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Verdine White Tell me it aint so!! {:>(. ..
- Thread starter bassramos
- Start date
Yeah...
I couldn't understand his solo.
I don't think the rest of the band could either.
They all drop off even the drummer.
But that's okay...
EW&F has been my favorite band ever since I heard the Grattitude LP back in '75. Sure they floundered in the 90's but what "real bands" didn't?? Now they are back kicking ass! I've never lost love for them...and never will!
Thank Gawd!! I had lost all hope!! Singers were horrible though!!Here he is playing Shining Star and September at the Grammy Museum. Totally live, and sounds just like his playing on the records to me (apart from the tone of the bass)
Maybe they changed the production for that show. I saw them earlier this year and he most certainly did not play on everything. I could tell when he was playing and when 'someone/something' else was playing. He has a distinct tone (kinda dull, slight gain boost, very Ampegish). The other sound was way more distict and modern sounding.
EWF suffered when pop music changed. As T-Most said, what band didn't flounder? EWF spent 1985-2012 trying to find a way to be relevant again. On the latest album, they just decided to sound like themselves, and they are wonderful.
- Oct 18, 2012
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When you get to the point where you have to rely on recordings or have someone else play your parts to make "you" sound good, you should not be on stage. If you can't play it live, you shouldn't be pretending that you can. Otherwise, you are ripping off your audience.
Ripping them off? Maybe. But it's also entirely possible that, to their way of thinking, they are providing a more complete musical interpretation of what they recorded while at the same time providing a very entertaining visual show right along with it. I mean, to be devil's advocate, where does it stop? If you think that samples or recordings shouldn't be used in order to make you sound good, then perhaps lights, pyrotechnics, etc., should also be limited because they become too much of a crutch in making you look good.
Some bands use samples and sequenced sections because they also cannot afford to take an extra bank of musicians on tour with them. I know if we had to bring on extra live musicians to accurately cover the variety of songs, we'd need 3 keyboard players, a horn section, orchestral strings, an extra guitar player or two, and two different hand percussionists. Everyone would walk home with about a $1.50 in their wallet after the gig, LOL.
Look, while we as musicians debate all of this, there are thousands of people at these venues who go home with smiles on their faces, thoroughly entertained and having enjoyed an evening of their favorite songs played by their favorite bands. And to those people, that's all that matters. We're such a small percentage of the fan base that we're in the minority with regards to our position on the subject.
There are not too many big acts that tour without somebody riding protools these days, to quote one of my favorite bands, That's The Way Of The World.
The success they are having with "Then, Now & Forever" must have you eating those words right about now!
Got to chime in, on those videos he actually is playing something close to his recorded parts. (although not quite)
But on most live videos with EWF he doesn't even play his "own" iconic lines like "shining star" or boogie wonderland like the record. He plays these dumbed down versions.
But on most live videos with EWF he doesn't even play his "own" iconic lines like "shining star" or boogie wonderland like the record. He plays these dumbed down versions.
Al McKay's EWF Experience band is incredible! I would definately check them out if they came to town!
Time to bring this back to life haha! I got to read all the comments in this thread, and I want you to know the answer to this mistery.
Verdine does indeed use backing tracks. But for less than half of the show. I got to see them live in 2013 when they came to Mexico, and I couldn't keep my eyes of Verdine's Sadowsky bass. That night, he played like 80% of the songs. There were special cases like Boogie Wonderland, where he is playing above a recorded track, and Serpentine Fire, where Myron McKinley does the Bass on his synth before and after Verdine does a small solo. Got To Get You Into My Life and In The Stone were also overdubbed and the chorus parts were played by the backing track alone. Yes, he is a bass player, but he's also an entertainer. How many guys out there can do that? But he's been doing it now for 43 years and counting, so he can't do it with the same energy and techniques he used from day 1. Give this man a break, I learned to play bass because of him, along with Mike Porcaro. He's a huge inspiration for many of us out there.
Verdine does indeed use backing tracks. But for less than half of the show. I got to see them live in 2013 when they came to Mexico, and I couldn't keep my eyes of Verdine's Sadowsky bass. That night, he played like 80% of the songs. There were special cases like Boogie Wonderland, where he is playing above a recorded track, and Serpentine Fire, where Myron McKinley does the Bass on his synth before and after Verdine does a small solo. Got To Get You Into My Life and In The Stone were also overdubbed and the chorus parts were played by the backing track alone. Yes, he is a bass player, but he's also an entertainer. How many guys out there can do that? But he's been doing it now for 43 years and counting, so he can't do it with the same energy and techniques he used from day 1. Give this man a break, I learned to play bass because of him, along with Mike Porcaro. He's a huge inspiration for many of us out there.
Ok, let me say right now that VW is a phenomenal bass player AND entertainer. When someone gets to the age of 50+ (he will turn 65 this year) it is very difficult to sustain that level of energy on stage (dancing as only VW can!) and play with the precision that an audience would come to expect from one of the top bands of all time. So yes, I'm sure that he does have "help' on the uptempo numbers, but what is he going to do? Stand like a statue and play well? Or entertain and contribute to the party atmosphere we all associate with EWF, and have some help? Obviously they chose the latter. I don't think it's hidden either. The actual guy playing the bass is often shown on screen. I think he does play on the slower songs, and there is plenty of evidence that he does play live at smaller, more intimate venues where the band is smaller and the energy isn't quite as high, proving that he is STILL a great player.
EDIT: I would also say that having "help" is far from unusual for stage acts, especially for the more technically complex songs (higher notes) and where there is an expectation of near-perfection. I would swear that Celine Dion is lip-synching on the YouTube O Holy Night video. The vocal is an exact match to the recording. No one is that good.
EDIT: I would also say that having "help" is far from unusual for stage acts, especially for the more technically complex songs (higher notes) and where there is an expectation of near-perfection. I would swear that Celine Dion is lip-synching on the YouTube O Holy Night video. The vocal is an exact match to the recording. No one is that good.
All the points regarding the legendary Verdine White are valid!
However, since I haven't played and put out, for 45 years in one band, some of THE best basslines in the history of Funk, R&B and pop music, I'll just take several seats and just watch the rest of y'all debate!
However, since I haven't played and put out, for 45 years in one band, some of THE best basslines in the history of Funk, R&B and pop music, I'll just take several seats and just watch the rest of y'all debate!
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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.I'm sure that they are wrong. This is definetely not true...
Hi there. I'm really a big big fan of EWF since over 30 years and watching them everytime they're playing in Switzerland. Absolute fantastic !! And in the past I often asked me if VW really is playing himself.
If you take a look to the video where EWF is playing with David Foster, V is playing in front. In a short sequence you can see Nathan East playing in the back..... sorry.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
I just relearned Can't Hide Love the other day.That bass line is a masterpiece. I discovered so many cool and subtle things in there. Verdine in his prime was an amazing musician. Too bad he gave up on being a great bass player. His dancing is certainly not even close on par with what he was able to create as a bass player. Still, without him I might not be a bass player today. I'm grateful for that. He was a huge inspiration.
