Killer Bass Lines

[longblackcoat]

zetec said:

Some of Jon Entwhistles work on The Who tracks is outstanding

The Real Me is a particular high point

[Voldemort]

Level 42 - Lessons in Love

[longblackcoat]

Voldemort said:

Level 42 - Lessons in Love

Great playing but the song as a whole is - to me at least - just unlistenable. Hated it when it came out and time’s not been kind to it!

[slopes]

I have a great liking for fretless bass and those who can play it well
Two that spring to mind are almost polar opposites

Tony Franklin on Radioactive by The Firm

Mick Karn on Swing by Japan

Both great bits of work and while there are no doubt countless others who are just as good, those two are my favourites

[Louis Balfour]

longblackcoat said:

Voldemort said:

Level 42 - Lessons in Love

Great playing but the song as a whole is - to me at least - just unlistenable. Hated it when it came out and time’s not been kind to it!

Try Kansas City Milkman, then.

[longblackcoat]

Forgot to say, Guy Pratt’s frenetic playing on Like A Prayer. Absolutely brilliant.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

longblackcoat said:

Forgot to say, Guy Pratt’s frenetic playing on Like A Prayer. Absolutely brilliant.

Was just about to suggest that. Guy's a bit of an unsung hero, I think.

During lockdown, he did many YouTube sessions called 'Lockdown Licks' - well worth a look. One episode is dedicated to Like a Prayer (clicky)

[Wacky Racer]

slopes said:

Tony Franklin on Radioactive by The Firm

Franklin is a great player, I saw him with The Firm in Middlesbrough in 1984.

[JOldcastle]

Dancing in the Moonlight - Thin Lizzy.

[Super Sonic]

I'm with slopes on Mick Karn's fretless virtuosity, but I was going to say Japan's 'Sons of Pioneers'.
The song opens with the bass which grabs you by the soul and doesn't let go. "Sons of Pioneers' are hungry men".

[bigpriest]

Is bass still bass if it's not low-end? Peter Hook, Joy Division and early New order plays some melodic bass lines.
Who would me mad enough to start a band with three bass players (Freebass) - didn't end well.

[slopes]

Wacky Racer said:

slopes said:

Tony Franklin on Radioactive by The Firm

Franklin is a great player, I saw him with The Firm in Middlesbrough in 1984.

I saw them in Hammersmith the same year

[Terminator X]

Zad said:

Pretty much anything by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, with Norman Watt-Roy. Rhythm Stick is one of those tracks you can listen to over and over, just picking out a different instrument each time.

I'm sure you all know how it goes, and the bass is crap on YouTube, but- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WGVgfjnLqc

ETA: Related; Mark O'Toole and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Two Tribes / Pleasuredome / Relax.
2004 performance, no Holly, but killer bass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbCEF4sYSiY

Edited by Zad on Sunday 22 May 07:12

They all fallen out or something?

TX.

[slopes]

Super Sonic said:

I'm with slopes on Mick Karn's fretless virtuosity, but I was going to say Japan's 'Sons of Pioneers'.
The song opens with the bass which grabs you by the soul and doesn't let go. "Sons of Pioneers' are hungry men".

I met him once, great guy to talk to and super humble too, was surprised i even recognised him.

[Simes205]

thebraketester said:

Anything that was ever played by James Jamerson.

Winner.

https://youtu.be/kAT3aVj-A_E

https://youtu.be/At3OP5CvIRY

https://youtu.be/KKBmkxFm7-U

[Simes205]

GetCarter said:

Killer bass line. Almost killed me trying to learn it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0NNA6w8Zk4

ETA, I got as far as the first harmonics and realised I needed to get a life. I spent 10 years as a session bass player and never needed such technique! Nobody apart from Weather Report will ever need bass players to be such clever gits.

Bless him though, a troubled soul. I met him once and said the original and brilliant words "I love your work"

Doh!

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 22 May 13:21

Lovely words from Jaco!
Winner too

Anything by Francis Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power

Joe Dart from Vulfpeck too

[808 Estate]

vixen1700 said:

JJ Burnel on Walk On By.

There is a properly dirty twang to that bass. Beautiful stuff.

[thebraketester]

Simes205 said:

thebraketester said:

Anything that was ever played by James Jamerson.

Winner.

https://youtu.be/kAT3aVj-A_E

https://youtu.be/At3OP5CvIRY

https://youtu.be/KKBmkxFm7-U

Yep.. so so stylish. The best.

[Zad]

Terminator X said:

They all fallen out or something?

TX.

FGTH reformed for the big Trevor Horn concert but Holly Johnson declined to appear, so they auditioned a replacement singer. At the time I think he had moved on and wanted to concentrate on his art career. Ryan Molloy got the gig, I suspect not least because he sounds nothing like Holly, which kinda let the band just play their socks off.

Anyway, back to bass. Lots of bass. Same gig.
Close (to the Edit). With Trev.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPiqwvbegq0

[Lotobear]

Lots of stuff done by Bruce Thomas in the Atrractions. Pump it Up being the obvious one

Edited by Lotobear on Sunday 22 May 21:33