Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468000018' post='3088007'] I'll go with it's because he never had a hit or anthem, What's his 'Eruption', 'Jump' or 'Beat It'? Can you whistle a single BS lick or line? [/quote] Well, you say that, but everyone wants to be Mark King / Marcus Miller etc etc at the LBGS but no one I've seen has been able to do a decent version of a Sheehan track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 So Mark King we have 'Hot Water' or 'Love Games'. Marcus we have 'Run for Cover', for Billy we have.... ? ermm ? that one with the tapping. You know... diddley, diddley, plunk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi 2 kenobi Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Simple. Who wants to wear armbands & headbands ? 'Nuff said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 For everyone: Niacin live: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n63CWqX6RA0[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468000018' post='3088007'] I'll go with it's because he never had a hit or anthem, What's his 'Eruption', 'Jump' or 'Beat It'? Can you whistle a single BS lick or line? [/quote] His "Eruption" is a solo called NV43345 - The title is Sheehan upside down and backwards. Every bass player should have heard this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Billy is a rock band bass player - he locks in with the bass drum, plays parts which serve the song and sings. That's 95% or more of what he does. Surely there are lots of bass players who do this and who have been influenced by Sheehan's particular way of doing it. This is certainly the part of his playing which has been the biggest influence on me after 30 years of following him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1468007757' post='3088076'] His "Eruption" is a solo called NV43345 - The title is Sheehan upside down and backwards. Every bass player should have heard this. [/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6BkznTqaOc[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevy-stu Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1468007407' post='3088072'] For everyone: Niacin live: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n63CWqX6RA0[/media] [/quote] that was quite interesting... could only skim through it for 5 mins though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468004024' post='3088048'] So Mark King we have 'Hot Water' or 'Love Games'. Marcus we have 'Run for Cover', for Billy we have.... ? ermm ? that one with the tapping. You know... diddley, diddley, plunk? [/quote] Which would of course make sense to Mark King and Marcus Miller fans, but Sheehan fans could happily reel off Mr Big anthems, Winery Dogs grooves, Niacin, Dave Lee Roth and Talas bass belters with ease. I'm sure that there are plenty of Sheehan followers who can name a whole bunch of Tony MacAlpine, Ritchie Kotzen (now with WD's with Billy) and maybe a few of the Terry Bozzio tracks too, albeit the Bozzio offering is a bit leftfield for my liking. I suspect that may number more than a handful of tracks.. per band.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1468008043' post='3088083'] Billy is a rock band bass player - he locks in with the bass drum, plays parts which serve the song and sings. That's 95% or more of what he does. [/quote] I think you've just nailed it. Yes, he can do the bass guitar finger gymnastics, but it's not about what he does 95% of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 (edited) [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1468008043' post='3088083'] Billy is a rock band bass player - he locks in with the bass drum, plays parts which serve the song and sings. That's 95% or more of what he does. [/quote] Boring! That's another reason no one's copied him. And as for NV10538... what a racket!? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater... I've encountered him at trade shows too and found him to be very personable. Also I have the Niacin album and like it a lot!! Including his take on 'Birdland'. I'm just trying to answer the OP question. Edited July 8, 2016 by visog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468000018' post='3088007'] Can you whistle a single BS lick or line? [/quote] But since you're asking I can play quite a few of them, my whistling sucks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468010266' post='3088116'] Boring! That's another reason no one's copied him. And as for NV10538... what a racket!? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater... I've encountered him at trade shows too and found him to be very personable. Also I have the Niacin album and like it a lot!! Including his take on 'Birdland'. I'm just trying to answer the OP question. [/quote] There are no Billy Sheehan clones because Billy's playing is boring. Thanks for your definitive answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I admire him for what he does but its not a usable sound or style for most bands. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 If there are Sheehan clones who have only picked up "shred" elements of Billy's style (a small part of what he does), it's no wonder we haven't heard of them. Sheehan spent many years and literally thousands of gigs playing covers to make people dance and drink in clubs. He focussed on the stuff a bass player needs to do to make that happen. It's a shame that some people ignore this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1468011007' post='3088124'] There are no Billy Sheehan clones because Billy's playing is boring. Thanks for your definitive answer. [/quote] I sense a bit of cheeky trolling from our friend Visog ... It's just not a statement that can be backed up lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1468011409' post='3088128'] I admire him for what he does but its not a usable sound or style for most bands. Dave [/quote] He has recorded hundreds of songs in dozens of bands and played over 4000 gigs. His style is rock bass playing which suits the songs he plays. Some people only watch his solos on youtube. Listen to any of the songs he recorded with DLR, or Mr. Big and see if you can hear a style which is "not usable". It's the same stuff that most of us play 90% of the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 (edited) [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1468011829' post='3088136'] He has recorded hundreds of songs in dozens of bands and played over 4000 gigs. His style is rock bass playing which suits the songs he plays. Some people only watch his solos on youtube. Listen to any of the songs he recorded with DLR, or Mr. Big and see if you can hear a style which is "not usable". It's the same stuff that most of us play 90% of the time! [/quote] Gonna have to +1 that. The thing I've noticed and hopefully what I understand about the tone coming from Mr Sheehan's rig is that it is pre-shaped to be that sound that fits in the mix yet cuts through. Carries the low end but sits nicely with the guitars. You know, that thing which has been beaten to death in another discussion elsewhere on basschat. Much like many bass tones that sound great in the mix, it doesn't always sound that good solo'd. Or vice-versa for that matter!! In the track? superb. If there were any more need to describe this, you only have to check out 'isolated recordings' of some of our favourite bassists to hear what the bass tone alone lacks when it truly makes the track when accompanied. Edited July 8, 2016 by dood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Thinking about it...there are not many successful/famous Steve Harris clones either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 (edited) [quote name='paul h' timestamp='1468013180' post='3088154'] Thinking about it...there are not many successful/famous Steve Harris clones either. [/quote] or The Ox, JJ Burnell, John Deacon... Edited July 8, 2016 by dood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I love Billy's playing, and I don't care for the gymnastics - the speedy soloing. I love what Billy does with a bassline, likr on The Whole World's Gonna Know, for example. The lines and fills are epic, so musical, and some people still automatically pigeonhole him as a widdler. The widdlyness leaves me cold, tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1468010266' post='3088116'] Boring! That's another reason no one's copied him. And as for NV10538... what a racket!? [/quote] Its ten times more listenable to than Portrait of Tracy, she must have been one ugly bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 [quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1468019438' post='3088192'] Its ten times more listenable to than Portrait of Tracy, she must have been one ugly bird! [/quote] Now see I like 'Portrait of Tracy'. It's got form and great harmony. Billy tends to just go for it and doesn't really carry the harmony in his 'lead' playing. I like his jazzier stuff when he stretches out though... Niacin we've mentioned but what about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFIGPMdf5nc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1468014181' post='3088169'] I love Billy's playing, and I don't care for the gymnastics - the speedy soloing. I love what Billy does with a bassline, likr on The Whole World's Gonna Know, for example. The lines and fills are epic, so musical, and some people still automatically pigeonhole him as a widdler. The widdlyness leaves me cold, tbh. [/quote] Entirely correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highwayman Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Ref. The Winery Dogs - Kotzen's solo stuff is even better, especially 2007's 'Go Faster' which I rank as a masterpiece and is in my all-time top 5 albums. On Sheehan, while undoubtably accomplished I find him too 'busy' sounding - the diametric opposite of the guy who inspired my bass journey, Killing Joke's Paul Raven R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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