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Who started it all for you?
- Thread starter trayner1
- Start date
I played guitar long before I started bass, but I got my first guitar around Xmas the year Randy Rhoads died because I thought he was the absolute greatest. I was only 13 when he died but it was devastating. With constant pressure on my folks they relented and got me my first guitar, a Memphis black Les Paul clone.
I was a teenager when the first time that I´ve heard "Powerslave" (Iron Maiden) I knew that I wanted play the bass. So was Steve Harris who let me take that decision.
After they came others bass plyers to my life, to confirm that a did a right choice.
After they came others bass plyers to my life, to confirm that a did a right choice.
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I started playing guitar when I was like 9 or 10. A couple years later I was playing drums in a band and I was really intrigued by the bass and the bassists lines. So I started listening very closely and I asked him some questions about the bass and he told me I could borrow the bass since I already had some experience with guitar. So I took it home a few times but after a while I just let it be. Then a little while later, the bassist gave me a few Rock albums. Including some KISS, GN'R, and Ozzy Osbourne. I listened to them and WOW! That's when I heard it. I knew I wanted to play bass as soon as I heard Gene, Duff, and Bob, all playing these amazing lines and great tone to go along with them. Pretty soon I got into Punk; all different kinds of Punk. And the first time I heard it was one of those WOW! moments again. It was then that I knew all I wanted to play was Punk!
My older brother brought home 'Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' and I listened to 'Corrina Corrina' over and over again - I could only listen to it when he was out or he would pound on me for listening to his records - the beatings I took to listen to that track! - it wasn't until years later that I learned it was Leonard Gaskin -
Bill Clark my high school Jazz Band instructor a fine bass guitarist and multi-instrumenatlist. The man cud play anything you handed him.
Sophomore year I went to see the jazz band play during the basketball game cos a coupla friends o'mine were in it. No one had signed up for bass guitar so Mr. Clark played bass. For my homies Kevin(guitar), Trevor(keys) this was the first real band they had ever been in along with two chic vocalist (Amanda & Sherry) that looked like they didn't wanna be there.
Either way Bill killed it. He was synced up with Jamie Payton, a black kid with a gold tooth, so help me God this kid hada gold tooth at age 16. I had been around allota bluegrass up until then but this was the first true rhythm section I had seen that was really tight. Mainly cos Jamie had crazy chops and Bill was on top of him and he played funky, groovy and did the 16th's rock star endings. It was baddass. I had never seen anyone play bass like that before. (pre internet daze). He had a late 70's P bass, black with the ampeg frige and SVT at school!!
Several weeks later he approached me at lunch and said that Kevin told him I played guitar and I shud consider playing bass next semester and then he says, get this "I know what you and Kevin are up to before school. Why not make first hour about music." and left it at that.
apparently Mr. Clark was WAAY cooler than I had thought. So next semester Kev & I floated in on cloud nine and opened up our school day with jams. It made the rest of the day more tolerable and I actually started to get laid more.
Thnx Mr. Clark, you rock.
Sophomore year I went to see the jazz band play during the basketball game cos a coupla friends o'mine were in it. No one had signed up for bass guitar so Mr. Clark played bass. For my homies Kevin(guitar), Trevor(keys) this was the first real band they had ever been in along with two chic vocalist (Amanda & Sherry) that looked like they didn't wanna be there.
Either way Bill killed it. He was synced up with Jamie Payton, a black kid with a gold tooth, so help me God this kid hada gold tooth at age 16. I had been around allota bluegrass up until then but this was the first true rhythm section I had seen that was really tight. Mainly cos Jamie had crazy chops and Bill was on top of him and he played funky, groovy and did the 16th's rock star endings. It was baddass. I had never seen anyone play bass like that before. (pre internet daze). He had a late 70's P bass, black with the ampeg frige and SVT at school!!
Several weeks later he approached me at lunch and said that Kevin told him I played guitar and I shud consider playing bass next semester and then he says, get this "I know what you and Kevin are up to before school. Why not make first hour about music." and left it at that.
apparently Mr. Clark was WAAY cooler than I had thought. So next semester Kev & I floated in on cloud nine and opened up our school day with jams. It made the rest of the day more tolerable and I actually started to get laid more.
Thnx Mr. Clark, you rock.
My old school daze friend from Illinois, Wally Hooker. He was shredding his Melody Maker at 14! Still shredding to this day. He convinced me to get my first axe. First bass hero was Chris Squire, no, John Paul Jones. Wait! Geezer Butler! Gene Simmons! Glenn Cornick! Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond!-! Loved those crazy striped suits!I'm sure there are a few threads like this out there, but I couldn't find any, so I'm starting a new one.
