xgsjx Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Adam Clayton was one of my main bass inspirations. The baselines may be simple, but many are very melodic. Bad is a brilliant song & The Unforgettable Fire is one of my favourite Brian Eno albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmo Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I can`t stand U2, but I don`t see anything wrong with the bass. I think i might like them better if it wasn`t for Bono. I actually like simple bass lines. I am listening to a lot of 70`s disco type stuff, and some of the simple bass lines cut through so well, they just don`t need to be complicated. I guess Papa Was A Rolling Stone is an example of being so simple it is effective. If it works, then it works, no matter how complex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I play in an acdc tribute band and believe me, the hardest part is playing the lines the way Cliff plays them. Adding in additional fills, runs etc just doesn`t suit the songs. I imagine it would be the same in a U 2 tribute. Both guys are great players imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 (edited) We play a mixture of covers with varying degrees of simple to complicated bass lines. The song that we play that has the most impact from the bass is 'she sells sanctuary' Audience love it when bass kicks in with drums at start and it's the most easy but boring song to play. Horses for courses. Edited February 8, 2016 by bonzodog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I can't understand the dislike of U2 because of Bono, I think any band that wrote I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day and Fire is their first year or so were fully entitled to go on and be the biggest band in the world. Ignore the man, love the music. I agree with all the above comments Adam Clayton's bass work perfectly compliments the songs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 What does it matter what other people think? If you enjoy something then you should get on with enjoying it and there are many other people who enjoy U2. Personally I think they are poop and to compare him to Cliff Williams just because they both play 8th notes is miles off the mark, AC couldn't rock out with the mighty Deece in a million years! (Imo of course ;-) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I think there's a certain amount of joy to be had in all those simple but fantastic sounding lines, no matter what instrument. In Adam Claytons case I think his playing is a great fit for the band. His tone seems decent too. And in general simple bass lines are mostly played in the majority of bands. You can use simple lines even when the bass is used as a lead instrument. There's loads of famous and admired bassists that mainly play in a more simplistic way that don't get anywhere near the stick that Adam Clayton has mainly in the past, it seems both on here and talkbass many now defend him and he seems more popular than he has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Not my thing at all but I think he is great in that band... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1454957006' post='2974623'] There's loads of famous and admired bassists that mainly play in a more simplistic way that don't get anywhere near the stick that Adam Clayton has mainly in the past, [/quote] Very true, but the same could be said for his band! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 [quote name='Prosebass' timestamp='1454928747' post='2974178'] When it comes to U2, Mr Clayton is not the problem. [/quote] Great comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhythmSection Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) I saw U2 several times in London during 1980/1981, while on their tours for Boy and October. Both excellent albums which I still go back to. The last time I saw them was an open air concert in Germany in the summer of 85. The bass lines that Adam Clayton laid down on those albums, simplistic as they are, were part of the inspiration for me picking up and learning to play bass. I did struggle with some of his lines as I seemed to run out of frets/strings and couldn't get the key. The concept of drop D tuning or tuning the E to an Eb was alien to me at the time!! (It still is , singers pah, who needs them!!!) Edited February 10, 2016 by RhythmSection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandad Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Believing the space between the notes to be as important as the notes themselves I often decline to put in run ups, downs or twiddly bits suggested by bandmates who to my mind often over-play their own parts. Also, knowing my own limitations, (self-taught latecomer), I need to get the root notes in my head first and then progress to embelishing the tune with passing notes etc as and when I'm confident that I've nailed the main groove. Knowing when what you're playing is just enough I think is the key to making a tune 'right', e.g. Ringo Starr. Be it a bassist, lead guitarist, keyboarder, drummer or whoever, showing off your virtruosity has to be done at the right moment to be appreciated. All the time gets you labelled a pain in the butt and shows a lack of discipline. Recently invited to join an amateur 'old-timers' jazz quintet I'm really struggling with some tunes as the CDs or Youtube clips tend to show a virtuoso treatment when what I need is a simple arrangement from which to pick out the groove. So I'm firmly in the keep it simple camp and often find some basslines to busy. When I can nail a busy