| Author | Message | ||
| cosmicprune
New Username: cosmicprune Post Number: 5 Registered: 11-2005 |
I'd be interested in which bassists influenced all of you Alembicians at the various stages in your playing career. In other words, who inspired you to pick up the instrument? Who did you discover later on to take you to a new level, etc.? For my part, I started playing bass in 1982 when I was 15 after deciding lead guitar wasn't for me. I was a metalhead, so my first inspiration was Steve Harris and later on I found Geddy Lee. This meant I was a finger-style player rather than a plectrum flicker. My first band was a covers outfit that did Rolling Stones and Who numbers, so that introduced me to my first Alembic player, not that I knew it then! I'd found Stanley Clarke by the time I went away to college and I met a guy there called Dave Koenig, who got me onto Mark King. I pretty much sucked at slapping back then though and it was the mid 80s, so I picked up a plectrum and belatedly got into some Duran Duran style grooves (is it OK to admit this?). In my second year at college, I blew my grant cheque on a fretless bass and I figured the only way to go for a while was to listen to Jaco Pastorius. The biggest piece of the puzzle was in 1989 when I first heard Flea on the Mother's Milk album. That brought it all together for me and reconciled all my different influences. I'm always looking for new inspiration though, and that's why I've started this thread ... (Message edited by cosmicprune on November 30, 2005) | ||
| marcky
Junior Username: marcky Post Number: 38 Registered: 11-2005 |
I started playing bass when I was 15. My first big inspiration was Mark King. But even before that I was always focussed on the basslines I heard in every song. At the same time I discovered Stanley Clarke. These where the two for a long time. I was a heavy slapper when I started it was the only way I could play. Later I got more into Jaco and bassists like Marcus Miller, Alain Caron, Gary Willis and so on. But non bassplayers are just as inspiring. Bands like Gentle Giant, Sade, Mothers Finest, Zawinul, the Meters and more all influenced me. I always thought John Taylor(duran duran) is a great bassplayer. Also the bassplayer on the early Wham! records is great!! I think it's ok to admit this. My love for Alembic started in the early days and never passed. Marc (forgive me for my english spelling) | ||
| cosmicprune
New Username: cosmicprune Post Number: 6 Registered: 11-2005 |
Wham, yeah - Club Tropicana has a great bassline. It's all coming back to me... "Lexicon of Love" by ABC is another favourite from that era. | ||
| serialnumber12
Advanced Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 270 Registered: 12-2004 |
1972,i was 11 & began thumping and my influences were jermaine jackson,peter catera , Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, then any bassline from soul & classic rock music from back then,& any bass player that can just play the bass,,,,,,,,i take something from everyboody i get my ears on!. (Message edited by serialnumber12 on November 30, 2005) | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 892 Registered: 11-2003 |
The player who influenced me to start was Jack Bruce. As I progressed my biggest influence was Jack Bruce. Currently I listen to a lot of Jack Bruce. I got hooked on Alembic in the early 80s when I tried out a Series 1 in the store having never heard of Alembic before. It was wonderful. I had to put it back and get something I could afford. Fortunately life has been good and I've had my Epic for a couple of years now and love it. Sam | ||
| zn_bassman
Junior Username: zn_bassman Post Number: 42 Registered: 4-2005 |
I started playing at 13, gave up, and started again at 17 (I'm 36 now). My main influence is John Entwistle. Others that peek out here and there in my playing are Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Billy Sheehan, and Stanley Clarke. I also very much appreciate lots of other players, including Jaco, Jeff Berlin, Stu Hamm, Victor Wooten, James Jamerson, Larry Graham, and all the other big names (plus some lesser-knowns as well). I'm probably guilty of stealing licks from them on occasion, but I do my best to Entwistlize almost everything I play - usually based on his Alembic and Buzzard eras. I started with a Vantage bass that looks like a Gibson, borrowed a Musicman fretless for a couple of months, then moved up to a 5-string Washburn, which I traded in for my Epic in 1994. This year, I got my first bass since then - a Rogue. I came to Alembics through Entwistle, and reaffirmed through Stanley and John Paul Jones. | ||
| karl
Member Username: karl Post Number: 62 Registered: 7-2002 |
oops - double post - sorry! (Message edited by karl on November 30, 2005) | ||
| karl
Member Username: karl Post Number: 63 Registered: 7-2002 |
Similar starting point as a lot of you guys above - as a kid, I was really into Level 42. Wanting to learn to play some of Mark King's stuff, I bought a book called 'Basslines' by Joe Hubbard, which, along with a few Level 42 tunes, also included transcriptions of basslines by Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius. So I thought I'd better find out who these people were. That was the beginning of the slippery slope. I've loved these guys' music ever since. Other guys who've influenced my playing in some way since then include George Porter (The Meters), Paul Jackson (Headhunters), Bootsy, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Doug Rauch (Santana), Benny Rietveld, Gerald Veasley, Foley, Tony Hall (the Neville Brothers), Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Alan Gorrie (Average White Band) and Prince. There must be more I've absorbed along the way - I'm like a musical sponge! | ||
