The Next Generation Of Players To Inspire.....?

[spongebob]

I think we can agree that 2015 was a bad year for the bass community - just from memory, we lost Andy Fraser, Chris Squire, and of course Lemmy. Big influences on so many...and I'm sure there's more.

It got me thinking to if I was starting out now, who would inspire me to play? Once we lose all the players of the 60's-70's, who's left? Who has come up in the last 20 years that has made you take notice?

I'm genuinely interested in thoughts on this. As the players from the 60s and 70s (and even the 80s) either pass on, or retire, all they'll be is the records. When I started around 25 years ago, I'll fully admit to being more inspired by 'older' players, but of course they were still gigging, so you could go and see them in the flesh, so it still felt current.

Maybe it's the fault of modern recording techniques reducing bass to a dull throb, or a floor-shake.

I'm sure we've got good modern bassists (I like Jenny Lee Lindberg from Warpaint, for example - love her solo record too), but it saddens me to say, I can't see her inspiring a generation of players like the 'big' names that we're losing.

[CamdenRob]

"band" based music really isn't that popular anymore (among the under 40s) compared to the 60s, 70s and 80s so there isn't a whole lot of high profile bass players around to inspire anyone kids are far more likely to be inspired by DJs etc. playing the music they like

Edited January 4, 2016 by CamdenRob

[ambient]

There's Janek, Matt Garrison, Hadrien Feraud, and Linley Marthe that instantly spring to my mind. All from the last 10 years or so, and still going.

Edited January 4, 2016 by ambient

[LayDownThaFunk]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1451923096' post='2944625']
"band" based music really isn't that popular anymore (among the under 40s)[/quote]
Lol!

[Japhet]

One guy who really caught my attention is Robin Everhart (ex of The Rival Sons). Nice blend of funk and rock in hiss basslines.

[Lw.]

Probably true that the kids are more inspired by what they can make on their laptop over learning an instrument & struggling away with bands but I still think there are a few out there.

It seems to me that there are just less great bands out there to inspire or it takes longer for bands to grow to the giant size of bands like Cream, Led Zep et al. From the 80's onwards I can only really think of maybe a handful that are actual household names that are still recording & performing (RHCP, Foo Fighters, Muse, maybe Metallica), maybe the world has moved on.

Still, someone must be inspiring people; I've seen several really great young bands come through Reading/London in the last year (a couple of them looked like they were about 14).

[RhysP]

If you speak to young players I'm sure there are lots of bassists in new bands influencing them just as people my age were influenced in the 70s & 80s.
As somebody who is just a few days short of his 51st birthday I can honestly say I couldn't care less about up & coming bass players, I'll leave that to the young people who, hopefully, are as passionate about music as I was when I was in my teens & twenties.

[MacDaddy]

Me! Well I'll give it a go if my band become successful

I even do bass solo,'s
https://youtube.com/#/watch?v=VjOIB12mzQc

Edited January 4, 2016 by MacDaddy

[Graham]

Chris Wolstenholme from Muse and Troy Sanders from Mastodon are probably two players from the rockier end of the spectrum who'll be influencing the next generation of players.

[BigRedX]

Two things occur to me.

Firstly it was a lot easier to be ground-breaking and influential when your instrument and chosen medium was still new and seen as radical maybe even dangerous. As it becomes more and more mainstream, comfort and complacency set in. These things also go in waves and/or cycles. Right now popular music is mostly looking to the past and repurposing it in slightly different ways rather than tearing up the rules and starting from scratch. At some point, something new will happen, but it will occur in its own time and probably none of us here will see it coming.

Secondly does it even matter? Those musicians being held up as inspirations from the past probably didn't see it themselves at the time. They just wanted to have some fun playing music (and having sex and doing drugs) and maybe earn a living without having to go to the factory or the office.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1451922477' post='2944621']
... Andy Fraser, Chris Squire, and of course Lemmy ...
[/quote]

Aren't they all about three generations ago?

