U2 Bass

[Nev375]

With the amount of sh*t talk about Adam, you would think he was at the level of Sid Vicious!

Yeah for some reason people tend to assume that "if you don't do it, you can't do it". I think It would be a smarter assumption that anyone who's been performing in the business constantly for 40 some years at that level can play circles around most of us wannabes.

U2 has never been about the ego of the musicians or their skills. Bono's ego, perhaps. And I think Bono would likely have a laugh and point out all the references to his own ego in their work.

 

[txhawaii]

To be honest, I never realized there was bass hate for the dude. There are times he meanders and confuses me with his choices, like “streets have no name” but overall he writes some catchy basslines that help the song move forward. The guitar is so ethereal and rhythmic that there needs to be a solid bottom. I always felt like there was dance music influence in the way the basslines would repeat without variation. I have definitely been influenced by him and his style even though I don’t really look up to him as a bass hero.

As a kid, I wore the Joshua Tree album down to nothing practicing those simple yet effective riffs AC played. At the time, I didn't know they were that simple yet it also made me think the bass was that simple. kinda a catch 22.

Their biggest hits were four chord wonders...no? and AC wasn't fancy or solo seeking. He was happy to hold down the backline.

 

[txhawaii]

Yeah for some reason people tend to assume that "if you don't do it, you can't do it". I think It would be a smarter assumption that anyone who's been performing in the business constantly for 40 some years at that level can play circles around most of us wannabes.

U2 has never been about the ego of the musicians or their skills. Bono's ego, perhaps. And I think Bono would likely have a laugh and point out all the references to his own ego in their work.

its always been about bono and his ego.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I’m working on a bunch of U2 songs for an upcoming show we’re playing.
After listening closely to a few of these tunes it seems like Adam Clayton is a Fender bass purist and it sounds like he uses a pick on many of the tunes. I love charting tunes from different bands and am digging in to these tunes.

Any other information you can share about his gear would be great.

Thank you.

Precisions, Jazz basses, maybe some hollowbodies.

I've done a couple of "one off" U2 tribute shows. Adam plays some really excellent bass parts on those songs, and always a great tone. I have been on many recording sessions where someone says "play an Adam Clayton thing here" or "what would Adam Clayton do?"

 

[u2brothr]

Some of my faves.

 

[Ric5]

I’m working on a bunch of U2 songs for an upcoming show we’re playing.
After listening closely to a few of these tunes it seems like Adam Clayton is a Fender bass purist and it sounds like he uses a pick on many of the tunes. I love charting tunes from different bands and am digging in to these tunes.

Any other information you can share about his gear would be great.

Thank you.

 

[burgerdj]

I recall some gnarly P bass on the early U2 albums and J Bass on more recent stuff. Personally, I love the old U2 records - and even if Adam isn’t flash, he gets the job done with some classic tone.

 

[Kilgore777]

He is definitely a controversial bass player within the bass playing community..
That video is hysterical. I happen to be a fan of his playing style.

That is hilarious.... "..... just the route note of chords."

But his style fit the band perfectly.

 

[sleddogn]

funny how most if not all those pics have him using fingers not pick...

 

[etoncrow]

I'm not a big U2 fan but I find it interesting that early in this thread it was frequently stated that he uses a pick and yet in every photo posted he's using his fingers and thumb. Just an observation.

 

[DaveParker39]

The bad news: there is no one definitive Adam Clayton bass
The good news: there is no one definitive Adam Clayton bass

Visually, when I think of Adam Clayton, I think of the Sherwood Green jazz bass. But he has used more gear than anyone could possibly keep up with.

 

[BaileyMan]

Are you suggesting that like all of us TBers he likes to have a lot of gear?

 

[BrentSimons]

I remember hearing that U2 lost a ton of equipment in a storage warehouse flood including a ton of Adam’s basses. His tech went on a vintage Jazz and P bass buying spree and stocked up. Apparently, Adam prefers maple fingerboards on dark stages so he had the vintage necks replaced with maple Lakland necks for touring. I don’t recall the story’s source, but interesting none the less.

I remember the same article...Bass Player Magazine maybe? I think it showed his live rig as well?
I know he used a Gibson Studio bass as well at some point?
Stay healthy y'all,
Brent

 

[BrentSimons]

i recall it was a warehouse fire

I'm pretty sure it was a flood? They may have had a fire too? I think that is when he started using Ashdown and Lakland after his tech went vintage bass shopping.
Brent

 

[john_g]

I was a huge U2 fan back in the early to mid 80s. Lost track after Joshua Tree. Lots of fun basslines in the early stuff.

 

[FunkHead]

Question: What Bass does Adam Clayton play?

Answer: Any bass he wants.

Seriously though, A nice Jazz or Precision would work. Even a Rick or Stingray would work with some judicious EQ.

 

[pbass2]

To be honest, I never realized there was bass hate for the dude. There are times he meanders and confuses me with his choices....

He does create some interesting, sometimes unexpected harmonic movement at times. He's not just pumping 8th note roots all day long! And I do appreciate his subtlety and restraint.

 

[u2brothr]

There was a period I think it was after R&H where he started to actually take “lessons”. He paired up with the dude who wrote “Bass Players for Dummies”.

From Achtung Baby onwards, Adam’s playing took a turn for the better…. With more interesting lines on Pop, NLOTH, SOI and SOE.

Adam also has a couple pages in Geddy Lee’s “Book of Bass”.

Adam signed my purple sparkle bass which I’m forever thankful for. He’s so down to earth and if you listen to U2xradio on SiriusXM….. he knows his funk, punk, r&b and pop bass players around the globe.

Also add to the fact that his sobriety has been an important fact to realizing his importance in the band. (Only one time Adam has not made it on stage). I really admire him.

He’s no Jaco….. and recognizes that he doesn’t have to be.

 

[sleddogn]

He’s no Jaco…..

Nicest compliment one could ever get as a bass player imo....

 

[Doug4321]

I think he gets some negative press due to relatively simple lines in a mega group. Kinda like Bill Wyman or Noel Redding. No biggie, just ignore it.

His straight eigths lines are common for the punk/new wave era what they came out of. I think his stuff is effective, either grinding away with a pick, I think with that original Ibanez, or more dark, bassy undertones that provide a good contrast to Edge’s atmospheric guitar work, e.g. on Joshua Tree. Those latter may be played with fingers….Jazz bass? very bassy but you can also hear some round wound growl….