What's so special about Larry Graham?

[Thegrandwazoo]

Literally "missing" everything!

Take it out of context for a sec. Is Tony Hawk the BEST skateboarder today? Probably not. But Not one skater ever living has done more to push the envelope. Is Starbucks the BEST coffee ever brewed? Maybe not but you can get coffee that you like because Starbucks made it possible. Is Miles Davis the BEST trumpeter? Heck, he couldn't (or wouldn't, you decide) even play the same bar the same way twice in a row.
Is Larry Graham the BEST? It's subjective for sure. But if you slap or pop even once in a while it is because of Larry Graham.

^THAT!

 

[selowitch]

Being overrated is no crime. I’d be thrilled to be overrated.

I wonder if Larry Graham reads TalkBass? I'm guessing not. You get to become Larry Graham by practicing, rehearsing, gigging, recording, and writing all the time and NOT by reading TalkBass.

 

[bench]

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

I don't understand why Larry Graham is so highly regarded here on TalkBass and in the media.

I'm being serious here. I'm not trolling. What am I missing?

If you are not trolling... ...and that´s a big "'IF" after those statements, than first i would really like to know who you regard as a good bass player and second like to see you playing...

 

[selowitch]

Saying you can’t see the greatness of Larry Graham is like saying you can’t see the greatness of Thomas Edison because of all of the bright lighting in your home or office. It’s a classic case of missing the point.

 

[booch29]

Blasphemy is all I can say right now.

 

[Real Soon]

Don't be weird, bro.

 

[David Jayne]

You get it or you don't.

 

[knight of ni]

I "don't get" a lot of high-profile players & their fans might not appreciate the players I enjoy, so be it!

You can appreciate technique and musicianship yet not dig the music. For example, I believe some metal players have an outstanding technique, musically they're really educated and write elaborate stuff. But as you say I "don't get" it.

as they say in France:
c'est la vie

We used to, now we mostly groan and moan.

 

[Alex J]

There is stuff on the Graham Central Station records that people can't even play properly today, so it's not like he's some historic relic.

 

[DeepHz]

I grew up on that funk..... Love Graham!

 

[DaveAceofBass]

Groove. He invented slapping...and lots of people do it fancier than he does...but not many people groove like he does.

 

[ahc]

8 pages and this was mentioned once and hasn't been posted???

 

[JeffreyMcJunior]

Larry Graham is Drake’s uncle.

 

[FishDub]

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?

I hear you when you say you aren't trolling..Its a shame that we cant ask honest questions or get honest opinions without all the snarkiness crap..Some are more immature than others though as we see here..

 

[retslock]

He wasn’t the first to slap. Upright bass players had been doing it for years and Chuck Rainey also did it albeit in a different technique. He brought it to the front and made it the feature of his music. He wrote to suit that style and stamped it on our musical culture in such a way that we still talk about it more than 40 years later and young kids all over the world are trying to play like him. Yes, you’re missing something.

 

[Kmonk]

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?

Why don't you post the bass players you like and then the rest of us can criticize you and ask how you could possibly like them? I'm not a fan of Larry Graham or Bootsy Collins but I respect the fact that a lot of people like them. That's what makes music great. There is something for everybody. Find what you like and enjoy it without criticizing other people about what they like. There are a lot of factors in determining whether or not someone is a good player. Tone, clarity, note selection, timing, playing what's right for the song to name a few. Personally, I think Jamerson was one of the best players in the history of recorded music.

 

[JRA]

fun stuff! thanks, OP!

 

[TThumper]

Your missing ears to think Rick James is even in the same class as the late great James Jamerson maybe you should plat the jaw harp

 

[TThumper]

missing ears

 

[Mark Ambler]