Which bassist started it all for you? Who made you say, "I wanna be a bassist" after hearing them?
For me, it was Glenn Cornick of Jethro Tull. I remember being about eight years old and finding a mix CD my dad made for me. That night, in bed, I listened to the disc. But when I got to Bouree, my life was transformed. Cornick's smooth walk accompanying Ian Anderson's impressive flute, followed by a chordy solo simply was a revelation. At that point, I picked up my bass with a whole new attitude. But I wasn't pleased with what I heard, so I taught myself the guitar for a few years and got good, all the while practicing bass every now and then. However, I had established myself as a wannabe shred guitarist (which I thought was cool back then), influenced by Satriani, Malmsteen, and others. While being musically immature, it did help me develop muscle memory and fretboard versatility. Going back to bass, I started out slapping, then worked my way back to pizzicato. And here I am.
So, Mr. Cornick, I salute you.
How about you?
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No bass player lead me into picking up the bass as my main instrument, but here's my story anyway:
Manowar made me want to play guitar and start my own band, playing guitar and being in a band lead me to one day picking up a bass and fall in love with the sound and feel of it, which together with the fact of me starting to get into bands like Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney and Pixies lead me to answering an add from a guitarist/singer and a drummer from a noise rock band called Prune (which later evolved into the hardcore/math/noise rock band Menfolk) needing a bass player, which got me into actually starting to play bass and acquire my own.
And finally, realizing I loved playing bass more than guitar and probably even was more naturally inclined for it as well lead me into choosing it over guitar as my main instrument of choice.
Manowar made me want to play guitar and start my own band, playing guitar and being in a band lead me to one day picking up a bass and fall in love with the sound and feel of it, which together with the fact of me starting to get into bands like Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney and Pixies lead me to answering an add from a guitarist/singer and a drummer from a noise rock band called Prune (which later evolved into the hardcore/math/noise rock band Menfolk) needing a bass player, which got me into actually starting to play bass and acquire my own.
And finally, realizing I loved playing bass more than guitar and probably even was more naturally inclined for it as well lead me into choosing it over guitar as my main instrument of choice.
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My father was a bassist so it was always there, I suppose. But, I'll shamefully admit this because it is true. It's 1983, I was 13 years old and I was hearing Motley Crue for the first time. I was already listening to Kiss, Early Maiden, Sabbath and things like that thru friends and the like...but Crue was this new thing and they felt like 'my' band, I had found them. They set me on a path like no other back in that day. We all have our gateway drug I suppose. To me back at that time, they were larger than life.
So with that little set up, at that time I thought Nikki Sixx was the coolest guy on the planet. Yea! Nikki Sixx! I was 13. Still, that's what inspired me to pick up the bass. Of course it didn't take long to figure out that the guy wasn't an elite talent on the bass, but that's how the story went. I don't think I've ever admitted it out loud!
I wish I could say it was something cooler like I was a die hard Geddy fan or something, I suppose the inspiration has to come somewhere right? So his image at the time had a big influence on a young kid.
As I got into playing my greatest influences were Daisley, Butler, Harris and the like as that's what I dug into learning first.
But yea. Nikki. Wow, huh?
So with that little set up, at that time I thought Nikki Sixx was the coolest guy on the planet. Yea! Nikki Sixx! I was 13. Still, that's what inspired me to pick up the bass. Of course it didn't take long to figure out that the guy wasn't an elite talent on the bass, but that's how the story went. I don't think I've ever admitted it out loud!
I wish I could say it was something cooler like I was a die hard Geddy fan or something, I suppose the inspiration has to come somewhere right? So his image at the time had a big influence on a young kid.
As I got into playing my greatest influences were Daisley, Butler, Harris and the like as that's what I dug into learning first.
But yea. Nikki. Wow, huh?
I've got your feeling. At least Nikki Sixx still better player than Sid Vicious
Roundabout - Chris Squire
Highway Star - Roger Glover
I discovered them both in 1972. I was 10. I'm sill discovering how amazing they are (were) as players and writers. Someday, I might be able to play their stuff....maybe....but I know I couldn't write bass lines like that. Ever. Still inspiring, almost 45 years later. Nothing else sounds like a Ric in their hands. Thanks, guys!
[EDIT]- Oh, and Scott Pilgrim, of course!
Highway Star - Roger Glover
I discovered them both in 1972. I was 10. I'm sill discovering how amazing they are (were) as players and writers. Someday, I might be able to play their stuff....maybe....but I know I couldn't write bass lines like that. Ever. Still inspiring, almost 45 years later. Nothing else sounds like a Ric in their hands. Thanks, guys!
[EDIT]- Oh, and Scott Pilgrim, of course!
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