kusee pee

Well done for the opportunity! A few years ago we had the luck of playing live on BBC Radio Surrey. It was much less nerve-wracking than I'd thought, largely because it was difficult to imagine people listening and seemed more like just playing to a couple of guys in a room. There was an interview too and the DJ was easy to chat to so it was just a nice, fun occasion. So just relax, play something you're confident with and just enjoy it. Let us know when you're on!

[quote name='Shaggy' timestamp='1471686262' post='3114994'] Never knew MM played with them; I'll have to re-listen Slightly off-topic, but the Herbie Hancock keyboard break on "Hunter and the hunted" (New Gold Dream) blows me away every time, it's so beautifully understated [/quote] I agree. It's never the same when they play it live but it's cracking on the album. Charlie's work is also great on that track.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1471651846' post='3114850'] I've just spent about an hour, scouring the internet but I can't find anything other than album credits as a whole - not individual tracks. [/quote] Thanks for trying! The bass is good throughout the album but, as bubinga5 says, it would be tough to guess which track(s) are MM. Maybe we can ask him.

Indeed. During their mid-90s no bassist phase before Derek came back in for a brief second stint.

I've been hunting for the answer but to no avail so reaching out to the BC masses. Marcus Miller was one of the bassists playing on Good News From The Next World but I can't find which track(s) are him. Bit of a niche question but I've got confidence that someone here will know. There's certainly some nice playing on the album.

What a wonderful thing. Great gesture OP.

Only once and it happened to be at a gig. I was totally shocked, wasn't playing particularly hard or anything. Was an A string and I had to blag my way through the rest of the song. Luckily I had a spare bass 😏

I always have a spare bass sitting on stage ready to swap if needs be. In about 400 gigs I've had to use it twice and was mighty relieved to have it there both times. The possibility of having to stop a gig is something I want to avoid at all costs as reputations are easily lost and we never want to let an audience or a venue down.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1471345381' post='3112274'] Waterfront by Simple Minds. [/quote] Show off.

[quote name='Luulox' timestamp='1471334904' post='3112140'] Duran Duran song, last chance on the stairs. [/quote] On the stairway. Good choice. Brilliant bassline and my favourite ever song.

It's a good point about the 'autopilot'. There's been a few times when I've had to jump in on lead vocals when our singer's forgotten the words and I've found that I've just gone full-belt into the vocal and just let the bass get on with itself. Surprised myself that it normally comes out fine!

I'm a fan of quite a lot of U2 but also can't stand some of their overblown posturing nonsense. But their great work is often held up by the basslines. They are exactly what the songs need to allow the guitar the space to create the atmosphere. I've no idea if Adam Clayton could play complicated stuff but I'm sure it wouldn't add to the songs. With Mark King, he is an exceptional player and I'm a fan of much of his playing. It fits perfectly with the rest of the band, particularly in the early days. The only time I'd not like a bassist's playing would be where the bass detracts from the song or works against the other instruments. Can't think of an example off the top of my head. But neither AC or MK fall into that category so their playing is cool with me.

Great thread. Indeed, so many great basslines and super production. A couple here: https://youtu.be/1Wz_9dVJ-Ew https://youtu.be/A_sY2rjxq6M I just wish I could persuade my band to add them to the set...

Good advice so far. Practise bit by bit and work out how the rhythms of the bass and the vocal fit together. I used to think I couldn't do it. Now, I can do pretty much any vocal part with practise. It will come together!

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1470343513' post='3105415'] I want to work!!! Opportunity duly taken, was just doubting my motives for going for it. I like money... [/quote] Glad you're going for it! Make the songs your own and enjoy!

Depends if you get your fun more from the music you play or how the audience responds. We play largely bland stuff from my point of view but when it gets a crowd up, dancing and happy then it's all worth it in my book. In an ideal world, I'd be playing early 80s new romantic dance grooves to a wild audience but the latter rarely seems to be drawn to the former. And it's the latter that is needed to let me play bass live on a regular basis.

A superb talent indeed. When I got my first fretless, I remember playing Halloween from Quiet Life endless times trying to nail it. His work on that album plus Tin Drum was truly outstanding. I've always put those albums above Gentlemen Take Polaroids as the bass mix was more prominent to my ears. That said, the outro to the title track of that album was always so cool for the bass. Oh, and Cantonese Boy from Tin Drum was awesome too. And while we're at it, there's a lot of great work on the first two Japan albums (eg Suburban Berlin) but it's not quite as nuanced.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1469385030' post='3097899'] Last night wasn't great, it's a band myself and the guitarist from our main band play in from time to time, but we've not done a gig in the best part of a year. So, between not playing these songs live for a while, the heat and humidity, having to drag all the gear up two narrow flights of stairs and having done about six hours of driving that day, we made a few daft mistakes. The guitarist and I weren't too pleased with the performance, but the party (30th birthday party for the singer's sister) were happy, so okay I guess. [/quote] After many years, it still amazes me how bad I think a gig has gone but how great the audience thought it was! There seems to be little correlation between the two.

Our wedding gig last night was dominated by the dreaded decibel meter, unfortunately. We triggered it during the first track and from then on had to be on constant watch. No way to bypass it. However, the crowd didn't seem to mind and it caused some fun banter.

Yeah, great track from a great band. Billy Mackenzie was an impressive vocalist.

Thanks, loved that. JT's so cool he doesn't even press his own pedals 😎

We only ever play what will get the audience going. There's virtually nothing in our typical set that gets me going musically but if it gets the audience going then that's what brings the fun for me. And the bookings! On the odd occasion that we get something in which I can enjoy the bassline for its own sake then it's a bonus. After many years of regular gigging we still find it surprisingly hard to pick new songs that will fill the dancefloor - sometimes it's the ones you least expect.

An outstanding bassist and one who can sing over complicated bass lines too.

While we're on the subject of my favourite band 👍, gotta throw in Sweat In Bullet as another wonderful bassline. Also, Hunter And The Hunted is a simple but effective line. NGD is also made special by the tremendously subtle guitar work of Charlie Burchill.

I'd agree with starting with NGD. A number of great lines which drive the songs. Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel is a good example. Then go to Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call for more of the same. Sparkle In The Rain has some good lines too - eg White Hot Day - but, as has been said, the mix keeps the bass hidden. I'm not sure if Derek used Vigiers until after he left SM for the first time. He certainly used them through his Propaganda days and then on his return to SM in the late 90s. I'm lucky enough to have bought one of his Vigiers from him, the lovely blue 5 string he's playing here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk3o7G1LjqE&feature=share