| cosmicprune
New Username: cosmicprune Post Number: 8 Registered: 11-2005 |
That's mad, I've got the exact same book. | ||
| karl
Member Username: karl Post Number: 64 Registered: 7-2002 |
Yeah, it's a great book - pretty tough going at first if you're just starting out as I was, and a few errors here and there (I'm sure there's a whole bar missing from Teen Town!), but it's a great selection of tunes and proved to be a fantastic gateway to jazz-funk and fusion, which had been pretty impenetrable to me before then. | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 487 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi cosmic... Many of the same influences here, with the bizarre exception that I never heard Level 42 or Mark (hey.. I'm from Iowa). I actually started back in the sixties in high school, so I have to mention Jack Casady and Phil Lesh from SF (my intro to Alembic), James Jamerson from Motown, Joe Osborn from LA / Capitol, and Lee Sklar from the early James Taylor recordings. Later add Jimmy Johnson and Michael Manring. Mike | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 666 Registered: 6-2002 |
Too good an opportunity to mention Herman Deinum - now retired? Internationally perhaps best known as a member of Cuby and the Blizzards in the 1960s. In later years he played a P bass most of the time, through a Marshall guitar stack, with a pick. Not hardrock or anything, no: still blues and soul. Quite a virtuoso from time to time. Once you start mimicking his style, with lots and lots of tasteful legato, it can be pretty difficult to get it out of your playing. (Message edited by Adriaan on November 30, 2005) | ||
| marcky
Junior Username: marcky Post Number: 39 Registered: 11-2005 |
Herman still plays with Harry Muskee (Message edited by marcky on November 30, 2005) | ||
| gare
Advanced Member Username: gare Post Number: 292 Registered: 11-2003 |
I picked up the guitar in 1964, switched to bass in '67 or so. (can't remember what age that was too long ago) Mr.McCartney was the culprit that got me started on bass. Shortly after, I discovered James Jamerson and Jack bruce. Then Pete Cetra when the CTA album came out. By 1970 I was into Chris Squire and John Entwhisle. By the mid 70's it was Jaco. My latest fav player is Bill Kopecky, which I 1st discovered about 2 years. Gary | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2660 Registered: 5-2002 |
Adriaan, I don't know if he's retired. But this site may address that question. Unfortunately, I have poor language skills, so I don't know what it says. | ||
| marcky
Junior Username: marcky Post Number: 40 Registered: 11-2005 |
I forgot to mention Frank Zappa in my post. He is a large influence for me on music in general. Marc | ||
| gbarchus
Intermediate Member Username: gbarchus Post Number: 151 Registered: 6-2002 |
sorry, double post  (Message edited by gbarchus on November 30, 2005) | ||
| gbarchus
Intermediate Member Username: gbarchus Post Number: 152 Registered: 6-2002 |
Paul McCartney taught me how to play bass and sing harmony. After him it was James Jamerson and all the Motown great hits. At the same time was Duck Dunn and all the Stax classics. Then I went "Roundabout" for a while with Chris Squire. The sound of THE bass in the Grateful Dead captured my attention and Phil Lesh taught me how to jam. It took me over twenty years before I had one in my hands. Chuck Rainey with Steely Dan (Aja) sat on my turntable for a year! Then Rocco Prestia taught me "What Is Hip" with all those sixteenth notes. When I heard "Byrdland," that was it. I couldn't get Jaco out of my brain. Since then, I've been trying to sound like me! (Message edited by gbarchus on November 30, 2005) (Message edited by gbarchus on November 30, 2005) | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 667 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Dave, thanks for the link - looks like he's still on tour with Cuby. I checked some of the samples on that fan site (http://home.wanadoo.nl/hd-9/deinum.htm) and apart from sounding horrible they're not really prime examples of his playing either. There's the occasional signature flourish - like at about 35 seconds into this one: http://home.wanadoo.nl/hd-9/geluid/busters.mp3 - but it's really nothing compared to the inimitable bass lines that make up the choruses of "Manja" on the Sweet d'Buster live album. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 668 Registered: 6-2002 |
Seek and ye shall find - here's a site where you can get a sample of Manja - see if you can play that on a P bass with a pick - http://music.allofmp3.com/mcatalog.shtml?group=3092&album=1&letter=&volume=&groupname=&albumname= | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2664 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks Adriaan; nice line! | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 669 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yep, unfortunately the song itself doesn't live up to the expectations raised by that intro. The other tracks are more palatable - for the most part. But it was certainly one of the records that I turned to grey on my portable mono Philips record player, trying to keep up with Herman on my own crappy bass, with an assortment of picks - ah, those were the days. Never got anywhere near that Manja line though ... | ||
