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Thunderbird Club

Miles said he faced a lot of racism back in ol' St Louie when he was young but he also said at times that his facing the band instead of the audience had nothing to do with racism, maybe a little of both?

I believe it was a bit of both. Jazz musicians improvising tend to look at each other for support on solo's and getting visual cues for breaks etc. But it could also be a bit of a defiant stance to state he doesn't need to face the audience. I get both and both never offend me as an audience member. But maybe that's because I'm a performing musician and not solely an audience member. It would be an interesting question to ask friends who like music but aren't musicians.
 
What are the TRCs on those? They are not stock, but they sure look good.
Magic Irv custom shop with matching and contrasting PGs.

8FF712FA-5EE6-4333-A1B2-CA7B0BC733DE.jpeg
 
@KaraQ - just curious, what's your take on the Este Haim 'bass-face' issue? Este Haim is sick of the bass face meme: "You wouldn't say it to a dude"

I'm a big fan of Adam Neely ... here he addresses the benefits of 'bass face' :)



Well.....in pretty much any situation/area/industry/whatever where someone is significantly less common than the "normal", there's always going to be more attention recieved.

Good, bad, and mediocre.

Fair or not, it's the way it is.


I understand about not wanting to be perceived as different, to be treated just like everyone else, but.....humans don't much do that naturally on their own.
If we did, nothing would ever be considered special - for example, in rock music, thunderbirds are common enough they don't draw too much attention, but they're pretty uncommon to see in, say, a hillbilly bluegrass band. Draws more attention, not necessarily positive.

With people, it's more difficult, and different. Some, like Este Haim, don't appreciate being singled out the way she is (even though, I've seen a lot of attention given over the years to men guitar/bass/piano/etc players who make... interesting faces); someone else in a similar position may thrive on the attention.


But, since she's made it clear? (not sure how wide-spread that interview is?) that she doesn't like it, people should respect her wishes, and make less of a big deal about it.
Find somebody that doesn't mind it, or even enjoys having those sort of memes done, instead.



Just my opinion, and hopefully that makes any sense (it's clear in my head, expressing it in words is a bit challenging) and answers your question?
 
I need to address that G... so I wanted a pic of a 'bass face' and googled that. The page came up and the majority of images were of her, and all different. There were men bass players with bass-faces, but hers was the most exaggerated - so I just chose that one. Later, I read an article about her (I didn't know who she was) and her sister trio band. Apparently she is pretty offended that so many of her 'bass faces' ended up as memes and images - to the point of considering it 'sexist'. Yipes! I empathize with her take and realize how it got blown out of control, but there are many famous bass players caught in a pic making a pretty outrageous bass-face. If she didn't care about her 'bass face' - I would just chalk hers up to very exaggerated. But since she has taken offense at those posting these BF pics of her - I apologize.

When one sez' a bass-player is making an "ugly" 'bass-face' - it's not an insult. As an aside, I think if you showed any of these pics to the bass-players.., (other than TB who is rockin' with Jeff in heaven) they would just laugh.

Tim and Jeff - 'bass-face'
View attachment 4938134 View attachment 4938179 View attachment 4938181
bassists' faces :)
View attachment 4938142
I can’t speak to all the comments she’s heard over the years or how sexist or unfair they may have been. But some people choose to go through life perpetually offended by every little thing that comes their way. She may or may not be one of those, but she’s in the public spotlight so she better grow some thick skin real quick. In the article she says she’s over it, but but then rails on about how pissed she is when someone mentions her bass face. I’d say, suck it up buttercup. Either live with and embrace the bass face comments as your trademark or change the bass face to something else.

Oh, and yes, I’d say the same thing to Keith Richards, quite possibly the ugliest person to ever play a guitar on stage, except he doesn’t give a FF what I think, and in a sane world neither should she.
 
I believe it was a bit of both. Jazz musicians improvising tend to look at each other for support on solo's and getting visual cues for breaks etc. But it could also be a bit of a defiant stance to state he doesn't need to face the audience. I get both and both never offend me as an audience member. But maybe that's because I'm a performing musician and not solely an audience member. It would be an interesting question to ask friends who like music but aren't musicians.

A very good point.
Was a question our band, (back in PDX) would ask as a survey.
The high percentage was people like to see the band facing the audience.
Showed a sign of interaction, and that the band cared about the people being there to see them.
 
