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Why Roger Waters ?

#41
Talking strictly bass playing,Waters play good enough to be in a legendary band.
Can we agree on that?
And as simple as it sounds,PF wasn't a band of virtuoso musicians,but they produced some really magical music.
Is all about the senses : they went straight for people's heads and heart.

We played yesterday in Toad's place (New haven,CT)and there was a PF tribute band there as the main event ("beyond the wall" is their name).
We went on stage before them,and stayed a bit to hear them.
I must say they were great at reproducing the environment and sound of those songs,and while the bass was mainly doing whole notes on root (and then tied whole notes for several bars),it was essential.
And I mean a MUST DO,when you do those songs.
And is precisely that what makes Waters the good bass player he is.
There is a thing about not being selfish in those songs,a sense of smooth sailing for the other instruments on top of the bass and drums which make that music great.
Now,I would think you should evaluate Waters bass playing IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MUSIC,and never as a player alone,because is one of those guys that cannot be separated from the band he played for.
 
#43
guroove said:
Quoted for truth. "Perfect" is the key word to this statement. There are few songs that I would say this about.
Click to expand...

Ha! I first said this back in, oh, 1972 or so -- and I still say it at every opportunity.

I have a somewhat unusual perspective on this (and other "classic rock" from that era), because I was listening to and loving that album for 25 years before taking up the bass -- my first instrument --at age 40. Until then I had never had so much as a single piano lesson, and I couldn't have told you what a scale was, or a key, or a time signature. The whole album, and Money in particular, always seemed "perfect" to me from a purely audience perspective. Now that I understand it from a musician's perspective, I still feel the same way. To this day, "Money" is the only song in 7 I've ever heard that just doesn't sound like it's an odd time signature; you've got to count to find out. I find that amazing. The switch to 4/4 under the guitar solo is sheer genius. My favorite part is when the chromatic bass line in the 4/4 section switches from walking down TO the root to walking down FROM the root. What a lesson in making the simple profound.

I've found lots of classic tunes that I thought were great (and/or that their bass lines were great) back in my "pre-musician" days, but that now leave me flat, and lots of others that didn't do much for me back then but that I've come to appreciate now. "Money," and the Dark Side album generally, are among the precious few that that I loved back then, and love just as much now. Maybe that's because it is perfect.
 
#48
For an example of Roger playing a well-known song a bit busier than the album version, I love this clip of Any Colour You Like from 1975. This is about as busy as anyone should dare play this absolutely epic bassline, and even then only if your name is Roger Waters. Invalid Link Removed

All this crap about how David played all the basslines. Whatever. Roger played bass on the first album before David even joined the band. And, BTW, Roger's playing was busier in the early days. He actually got steadier and more disciplined as they approached the zenith of the band's history in the 70s. I gather that to Roger, a bass is just a tool to help make the whole band sound the way the song calls for, not something to personally rock out on. Very different philosophy than, say, John Entwistle.
 
#49
The difference btween bass and most other insruments is if you say play guitar, you get paid to play.

With bass you get paid to not play. A waters bass line is like Haiku for bass. The guy regularly has measures with one note in them. The country guys can't even do that.
 
#50
The ultimate question in this thread is....

How do you define musician?

Was he musical? Not my job to answer

Is he a great bass player? Not technically skilled, but he did play bass

Can he write music? I liked the Wall. The solo stuff wasn't my favorite

How would you define musician?
 
#51
Money is easier to play than almost every one knows. Being able to play Money on bass will give an "in" with guitar players, none of which on my level can close to playing the song.

And people love it. And a big part of why they love it is the bass part. Rodger might have been steeping out and showing off but it does the job.

And it's much eaiser than playing a whole note for a measure.




Lobster11 said:
Ha! I first said this back in, oh, 1972 or so -- and I still say it at every opportunity.