[visog]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1451924211' post='2944636']
There's Janek, Matt Garrison, Hadrien Feraud, and Linley Marthe that instantly spring to my mind. All from the last 10 years or so, and still going.
[/quote]

Agree with all these names - Hadrien is phenomenal and Linley seems to have come from another planet. Sad fact is I suspect these people make little money and most of it coming from endorsements and lessons, not from original music.

Edited January 4, 2016 by visog

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1451932854' post='2944760']
Two things occur to me.

Firstly it was a lot easier to be ground-breaking and influential when your instrument and chosen medium was still new and seen as radical maybe even dangerous. As it becomes more and more mainstream, comfort and complacency set in. These things also go in waves and/or cycles. Right now popular music is mostly looking to the past and repurposing it in slightly different ways rather than tearing up the rules and starting from scratch. At some point, something new will happen, but it will occur in its own time and probably none of us here will see it coming.

Secondly does it even matter? Those musicians being held up as inspirations from the past probably didn't see it themselves at the time. They just wanted to have some fun playing music (and having sex and doing drugs) and maybe earn a living without having to go to the factory or the office.
[/quote]

Yes, I agree. Whatever happened to no more heroes?

[ryan0583]

Tal Wilkenfeld, Michael League, Joe Dart, Jesus Coomes, Alissia Benveniste, Esperanza Spalding.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1451922477' post='2944621']
Once we lose all the players of the 60's-70's, who's left?
[/quote]

You can be inspired by dead people; they have left recordings which are likely more inspiring than any recent gigs.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1451923096' post='2944625']
"band" based music really isn't that popular anymore (among the under 40s) ...
[/quote]

I asked 22 year old music student son who is in a regularly gigging band what he thought of this.

He said ...
(1) It's not true.
(2) Although it depends what you mean by 'band' music.
(3) But I guess someone over 40 said it.

I also asked him who inspired him. The answer was 'everyone I ever heard including the bad stuff'. 'Give me an example.' 'Pink Floyd'

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1451925352' post='2944647']
... it takes longer for bands to grow to the giant size of bands like Cream, Led Zep et al.
[/quote]
The music business today is undoubtedly different from the 1960s but Cream and Led Zeppelin didn't appear from nowhere overnight.

The members of Cream were already successful in several other bands and formed a so-called supergroup.

And Led Zeppelin were a continuation of the Yardbirds and contained two highly experienced session musicians plus a singer and drummer who had been playing in bands for several years.

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1451925352' post='2944647']
... Still, someone must be inspiring people; I've seen several really great young bands come through Reading/London in the last year (a couple of them looked like they were about 14).
[/quote]

Me too.

Edited January 4, 2016 by EssentialTension

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1451923096' post='2944625']
"band" based music really isn't that popular anymore (among the under 40s) compared to the 60s, 70s and 80s so there isn't a whole lot of high profile bass players around to inspire anyone kids are far more likely to be inspired by DJs etc. playing the music they like
[/quote]

I agree that kids are less interested in bands these days, but in my opinion it's because it seems to more about solo singer songwriters like Ed Sheerhan, Frank Turner and newer names like James Bay. Go to any open mic night...

In terms of bass players now, yes there isn't anyone in the same inspirational league as the aforementioned, although the likes of Chris Wolstenholme are highly rated by some of the younger bands I encounter.

[ahpook]

I'm too old to know who the young turks are there days

Edited January 4, 2016 by ahpook

[RhysP]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1451939265' post='2944866']
I agree that kids are less interested in bands these days, but in my opinion it's because it seems to more about solo singer songwriters like Ed Sheerhan, Frank Turner and newer names like James Bay. Go to any open mic night...
[/quote]

I'd disagree with this, you only have to see the number of kids putting bands together on any musicians wanted website to see that plenty of them are interested in playing in bands.

The really good thing with the old singer/songwriter thing being popular again at the moment is that kids realise that you don't have to be in a band to make music.

