crowded House's early unplugged shows:
- Steve
- Steve
