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Verdine White Tell me it aint so!! {:>(. ..

#62
bassramos said:
Hello Fellow Talk Bassers, I just was at a gig last night and they put on the Earth Wind an Fire DVD before we played. Man Verdine sounded great! He was killing all up and down that groove! I told a couple band mates (Albeit in a funny outfit and hopping around(making it all the more impressive)) " Man, Verdine is Killin! Listen to that groove!" The next thing that came out of their mouth saddened me greatly and I was not ready. "Man he's not playing! He hasn't been doing the live show for years! There is another guy in the back playing bass." "What!!!?? No!!" I said. "That cant be true, he is heralded as a funk legend." They said " Man he hasnt been playing live for years! Theres just a guy in the back, he gets his check and that's it!"
Please tell me this is not true. I don't belive it.:eyebrow::bawl::bawl: I'm sure that they are wrong. This is definetely not true... :atoz:
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I actually saw him play 2 years ago - He wasn't *crazy* good, but he played well enough and was funky as hell. The key thing about Verdine is what he DID - not what's he's doing. Heck, he's getting old - give him a freakin' break!
 
#64
I love EWF!

And I love Verdine!

They all have bore the burden in the heat of the day and I am thankful for that.

I saw EWF live last summer.
Verdine's bass solo was one of the worst solos I've ever heard.
As someone else mentioned the tone was completely different.
And his solo was totally incoherent.
I thought it was strange, but I can assure you he played that solo.
As for the rest of show?
Probably not...

Didn't not tarnish my image of him at all.
As far as I'm concerned he doesn't ever have to play another note.
He's a giant and always will be...
 
#65
colcifer said:
I'm still thinking about that vid. If he was syncing, why fix his cable?
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If he was syncing, they would have to fix the cable so it wouldn't look like he was syncing.


If he wasn't syncing, they would have to fix the cable so he could play.

Supertanker said:
Didn't not tarnish my image of him at all.
As far as I'm concerned he doesn't ever have to play another note.
He's a giant and always will be...
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Dang skippy. I've transcribed a lot of his grooves from the classic stuff to use on gigs over the years. Especially when I had a gig with a horn band that only played EWF, Chicago, Blood Sweat n Tears, etc.
 
#66
Verdine White is a influential Iconic player,I saw him at the NAMM show and I hope to look as good at 50 much less nearly 60.

That said Earth wind and fire has not played the gig 100 % live since the mid 90's this is the guy who help put together their live set

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Verdine play's portions of the show live,on the Video Josh is talking about you can hear the difference in the tone when he is playing. Other parts of the show he play's on top of the tracks and other parts he's miming.

it's not a big secret,and take nothing away from what he has done in the past EFW has always been about putting on a great show for the fan's and simply use technology to their advantage.
 
#67
In early 1976 I agreed to play bass in a "funk" band. I, and the guitarist, were rock-n-roll guys. The other SEVEN members of the band were Jazz Band guys from the university's music program, and they loved "funk." Overall, it was pretty successful as disco was BIG then and my hair was really fuzzy. Anyhooo..

They made me learn EWF stuff, along with all the Brecker Brothers, et. al. Gave me a copy of the Gratitude live album. I thought "You gotta be kiddin' me." But I learned to play his chops. Pick and all. Yes, Mr. White is/was an oustanding, groovy, funky bass player. And his brother sings pretty well too. (wink)
 
#69
FrankGravis said:
*Drummer's name is Sonny Emory. *

You're completely right. It was late when I posted this. Thanks for the correction. :)
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Hey Frank, I dig your playing on the albums I have with your name on it. [Hiram Bullock etc]
Back on topic, Verdine's legacy is a undeniable, and if he wants to dance over some tracks, cool with me. Absolutely one of the greats of our instrument.
 
#70
jerry said:
Hey Frank, I dig your playing on the albums I have with your name on it. [Hiram Bullock etc]
Back on topic, Verdine's legacy is a undeniable, and if he wants to dance over some tracks, cool with me. Absolutely one of the greats of our instrument.
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Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it a lot.
 
#71
colcifer said:
YouTube - Earth, Wind & Fire (5/16) - September

A tech comes out and messes with VW's cable but you can't hear it.
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Thanks a ton...Now I can't decide if it's going to be blue, black, purple, or tangerine (with cool giant spots of course), for my next stage appearance. Just when I thought life had ceased being so complicated....

Oh and on topic. No matter what Mr. White may be doing these days, there was a time when he walked into a room and made enough of an impression on the right people to wind up with the bass job in a new (at the time) band named Earth Wind and Fire. I don't care how good you can fake something, an audition for a band the caliber of EWF is NOT a place were smoke and mirrors will cut the mustard.

It's topics like this which remind me of why I don't care to see current evolutions of once great bands. I much prefer my memory of Mick strutting his best Tina Turner imitation in 72 than the reality of some old farts cashing in on what they once where.

Once the belly fire goes out, it's time to start looking at condos in south Florida and let the next generation wow us with their energy and drive. Not saying us old farts should just quit to make room for the younger cats looking to make their mark, but at least have the dignity and self respect to not suffer from the delusion that you still got it like you had it when you were young and hungry now that you are old and well fed.
 
#72
fhm555 said:
No matter what Mr. White may be doing these days, there was a time when he walked into a room and made enough of an impression on the right people to wind up with the bass job in a new (at the time) band named Earth Wind and Fire.
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Well, I think the fact he is Maurice White's younger brother helped just a little bit.

But far from being another case of nepotism, Verdine White was thoroughly schooled in his instrument and a most qualified candidate.
 
#77


you guys are funny hahaha - Stanley traveled with a 'bass' player for many years to play the 'bass' parts because he wanted to play LEAD bass

JPJ has toured with a 'bass' player - etc., etc.

the EWF show is much bigger than bass playing - check this link out - if someone is covering his parts behind the curtain he sure is concentrating and sweating alot for doing nothing AND it's a great simple funky part

there's nothing equivalent to Madoona lip-syncing here - it makes the show better if he can be free some of the time to do more - it's called entertainment
 
#79
crap I just realized what it is and it scares the begebus out of me

you youngin's can't believe that music of this caliber can be made 'live' OMG that's sad



this isn't sequenced or recorded but you think its impossible - thats how bad the quality has sunk
 
#80
You can check my thread from last week, I did a gig with EWF 10 days ago and watched a bit of their show from on stage and I didn't see anybody else playing bass. I did hear Verdine playing bass and there was a lot of choreography, and he and Phillip Bailley did rest on road cases offstage after the more strenuous dance numbers while the keys and sax did a solo, but there was nobody behind the stage playing bass that I saw. I didn't launch a thorough investigation, mind you, but it seemed like a regular gig to me.
 

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