I have a somewhat unusual perspective on this (and other "classic rock" from that era), because I was listening to and loving that album for 25 years before taking up the bass -- my first instrument --at age 40. Until then I had never had so much as a single piano lesson, and I couldn't have told you what a scale was, or a key, or a time signature. The whole album, and Money in particular, always seemed "perfect" to me from a purely audience perspective. Now that I understand it from a musician's perspective, I still feel the same way. To this day, "Money" is the only song in 7 I've ever heard that just doesn't sound like it's an odd time signature; you've got to count to find out. I find that amazing. The switch to 4/4 under the guitar solo is sheer genius. My favorite part is when the chromatic bass line in the 4/4 section switches from walking down TO the root to walking down FROM the root. What a lesson in making the simple profound.

I've found lots of classic tunes that I thought were great (and/or that their bass lines were great) back in my "pre-musician" days, but that now leave me flat, and lots of others that didn't do much for me back then but that I've come to appreciate now. "Money," and the Dark Side album generally, are among the precious few that that I loved back then, and love just as much now. Maybe that's because it is perfect.
Click to expand...
 
#52
BawanaRik said:
Money is easier to play than almost every one knows. Being able to play Money on bass will give an "in" with guitar players, none of which on my level can close to playing the song.

And people love it. And a big part of why they love it is the bass part. Rodger might have been steeping out and showing off but it does the job.

And it's much eaiser than playing a whole note for a measure.
Click to expand...

+1

Totally agree, doesn't sound it but it's dead simple.
 
#55
Roger is one of my favorite musical composers/songwriters. The stuff Floyd did with him at the creative helm is the best IMO and his solo albums are great. I don't care what the critics say about him. He is a musical genius.

He is also an "ok" bassist.
 
#56
I saw Roger Waters perform "The Wall" live a week ago today. He played bass for most of the show and he seemed pretty capable to me. However, like everything Pink Floyd/Roger Waters you can't really break the whole into its parts without losing something in the process. It's all about the entire package, not specific riffs or bass lines.

The show as a whole was stupefying. A wholly magical experience. This was by far the best live performance of anything I've ever experienced. From the execution of the music (as close to a perfect band as possible without the other members of PF) to the live sound mix (impeccable and I am extremely jaded in this department) to the lighting, projections and theatrical bits (i.e. the building of the 400' wide x 40' high wall during the show). Just an incredible assault on the senses. Highly worth the $200 each I spent on 13th row floor tickets. Waters genuinely seemed to be happy to be there and truly seemed to enjoy himself as well as seeming quite gracious (unlike the surly RW of 30-odd years ago, he even commented on that.) Even if you aren't a PF/RW fan you should see this show if it comes to your town. I wish I had gotten tickets for more than one performance.
 
#58
The man was one of my main inspirations to play bass. The way he held the groove and the fact that even though it might have been simplistic his lines MADE some of my favorite music ever is enough for me personally to put him up there as one of my favorite bass players ever. In a similar vain, a lot of people think Eddie Van Halen is one of the best guitarists ever. I think he just wanks a lot. Give me someone who plays more tastefully while still having skill and form that fits the song and I'll tell you they're better IMO any day.
 
#59
I just saw his show in Portland and was ASTOUNDED. I've seen A LOT of shows in my 42 years and it truly was the greatest live music performance I have ever been lucky enough to attend. It's so much more than a concert - more like a Broadway or Vegas show, but with kick @$$ music and a powerful message. Well worth the (admittedly high) price of the tix IMO. Regarding his playing, I think a lot of people think that because he isn't a fast and super-dynamic, (flashy) player, he isn't 'good'. I disagree. I think being 'good' means being solid fundamentally, sounding good and being able to speak to and connect with your audience through your music. Waters does that, and like many others have stated, plays EXACTLY what the song calls for and usually no more. That is the beauty of Pink Floyd. David Gilmour is a simple, melodic player as well. He's not Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai or Joe Satriani, buy he doesn't need to play a million notes per second or fly all up and down the fretboard to create the feeling the song is trying to convey. Ever heard it said that he "isn't good" ?
 

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