| dibolosi
Junior Username: dibolosi Post Number: 11 Registered: 1-2004 |
John Entwistle was the reason I bought a bass. I love the way he made his bass growl. He remains my favorite and biggest influence. I was 16 when I started saving the $$$ and 17 when I finally acquisitoned my first bass. During that time I took the first and second string off an old acoustic guitar and used it as a bass to jam with my younger brother and two other friends. McCartney was next because of the way he played bass notes in the third and fifth of the guitar chords. Then Chris Squire, then Mike Watt of the Minutemen/Firehose/and solo works. Then there were many to admire but I pretty much had my playing influence after those four. Jack Casady, Les Claypool, John Paul Jones, Jaco Pastorius (last listen gave me chills), Brian Ritchie, Jah Wobble, Paul Simonen, James Jamerson, Stanley Clarke, Jonas Hellborg, Geddy Lee ... so many more | ||
| darkstar01
Junior Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2005 |
When I first started playing bass, I was really in to Claypool and Chris Squire.. but I didn't really get to into playing until I started to study jazz.. so my main influences have been people like Jaco, Stanley, Steve Swallow, Reed Mathis, Oteil Burbridge on electric. I've learned most of my stuff on upright, though.. so some of my upright influences are Eddie Gomez, John Pattitucci, Miroslav Vitous, Dave Holland, Larry Grenadier, Chris Wood (who can make his bass sound like tabla drums. completely insane), Scott LaFaro, Jimmy Garrison, ETC, ETC, so on and so forth. so many. oh! and ofcourse, the mighty phil lesh ;] austin | ||
| beelee
Intermediate Member Username: beelee Post Number: 135 Registered: 11-2004 |
Growing up I always enjoyed listening to music, good ole AM and then FM radio, liked many songs without knowing who the group or players were, my Mom played piano and there was an acoustic guitar hanging around the house, so I used to noodle around on both every now and again. Then in the late 70's early 80's I went over one of my classmates house, He played bass and gtr and his brother played drums ( they were twins no less....lol ) and he asked me what instrument I wanted to play, I said bass it has less strings so it must be easier ( LOL if I only knew then what I know now.....boy was I wrong !!) so he showed me how to play some Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Neil Young, UFO and I was hooked. He had a Rickenbacker ( or it might have been the Ibanez copy) so I bugged my parents to get me a bass, it was a jazz bass copy then a Ibanez Musician ( their attempt to copy an Alembic) and now here I am.........;o) so I'd say my main influences are John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler, John Entwistle, Leon Wilkeson, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, Billy Sheehan and so many more including just about all of the ones mentioned in the prior postings, its going on 25 years now for me and the art of bass playing has come a long way and I've moved on to 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 12 string basses, fretted and fretless, electric upright, bass pedals, some keyboards and I'm trying the Chapman Stick............what a long strange trip it has been !! LOL Bruce oh I have a few guitars but they usually sit in the case, Bass will always be my first love !! | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 487 Registered: 11-2004 |
So many of the bassists listed above were strong influences of mine, too. There is one bassist who died young, inspired me then, and still inspires me. The jazzy feel that Berry Oakley gave to the bluesy southern rock of the Allman Brothers puts him in the top group of my list. Another one I didn't see above is Greg Lake. Rich | ||
| crgaston
New Username: crgaston Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2005 |
Well, If Phil Lesh and Sara Lee (B-52's, Indigo Girls) had a kid who loved Country music, Sabbath and Southern Rock, that'd be me. | ||
| hubwolf
New Username: hubwolf Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2005 |
In 1972 Paul McCartney was the man mainly because I hadn't listened to a lot of other stuff yet, then John Entwistle, Jack Bruce and Jack Casady entered my budding bass oriented consciousness. In 1973 a good friend of mine was stood up on a date (thanks Holly) and I ended up with his extra ticket to see the Dead and Phil Lesh. My earliest and longest running influences have been these guys. Not surprisingly I lusted for an Alembic for a long time before laying hands on one. | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 488 Registered: 11-2004 |
I almost forgot. Let's not leave out Peter Tork. Rich | ||
| spose
Junior Username: spose Post Number: 48 Registered: 5-2002 |
Bootsy Collins Duck Dunn Rocco Prestia Tony Levin Jack Casady John Entwistle Jack Bruce Phil Lesh Allen Woody Oteil Burbridge Victor Wooten Edgar Meyer |