bassline that 'has to be', I'm pretty chuffed to have done so. The main thing is keeping it tight. U2's basslines seem just right to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 What's not to like about the guy. He does what he does. He doesn't hurt anybody. For me.... What U2 achieve is pure genius. They produce the most tangible music using the most basic means. IMHO that's true genius at work. They are not contrived or over complicated yet they bang out these anthems with mass popularity and at the same time remaining totally credible and respected in the industry. Bono is a nutter but he's also another harmless dude doing his own thing and making a good go of it. To his credit his charity work is unrivalled and what we hear about in the public is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm proud to say I'm a fan and if anyone has a derisive view on my taste, I don't care. The only musician that springs to mind that i can justifiably dislike would be Paul Gadd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Other than preferring the earlier output I have no issues with U2. On the whole nobody is obliged to listen to or like anything in particular. As to how AC manages to accumulate so many sig basses is a mystery though. Rather like the look of the recent Warwick Streamer P bass though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 After seeing them live in the early days I had my suspicions if that was Him playing on the first album or the edge perhaps ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 [quote name='grandad' timestamp='1455013202' post='2974931']...what I need is a simple arrangement from which to pick out the groove.... [/quote] Are you aware of this site, where a large selection of jazz 'standards' are shown in their 'vanilla' form..? I find it very useful as a 'bare bones' starting point for many pieces... [url="http://www.ralphpatt.com/Song.html"]Ralph Patt's Jazz Web Page ...[/url] Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandad Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Thank you Dad3353, that is so useful, I am so pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1455024570' post='2975115'] After seeing them live in the early days I had my suspicions if that was Him playing on the first album or the edge perhaps ? [/quote]There's one song on an early Red Rocks vid where the Edge plays the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='grandad' timestamp='1455040785' post='2975339'] Thank you Dad3353, that is so useful, I am so pleased. [/quote] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1455106008' post='2975880'] There's one song on an early Red Rocks vid where the Edge plays the bass. [/quote] That is "40", traditionally the last song of a show - he also plays bass on it on the "war" album Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Here's a question - if the The Edge backed off with the frilly guitarist-y stuff and allowed AC more room to fill in the gap, would anyone like U2 more? Is it because we've come to expect certain things for rock bands i.e more inventive/melodic basslines? I guess if you've hit upon a winning formula why bother doing anything else different? (BTW not having a pop at U2 - quite like their earlier stuff. Not sure about anything post-millenium though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswareham Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1454928931' post='2974181'] an unimaginative or 'bad' bass player until he releases a solo album that showcases the full range of his skills. [/quote] That is such a crass comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1455123723' post='2976194'] That is such a crass comment. [/quote] Ah, I think thats my fault. Pretty sure Mr Geek accidentally included that when he was quoting something else I'd written. I said it, in the context that none of us are in a position to judge Adam Clayton's actual level of technical ability because we've never heard him play outside of U2. For all we know he may be able to give Victor Wooten a run for his money but never demonstrates that side of his playing because its innapropriate for the band that he's in. Hope that clears that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhythmSection Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) I agree that Edge probably laid down or at least helped shape some of those early lines, I guess that's standard in such a band that starts with different levels of ability across the members. On my drive to work today I put in a memory stick which has a compilation of some of my favorite songs from many bands, which often equates to bass lines I enjoy playing. One of the tracks was Tomorrow from October, it made me laugh as I remembered my earlier comment on this thread and my struggle as a novice years ago to try and work out how he played the second half of this song - two bass tracks, simple's once you know. Edited February 13, 2016 by RhythmSection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) [quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1455123723' post='2976194'] That is such a crass comment. [/quote] Apologies - if you examine my original post and the post it quoted you'll see I actually messed up the quote tags and I didn't say that, it was the person I was quoting I actually thought "did I really say that ??" Till I read it carefully - I was trying to shorten the quote and made a Horlicks of it Edited February 10, 2016 by Geek99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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