[RhysP]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1451939551' post='2944872']
I'm too old to know who the young turks are there days
[/quote]

I'm too old to care. It's very liberating.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1451939265' post='2944866']
I agree that kids are less interested in bands these days, but in my opinion it's because it seems to more about solo singer songwriters like Ed Sheerhan, Frank Turner and newer names like James Bay. Go to any open mic night...

[/quote]

Go to any open mic night in, say, 1972 and you'd find a proliferation of possibly not very good singer-songwriters. That's nothing new.

And there are loads of young people in bands and going to see bands. It's easier than ever to be in a band.

And given the ease of access by internet to the whole of world music and the history of music, it's easier than ever to be inspired.

Edited January 4, 2016 by EssentialTension

[ahpook]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1451939905' post='2944881']
I'm too old to care. It's very liberating.
[/quote]

You know....I meant to put a happy face !

[bassintheface]

When I started playing bass (late 90's after a couple of years on guitar), I wasn't really interested in looking up to a particular bassist and I certainly wasn't into the 'technical wizards' - I didn't even know any until I went to see Steve Vai and he had Stu Hamm on bass - whilst I appreciate his skills, he's never really 'done it' for me.

Maybe it was just me, but I was just 'into' guitar music - I loved (and still do) Zep, Free, Purple, Hendrix - the usual suspects I guess.
I got into the songs, the grooves, the sounds etc.

It was only after listening more to these bands and opening my ears to other stuff that I learnt who JPJ was, who Andy Fraser was, Jack Bruce etc, then I continued to soak up more and more music to develop a much more open minded and eclectic taste.

Even now, whilst I seriously appreciate just how accomplished people like those such as Stu Hamm, Janek, Victor etc and many many others are (and I'm miles away from what they can do and do do....if that makes sense...), I still listen to 'the song' - whether it has an interesting bassline or not (although I'll probably be a little more interested if the bassline appeals), but what attracts me is still the song, the sound, the groove, the feel - 'something' will grab me.
I find for example, some of Macca's lines more interesting in the context of a Beatles' song than some technical wizard ripping through some jazz.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that (from my experience FWIW at least) maybe 'the player' isn't important in terms of influencing the young guys.
Some will just want to be in a band, some will like the image being in a band portrays, some might pick up a bass to get in with the 'cool' guys, some will get the bass by default because they couldn't play guitar very well.........all sorts of reasons.

As long as there are bands and people playing guitars and basses on TV, radio etc, then I'm sure the kids will get involved and it'll be fine!

As people become more mature and more accomplished, they naturally open up to more and more music and will discover the greats!
I didn't have a clue who Janek was until I joined the forum (and he's superb BTW)!

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1451938801' post='2944857']
I asked 22 year old music student son who is in a regularly gigging band what he thought of this.

He said ...
(1) It's not true.
(2) Although it depends what you mean by 'band' music.
(3) But I guess someone over 40 said it.

I also asked him who inspired him. The answer was 'everyone I ever heard including the bad stuff'. 'Give me an example.' 'Pink Floyd'
[/quote]

Yes "band" music is far from dead it's just not appreciated by the general populace to the level it was in the 60s and 70s. There are still some massive stadium filling bands but nowhere near the number there have been in the past.

A music student is bound to be inspired by the players that influenced him, but I'd imagine that the great players of the past inspired people to take up the bass despite them not having an interest in playing an instrument until that point. There must have been a fair few... "wow, what is that sound the guy with the long guitar is making... I'd like me some of that" and a budding bass player was born.

Most young people outside of musicians listen to electronic based music or x factor style "bearded man with an acoustic" type stuff... none of that contains a bass guitar, so it's not going to have the same effect of inspiring someone to pick up the bass that the popular bands of old did.

Having said that, the "bearded man with an acoustic" type stuff is really visible right now... every coffee shop around here has a full bill of this type of stuff every night. So live music is out there and inspiring the next generation to take up and instrument and play... it just won't be the bass guitar.

Edited January 5, 2016 by CamdenRob