xilddx

2.28 - 2.32 is my favourite bass lick in this vid. It's a beautiful phrase over the music and a lovely way to come out of the solo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVGJ3YFDc8

Who would wear such a thing?

Dem geezers testing some Source-Audio bass effects. Not interesting to me, but it may be to some of the Bootsy fans. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h16R_i087vw&feature=b%C2%AD-vrec

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1329904300' post='1549248'] I think they've been quite clever doing the re-works of popular covers. They've gotten themselves noticed by a lot of industry bods...... They are very young, talented and setting themselves up for life with the right people.... [/quote] Exactly, and they are having fun and profit re-orchestrating, arranging and reharmonising well known pop songs. But it's also a great tool to get noticed. They are superb. However, who knows if their originals are going to have the same appeal. I'm ready to be disappointed. It's one thing to have fun covering other songs, their personalities and musicianship come across really well. But what will Johan's lyrics be like? They could be hideously cheesy and the music might be the same. We'll have to wait and see won't we.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1329926726' post='1549889'] I have stated time and time again that if the music sounds good, then the bass player (or indeed any musician in the band) has done his or her job properly. The consistent moaning about Adam Clayton only playing 8th notes for example. I'm not the biggest U2 fan in the world and I never will be, but it doesn't take a genius to work out that they must be doing something right because their music sounds good, even to me if I'm completely honest. And to a lot of other people (millions of other people in fact), their music sounds [u]brilliant[/u]. Bottom line, if brilliant music is made with a bass player playing note perfect 16ths or very imperfect and out-of-time quarter notes, then the bass player has done his job correctly. People that try and argue otherwise are the types of people usually unable to look at the larger musical picture. [/quote] Exactly.

It's because for all the yap yap people spout on Basschat, most people can only really differentiate between simple bassists and complicated bassists. Much of the subtlety of the simple bassline, nuance, space, composition, etc is lost on most people. It is for most instruments. Music is about FEELING, not analysing core competencies of each band member in isolation. Guiggsy sounds terrible on his own, but Oasis sounded fine. Listen to James Jamerson bass isolated, not pleasant, but very good in a band situation. Also, most people rely on the opinions of those they like respect, and Alex James gets a lot of flack so maybe it's bandwagoning to some degree. FWIW, I thought Alex James was ok last night. He supported the band well he played a couple of things I thought were very musical and quite demanding. The Blur performance was a bit sloppy, but the energy levels were high and it was enjoyable to watch and hear. Next thing you'll hear is people saying that Jessie J is TOO polished and the band sounds sterile. People talk a lot of sh*t sometimes.

[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1329862115' post='1548860'] Graham Coxon is the only one who ever had any discernible talent. A truly awful performance, their outstanding contribution to music is that they make everyone else look good. [/quote] This is a joke, right?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1329690222' post='1546099'] Get the guitarist a second guitar and a roadie with a tuner. No need for any embarrassing silences again, or any irrelevant bass and drum musical interludes. [/quote] Exactly

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1306506223' post='1247205'] First series was good. Then the suits realised they had a hit and ruined it. The guy (James) has got carried away with it all and believes his own hype. He's an average actor at best. [/quote] Did you hear him on DiDs?

Oh Clarky, I'm sorry to hear this mate. You've put so much effort into it. I hope you feel a bit better about it soon mate.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329400826' post='1541876'] No, it would not! It would be very easy to replace the rest of the band, however. [/quote]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1329400664' post='1541870'] no way, no-one plays like me. I could get someone better!! But not a replacement. [/quote] That's a great answer.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1329401134' post='1541884'] What a horrible question to answer!! Saying that, my friend sometimes covers for me and he has better discipline than I do. [b]I overplay a bit too much when I get excited![/b] [/quote] Yes, that's a fault of mine too, and something I have had to reign in over the last couple of years. I'm getting a bit more discipline these days, I need it too.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1329400174' post='1541857'] Lemon oil on any dark wood is suitable. I have used it on ebony, rosewood and wenge and does the job every time. [/quote] I use Dunlop lemon oil on my Warwick ebony boards, they come up a treat. I do this every few months. All open wood needs to be conditioned and moisture content kept stable. A good oil helps do this. The lemon is there as a cleaning agent, the oil conditions the wood.

From a point of view of EVERYTHING : playing skills, compositional ability, style, feel and dynamics, sensitivity to the needs of the songs and songwriter/s, theoretical knowledge, sight-reading, stagecraft, equipment, musicality, personality, professionalism and reliability .. If you had to replace yourself by auditioning new bass players for your band, do you think that would be an easy thing to do?

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1329331928' post='1540862'] I love Power Windows and everything about it, including the bass sound. Starting to look like I'm very much in the minority. [/quote] I love PW too, it's a wonderful album.

My first HUGE one was hearing the opening chord of the first side of Hemispheres by Rush. I couldn't work it out as I'd only been playing guitar a few months, when my guitar teacher showed me how to play it it thrilled me to the core. The principles behind that chord still inform my approach to composing basslines and guitar chords today, in my own untutored inept way. More recently, the massive chords in Dirty Loops' cover of Justin Bieber's 'Baby' blow my mind!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1329384597' post='1541462'] My point was that, when you break down all the details and have all the knowledge required, you still can't comprehend the magic. If the whole of English Literature is down to 26 letters placed in various orders, William Shakespeare is no better than Jeffrey Archer. But its the ideas behind the letters that count and, in this case, knowing the notes and the chord is only half the story. The arrangement is another part of it and then there is the question why did they chose to open the song like that'? Add those factors together and you have something that is pretty much unprecedented and unrepeateable. Its brilliant. [/quote] The variables which create magic are hard to comprehend aren't they. For me it's really all down to whether I FEEL some communication from it. It's a beautiful 'chord', but I imagine it came about from happy accident and thrilled the Beatles when they played it the first time as much as it thrilling some BC members. I think that thrill a musician feels when something beautiful like this happens often communicates to audiences because there ARE common musical elements that many can relate to and feel a visceral reaction to. In this case I admire the Beatles' discipline in not repeating it and trying to milk it for all it was worth.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1329336626' post='1540956'] I don't get what you're trying to say; that music becomes mundane once you understand how it's put together? Isn't that like asking what's the big deal about English literature because it's just a jumble of 26 letters? [/quote] Bilbo probably wants to know why [you] found the breaking down and theoretical underpinning of the chord, and its reconstruction, so exciting, and what that knowledge will bring to your music, what is it teaching you? It taught me a lot when at about 16 I had a sort of epiphany when shown a complex chord that I'd loved hearing. I subliminally took in many musical messages from that and they inform my musicality even now.

I still can't stop watching the video in the OP! I get the same feeling I do when I watch A Saucerful of Secrets on Pink Floyd at Pompeii. Musicians in the ZONE making amazing music.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329138781' post='1537615'] 48 beats. [/quote] And keeping the song length at that

Jake Newman (jakenewmanbass on here) does Skype-based 121 lessons I believe. I know of one BC member who's had Skype lessons from Jake to great effect. I've had lessons from Jake, he's a truly superb teacher (former Head of Bass at Salford) , and an awe-inspiring player with top flight professional credentials (toured with some of Zappa's band, and many others). He's not expensive either. He's also one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Send him a PM mate.

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1329135260' post='1537519'] Thats brilliant!! I wonder how many nuggets are out there with these actually applied like that!!! Made my morning!! [/quote] He told me he's sold hundreds He wanted me to prove they were were wrong before sending me a correct set too!

Great interview Si, I very much like the cut of his jib, a really spiritual musician. Thanks for taking the trouble to interview him, Si.