A very good point.
Was a question our band, (back in PDX) would ask as a survey.
The high percentage was people like to see the band facing the audience.
Showed a sign of interaction, and that the band cared about the people being there to see them.

yep - it's simple human connection/inner-face (inner bass-face?) :D
 
I can’t speak to all the comments she’s heard over the years or how sexist or unfair they may have been. But some people choose to go through life perpetually offended by every little thing that comes their way. She may or may not be one of those, but she’s in the public spotlight so she better grow some thick skin real quick. In the article she says she’s over it, but but then rails on about how pissed she is when someone mentions her bass face. I’d say, suck it up buttercup. Either live with and embrace the bass face comments as your trademark or change the bass face to something else.

Oh, and yes, I’d say the same thing to Keith Richards, quite possibly the ugliest person to ever play a guitar on stage, except he doesn’t give a FF what I think, and in a sane world neither should she.

I suspect part of it may be the fact that women are taught from an early age that their value lies in their beauty. Even women who consciously reject this may have internalized it to a degree. It's toxic and miserable.
 
Well.....in pretty much any situation/area/industry/whatever where someone is significantly less common than the "normal", there's always going to be more attention recieved.

Good, bad, and mediocre.

Fair or not, it's the way it is.


I understand about not wanting to be perceived as different, to be treated just like everyone else, but.....humans don't much do that naturally on their own.
If we did, nothing would ever be considered special - for example, in rock music, thunderbirds are common enough they don't draw too much attention, but they're pretty uncommon to see in, say, a hillbilly bluegrass band. Draws more attention, not necessarily positive.

With people, it's more difficult, and different. Some, like Este Haim, don't appreciate being singled out the way she is (even though, I've seen a lot of attention given over the years to men guitar/bass/piano/etc players who make... interesting faces); someone else in a similar position may thrive on the attention.


But, since she's made it clear? (not sure how wide-spread that interview is?) that she doesn't like it, people should respect her wishes, and make less of a big deal about it.
Find somebody that doesn't mind it, or even enjoys having those sort of memes done, instead.



Just my opinion, and hopefully that makes any sense (it's clear in my head, expressing it in words is a bit challenging) and answers your question?
On the good side, I suppose, is that until now, I had never heard of her or her band. Now I have. They are pretty good.
 
It’s pretty easy to catch someone in a very unflattering pose with a still shot of an action scene. That said, this is a pretty unflattering pose, and then some.
When she's standing still and not playing she's quite attractive. What I really admire about her is that she's apparently interested in that while she's playing, and doesn't seem to be bothered by it after the fact either.
She is sold out to what she has chosen. That's heart.
 
Well.....in pretty much any situation/area/industry/whatever where someone is significantly less common than the "normal", there's always going to be more attention recieved.

Good, bad, and mediocre.

Fair or not, it's the way it is.


I understand about not wanting to be perceived as different, to be treated just like everyone else, but.....humans don't much do that naturally on their own.
If we did, nothing would ever be considered special - for example, in rock music, thunderbirds are common enough they don't draw too much attention, but they're pretty uncommon to see in, say, a hillbilly bluegrass band. Draws more attention, not necessarily positive.

With people, it's more difficult, and different. Some, like Este Haim, don't appreciate being singled out the way she is (even though, I've seen a lot of attention given over the years to men guitar/bass/piano/etc players who make... interesting faces); someone else in a similar position may thrive on the attention.


But, since she's made it clear? (not sure how wide-spread that interview is?) that she doesn't like it, *people should respect her wishes, and make less of a big deal about it.
Find somebody that doesn't mind it, or even enjoys having those sort of memes done, instead.



Just my opinion, and hopefully that makes any sense (it's clear in my head, expressing it in words is a bit challenging) and answers your question?

Yes thank you - couldn't be clearer. As much as I feel the *same as you, doesn't it come down to being in the 'lime-light'? As in, if you are a performer, people/fans/press/blogs etc do whatever they do and it's out of the performers/entertainers control what is focused on. She can't deny her expressions are... very expressive. Like the pic of Geddy Lee I posted - a pretty extreme 'bass-face' and we as bass players are amused by it but we generally aren't 'mocking' that bass player - we are sharing/celebrating a goofy facial expression made in the heat of creative/musical expression. I have pics of me with a goofy bass-face and it just cracks me up when I see it!
 
I can’t speak to all the comments she’s heard over the years or how sexist or unfair they may have been. But some people choose to go through life perpetually offended by every little thing that comes their way. She may or may not be one of those, but she’s in the public spotlight so she better grow some thick skin real quick. In the article she says she’s over it, but but then rails on about how pissed she is when someone mentions her bass face. I’d say, suck it up buttercup. Either live with and embrace the bass face comments as your trademark or change the bass face to something else.

Oh, and yes, I’d say the same thing to Keith Richards, quite possibly the ugliest person to ever play a guitar on stage, except he doesn’t give a FF what I think, and in a sane world neither should she.

yes - we celebrate Keefer's ugliness! :bassist: