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Thunderbird Club

#58,201
JJR58 said:
How did you like the G3 tone wise?, having never played one myself.
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My first bass was a G3... when I started playing I loved that aggressive, grindy thing like John Wetton, Chris Squire, JJ Brunel. The G3 is great for that. The ‘buck and a half’ setting struck me as somewhere between a Ric and a P bass. I got one again a few years ago, but it wasn’t quite as nice as my very first one. I also found my Drake could do something similar but with beefier lows, so it moved on. I do love em though :)
 
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#58,202
TBird1958 said:
My thoughts about KISS are similar to Scotts, I saw them once back in '75 or so, they were a fun band, not like anybody else at the time. For a young person that found a love for music primarily from U.K. Glam bands like Slade, Mott, T-Rex and Bowie, KISS were the U.S. reply to all of that. As a show, it was a fun one - I didn't go because I wanted an intellectual evening, I was 16, KISS had a sexuality about them that drew me in, and Gene was not some FSC playing guy standing back by the drummer, he was out in front and was playing a Gibson - (I was already playing the bass by that point in my life, Gene just made me want to do it more!) Considering the person that I've become and my band I probably owe a bit of the inspiration to KISS, but that's also where it ends for me, while I'm not familiar with any of Gene's recent antics, I could not ever really look to him (or most any entertainer) for a valid opinion.
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I never did see them live. And after they made it big, really never listened to their stuff either. But before they were Kiss, Gene was a really cool guy.
Was always nice to me, and encouraged me to stick with it no matter how frustrating it seemed to learn how to play bass at that time.
I was 13 then.
 
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#58,204
dukeorock said:
I’ve owned Grabbers, Rippers and G3’s. Love em all for what they are. Yet after all these years, the Bird is my favorite Gibson these days. Really didn’t see that coming :)
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Never played a Grabber, Ripper, or G3. Would like to.

JJR58 said:
I'm a huge fan of these, just wish they didn't weigh a ton.

View attachment 2857305
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I wish they came in long scale. Always seemed like a super cool bass to me.
 
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#58,205
TBird1958 said:
My thoughts about KISS are similar to Scotts, I saw them once back in '75 or so, they were a fun band, not like anybody else at the time. For a young person that found a love for music primarily from U.K. Glam bands like Slade, Mott, T-Rex and Bowie, KISS were the U.S. reply to all of that. As a show, it was a fun one - I didn't go because I wanted an intellectual evening, I was 16, KISS had a sexuality about them that drew me in, and Gene was not some FSC playing guy standing back by the drummer, he was out in front and was playing a Gibson - (I was already playing the bass by that point in my life, Gene just made me want to do it more!) Considering the person that I've become and my band I probably owe a bit of the inspiration to KISS, but that's also where it ends for me, while I'm not familiar with any of Gene's recent antics, I could not ever really look to him (or most any entertainer) for a valid opinion.
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Gene had a big impact on me too when I was younger, especially when I started playing bass, some of the first songs I learned were KISS songs, Detroit Rock City being one of them. And the makeup, spitting blood, that sh!t is amazing when you're a 10 year old kid!
But Gene made an ignorant comment about people that commit suicide, and he said it not too long after my cousin committed suicide, so it sunk deep. But I gained a LOT more respect for Nikki Sixx at that time because he publicly called out Gene for that comment, and Nikki was a HUGE Gene fan prior to that.
I try not to follow what people say, and stay away from social media for that reason, but something like that shouldn't be said outside of your own brain.

Even though I don't like Gene, I'll still listen to some of their early songs.
 
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#58,207
Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
Gene had a big impact on me too when I was younger, especially when I started playing bass, some of the first songs I learned were KISS songs, Detroit Rock City being one of them.
But Gene made an ignorant comment about people that commit suicide, and he said it not too long after my cousin committed suicide, so it sunk deep. But I gained a LOT more respect for Nikki Sixx at that time because he publicly called out Gene for that comment, and Nikki was a HUGE Gene fan prior to that.
I try not to follow what people say, and stay away from social media for that reason, but something like that shouldn't be said outside of your own brain.

Even though I don't like Gene, I'll still listen to some of their early songs.
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I've known people who committed suicide (or as I've also heard it, died from depression), and some who've died from overdoses (alcohol poisoning included). So similarly, it really struck a nerve with me.
 
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#58,209
I think we can all agree Gene Simmons is a real piece of work, to put it gently. I would posit, however, that Shout It Out Loud is a kickass party song.



I like early KISS for the same reason I like Van Halen and Alice Cooper, it's straight ahead party rock without intellectual pretensions (I'll go listen to Yes for that) or all the later trappings of 80s Hair Metal.
 
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#58,212
Gaolee said:
Exactly. Unless a musician makes a point of having a distinct public personality of some kind, I wouldn't know what they are like. John Lennon was apparently a really difficult human. I still like his music. There are others who are probably the same way.
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Steve Marriott was notoriously difficult to get along with. Jerry Shirley said that, as a musician, Steve Marriott was among the finest in the world. As a person... he was "relegation material". For me... He sings the Blues the way I like to hear 'em, and I can't imagine a world in which I could not hear that whenever I want.
 
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#58,214
JJR58 said:
I never did see them live. And after they made it big, really never listened to their stuff either. But before they were Kiss, Gene was a really cool guy.
Was always nice to me, and encouraged me to stick with it no matter how frustrating it seemed to learn how to play bass at that time.
I was 13 then.
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That's pretty wild man! You gotta "Hang in there, Tiger" from Gene Simmons! I don't care if ya like the band or not! That's just COOL!!!:cool::thumbsup:
 
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#58,220
Lots of Kiss content in here. I've sat by the sidelines on the topic because I never really ever listened to or followed Kiss. Nothing against the band or any of its players, just a reflection of my musical focus being in a different direction in the 70's, 80's and 90's.

For me, ignorance is bliss. The less I know about the personal lives and views and deeds and miss-deeds of any performer the more I can focus on their music. If said performer wants to thrust something in my face that isn't music related all bets are off. There are a number of celebrities that are as good as dead to me because of their desire to venture beyond their purpose in life - entertainment. It's a profession they chose and one I like. If they want to move on to political commentary or social hot topics I'll gladly judge them on that, but at that point they are no longer entertainers to me, they are commentators and their opinions will be weighed on a completely different scale that is much less forgiving. Best advice out there for musical entertainers - shut up and sing.

For the record - I'm still not into Kiss, never bought any of their albums, never saw any of their concerts, and can't honestly even name one song they produced, but for some strange reason I can name all the band members. I have favorite bands that I'd be hard pressed to name all the members of (A.I.C. comes to mind) chalk it up to good marketing I guess.
 
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