• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

To address bobby Dall once again

wolfkeller

wolfkeller

Supporting Member
Aug 11, 2013
5,715
7,898
53
detroit
#1
I always liked the first poison album. They sold millions of records, sold out shows, merch yet you'd be hard pressed to find someone who says they liked this band. Well, I did and still think their first album was a kick ass RNR album.
Now, I was curious if he used as svt so I googled and all I got was this crap about him and his antics ect. There was a tb thread that was ridiculous. Talk of wootan and all this.
I look back (I'm 42) and think about what got me into music and bass. Was it insane playing? Was it cool songs? Yes, anasthesia was so bad ass but Metallica made good music. Vai was insane but hardly memorable as songs whereas satriani had good songs.
All this said, myself and no one I know (including bass players ) care about wootan, Berlin, La rue, and all the others who are insane players yet can't seen to write a cool song. Looking back, the guys that influenced me were the simplest of players. All the tech in the world doesn't make up for cool songs... Just ask Mr Big. I LOVE Billy's playing but MB is lame as hell. Roth w Billy kicked ass.
So, point is (as its dissected and trashed) is that being simple, basic or for the song us often better than the opposite. I love bass, but if I wanna hear all the crazy poopie I'll listen to guitar. To me, bass is bass. This is all just MO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Serenity23, AdamR, bftbassman and 5 others
#4
wolfkeller said:
I always liked the first poison album. They sold millions of records, sold out shows, merch yet you'd be hard pressed to find someone who says they liked this band. Well, I did and still think their first album was a kick ass RNR album.
Now, I was curious if he used as svt so I googled and all I got was this crap about him and his antics ect. There was a tb thread that was ridiculous. Talk of wootan and all this.
I look back (I'm 42) and think about what got me into music and bass. Was it insane playing? Was it cool songs? Yes, anasthesia was so bad ass but Metallica made good music. Vai was insane but hardly memorable as songs whereas satriani had good songs.
All this said, myself and no one I know (including bass players ) care about wootan, Berlin, La rue, and all the others who are insane players yet can't seen to write a cool song. Looking back, the guys that influenced me were the simplest of players. All the tech in the world doesn't make up for cool songs... Just ask Mr Big. I LOVE Billy's playing but MB is lame as hell. Roth w Billy kicked ass.
So, point is (as its dissected and trashed) is that being simple, basic or for the song us often better than the opposite. I love bass, but if I wanna hear all the crazy **** I'll listen to guitar. To me, bass is bass. This is all just MO.
Click to expand...

I love Poison (seriously) and I think Bobby is a good, solid bass player. We joke because we care.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RickyT
#5
wolfkeller said:
Sheehan himself said about GIT students, they have their 9 1/2 string bubbinga bass with 30g strings and they're flying all around the neck... He told them that's good...now go and learn to play bass. We are not guitar players, our job is not to do what they do, it is to support and be a part of a bigger picture.
Click to expand...
Funny Victor Wooten told me the same thing. He signed my pic of him...keep it simple. I only went to see him when he was in town for a show and clinic.. He is very talented but I would never buy an album of his.

I love simple , melodic supporting bass players. Bass is a foundation instrument and needs to stay there IMO. My fav's are the groover's of the music world not slapper and solo bass stars. But sorry don't like Poison at all.
 
Last edited:
#10
I was/ still am a poison fan, but musically back then I was into guitar.

For some reason though I seem to think bobby used trace Elliot and BC rich once he was sponsored. Maybe its the green I'm confusing in my head?

In anycase....that's later on- on the cat dragged in album he probably used whatever the studio engineer had available at the time. You've peaked my interest though- I think ill do some poking around too. I always like the bass on ' look what the cat dragged in and ' let me go to the show....
 
#14
I saw them once, way back in '88 or '89 with Ratt, they were very a fun band on stage and I really enjoyed them a lot. ( IIRC Bobby's rig had artwork on the face of all four cabs, the were likely GK) Anyway, I got a big kick out them and they were way better than Ratt that evening, the were just bad, my GF and I walked out early on them.
 
#16
The common thread of players from those days that are still doing it and doing it well seems to be that they learned a LOT of songs, and still do. Billy is a classic example; he's got terabytes of music and is always learning songs. Sure, he can solo his brains out, but he is also a great groove player. Oftentimes bass players from the 80's metal scene get pigeonholed as being boring players with little skill; its not that they can't play more, it's that they're serving the song.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GreaserMatt, progmanjum and kikstand454
#18
kikstand454 said:
^ agreed. And this was also when there was a hyper focus on guitar gymnastics- noone cared about how well the bassist played, and the albums showcased as such.
Rhythm sections in that era- espicially in that genre- were alex and Micheal in an Eddie and dave world.
Click to expand...

So, the rhythm section was super tight and solid?
 
  • Like
Reactions: kikstand454

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back