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Jeff Berlin interview Bass Magazine


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Have to say actually that I really enjoyed Jeff at Bass Day last year. He played fantastically, was funny, open, and entertaining. Didn't come across as anything like the knob he often does in interviews. His live tone was nice too, although I have to say his recorded tone is what you find in the dictionary under "blah" IMHO. But I guess it works for what he does.

If I could have a beer with any bassist it would probably be Tal Wilkenfeld. Why? Er, no idea.... :)

I've met Lemmy a couple of times and he's a great chap. Wouldn't want to have a drink with him though, I'd be in the gutter unconscious after half an hour.

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I don't give a monkey's what band Macca was in to be honest, yeah "Strawberry Fields" was a good track and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a cracker but that was then and everything he's done since then is gash IMHO. I wouldn't wanna drink with him because the thought of having to spend an evening staring at that saggy shopping bag of a face whilst he witters on about "The Frog Chorus" would result in my death from Alcohol poisoning in fairly short order.

Jeff Berlin is a jazz player which quite frankly makes me want to wretch and at the very least hammer a nail into my sternum and then hang a sign from it saying "This is What I Have Done To Myself, Think What I will Do To You If You Hit Me With A Cheeky Little Run And Then Push The Drummer Down The Stairs." But that said I was interested in what he had to say, I thought his opinions were very agreeable and I enjoyed, enormously, the fact that he's quite prepared to speak his mind. I also very much liked his views on basses with > 4 strings. Still wouldn't want a pint with him though but there isn't a "neither" option and all things considered he is perhaps a little easier on the eye inasmuch as I wouldn't have to squint to bring him into focus, which is ironic because if he wasn't wearing glasses he would need to,to bring me into focus.

Aaaanyhooo; I would have a pint with Jeff Caxide, Peter Hook, Lemmy, and Justin Broadrick.

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[quote name='OldGit' post='294345' date='Sep 29 2008, 09:48 AM']Ok some research needed ..
What might be the best Jeff Berlin tracks to listen to?[/quote]
Joe Frazier rnd 2 and Dixie are great tracks but nothing stands out in recent years.

p.s. avoid "tears in heaven" like the plague !!!!!

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aw3BV7V7ZbQ&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aw3BV7V7ZbQ&...feature=related[/url] ..........Nuff said !

Edited by blamelouis
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I've always enjoyed Jeff's columns but not interviews with him - the latter are just too predictable and pointless whilst when given his own space without anyone to argue with he actually talks sense. I've been disappointed by all of his music that I've heard, it's just so soulless. If I was his producer I'd put his chorus pedals in a DeLorean and send them back to the '80s.

Alex

Edited by alexclaber
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[quote name='BassMunkee' post='294337' date='Sep 29 2008, 09:31 AM']I don't give a monkey's what band Macca was in to be honest, yeah "Strawberry Fields" was a good track and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a cracker but that was then and everything he's done since then is gash IMHO.[/quote]

It's funny that you pick out tracks penned by Lennon and Harrison...

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[quote name='blamelouis' post='294347' date='Sep 29 2008, 09:53 AM']Joe Frazier rnd 2 and Dixie are great tracks but nothing stands out in recent years.

p.s. avoid "tears in heaven" like the plague !!!!!

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aw3BV7V7ZbQ&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aw3BV7V7ZbQ&...feature=related[/url] ..........Nuff said ![/quote]

Oh gosh .. how can you play Tears in heaven like that if you know what the song is about?

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[quote]QUOTE (BassMunkee @ Sep 29 2008, 09:31 AM)
I don't give a monkey's what band Macca was in to be honest, yeah "Strawberry Fields" was a good track and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a cracker but that was then and everything he's done since then is gash IMHO.


It's funny that you pick out tracks penned by Lennon and Harrison...[/quote]
Exactly. :)

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[quote name='OldGit' post='294368' date='Sep 29 2008, 10:23 AM']Oh gosh .. how can you play Tears in heaven like that if you know what the song is about?[/quote]

yeah, it kind of loses it a bit doesn't it!

i read somewhere recently too that Jeff Berlin also refuses to use electronic tuners and always tunes by ear. All well and good of course, but this, along with some of his other notions, makes it seem like he's just so set in his ways and insistant on doing things 'his' way purely for the sake of it now.


peace

c

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This is why Jeff is a good chap really :) he's a rocker at heart.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8A-zKMihY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8A-zKMihY[/url]

Oh, and some McCartney.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KZCCLwwok&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KZCCLwwok...feature=related[/url]

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I like people who speak their mind, but I can't stand self-inflated arrogance; for me, JB is much more the latter than the former. Like someone has already said, putting your ideas forward is one thing, but saying that everything else is crap just isn't necessary. I can't deny that the bloke is an excellent musician, but I'd no sooner want to spend 5 mins with him over a pint than I would jump into the Thames in mid winter wearing nothing but a mankini.

FFWI - I wouldn't fancy a drink with Macca either.

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[quote name='Jase' post='294478' date='Sep 29 2008, 12:53 PM']This is why Jeff is a good chap really :) he's a rocker at heart.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8A-zKMihY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8A-zKMihY[/url][/quote]

Ha ha Nice Jack Bruce impression..
Judging by the drummer's glasses (and how did he/she keep them on??) that's from the era of the Buggles, ie around 1979 ...
Jeff looks virtually the same .. and, without getting too much info personal things, his hair and moustache do remind me of someone ....


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[quote name='OldGit' post='294548' date='Sep 29 2008, 02:15 PM']Ha ha Nice Jack Bruce impression..
Judging by the drummer's glasses (and how did he/she keep them on??) that's from the era of the Buggles, ie around 1979 ...
Jeff looks virtually the same .. and, without getting too much info personal things, his hair and moustache do remind me of someone ....


[/quote]

:)

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Paul McCartney? I'd like to grind my heel in his smug face. Ooh did I write that out loud? I'm not keen on his playing either and can't understand the adoration he gets, especially in the States, just because he was in a band with little competition 40 odd years ago.

Jeff Berlin? Self opinionated @rse who hasn't the wit accept that his "way" isn't for everyone and therefore is not necessarily the correct way. Pino doesn't read or do any of JB's other things and he's rather good and far more in demand than beer belly Berlin (I like alliteration).

PM & JB are both knobs who the bass playing community could do without.

I'd rather have a pint Pino, Rocco, Roscoe, Chuck or just my bass playing buddies.

Phew! Rant over.

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