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What's so special about Larry Graham?

diegom

diegom

Supporting Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,623
3,272
Los Angeles/Hollyweird/The Valley
#1
I'm not the biggest funk/r&b fan out there, but I can see why people like Rick James, Bootsy Collins, Bernard Edwards and the likes.

I can even see why people like James Jamerson, although I think he's seriously overrated.

But I don't understand why Larry Graham is so highly regarded here on TalkBass and in the media. I listened to Sly and The Family Stone and Graham Central Station top songs on Spotify and watched a few videos on YouTube. Sure, he has that sort of thumping technique and a few fills on "Thank You," but is that it? I guess he did come before Rick James et al., making him a pioneer?

I'm being serious here. I'm not trolling. What am I missing?
 
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#3
This is like asking why people like chocolate cake or Thai food.

I’ll bite. He was the first guy to do it, which is fascinating when you hear him describe how he developed the technique. “The Jam” is an all time great funk tune slash bass anthem. His style was really fun, including his fashion choices.

I guess if a guy has to be out of this world technique wise to hold your attention then you’re going to miss out on a lot of great playing.
 
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#4
I think all these guys from that era are important to us bassists because they broke the mold of bassists going back to the days of big band where they were told to stay in the back just play simple rhythms and let the other instruments hold the melody.

guys like him, Entwistle and later Jaco made the bass a much more melodic and central instrument to the music. And us low tone loving people thank them for it.
 
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#5
Not sure what to tell you.
He came up with an entirely new way to play the instrument, invented a frontman role to go with it, has the classiest looks, sings at Motown level while playing mean lines, used all kinds of effects before anyone did, wrote lines to a dozen major hits.
Any video of his clearly shows he's a master. One who thinks Jamerson is overrated could easily miss it though.
 
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#6
Raoul_Duke said:
This is like asking why people like chocolate cake or Thai food.

I’ll bite. He was the first guy to do it, which is fascinating when you hear him describe how he developed the technique. “The Jam” is an all time great funk tune slash bass anthem. His style was really fun, including his fashion choices.

I guess if a guy has to be out of this world technique wise to hold your attention then you’re going to miss out on a lot of great playing.
Click to expand...
Or to quote a movie I saw once. Fast isn’t good. Good is good.
 
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#8
Jazz Ad said:
Not sure what to tell you.
He came up with an entirely new way to play the instrument, invented a frontman role to go with it, has the classiest looks, sings at Motown level while playing mean lines, used all kinds of effects before anyone did, wrote lines to a dozen major hits.
Any video of his clearly shows he's a master. One who thinks Jamerson is overrated could easily miss it though.
Click to expand...
Despite how much people here love themselves. We are all essentially copying all these old greats did. The only difference I can see is now we have 5-6-8-12-22 string basses to try to show off our skills. And yet most of us still can’t replicate their sound or rhythm.
 
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#10
LBS-bass said:
Sure you're not. Just taking another post and almost word for word duplicating it, just changing the genre and the names. That's never a troll.

I'll pass.
Click to expand...
LBS-bass said:
Sure you're not. Just taking another post and almost word for word duplicating it, just changing the genre and the names. That's never a troll.

I'll pass.
Click to expand...
Gotta have something do while your social distancing.
 
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#18
F0258142-AB8C-4C52-AF73-9C0A7392FEEF.gif
 
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#19
diegom said:
I'm not the biggest funk/r&b fan out there, but I can see why people like Rick James, Bootsy Collins, Bernard Edwards and the likes.

I can even see why people like James Jamerson, although I think he's seriously overrated.

But I don't understand why Larry Graham is so highly regarded here on TalkBass and in the media. I listened to Sly and The Family Stone and Graham Central Station top songs on Spotify and watched a few videos on YouTube. Sure, he has that sort of thumping technique and a few fills on "Thank You," but is that it? I guess he did come before Rick James et al., making him a pioneer?

I'm being serious here. I'm not trolling. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
Funny how people even mention Rick James. I think, in the grand scheme of Funk Royalty, he's maybe a court jester. Doesn't hold a candle to Graham, who practically invented it, and even Bootsy.
 
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