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Gene Simmons: “Studio bassists who play with their fingers live have no idea that we can’t hear what they’re playing”


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I think (meaning it's my opinion, which you are free to agree or disagree with) that the key word in the thread title is 'studio'. In the studio, it is easy to get a great sound using fingers. But unless you are experienced at playing live, a pick is easier to get good tone with. I suspect he's more having a go at 'studio bassists' than live musos who play finger style.

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I guess if your musical palette is as one dimensional as Gene Simmonds he has a point. However, to make such a sweeping statements shows an enormous amount of ignorance of music genres and fellow musicians. Alternatively, he's being a bellend. In fact, either way he's a bellend.

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I think that we're all missing the point discussing Gene's views on pick vs fingers. After all, Gene isn't a professional bass player - he's an (extremely successful) merchandise salesman. I'm not sure how many takers he's going to get for the 'Home Experience Package', where he personally delivers a load of old demos and out-takes to you for $50,000. Personally, I'd be be more likely to pay $50 grand just to get him to flip off out of my house!

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16 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Really? Who did it for them then?

Probably Paul Stanley, based on the stories our drummer has told us in the past (he's a huge fan and seems to know far more about them than one might consider healthy). I do wonder why this rumour hasn't become stadium rock's equivalent to the digs about David Gilmour playing most of the Pink Floyd basslines towards the end of the Roger Waters era.

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10 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Probably Paul Stanley, based on the stories our drummer has told us in the past (he's a huge fan and seems to know far more about them than one might consider healthy). I do wonder why this rumour hasn't become stadium rock's equivalent to the digs about David Gilmour playing most of the Pink Floyd basslines towards the end of the Roger Waters era.

I thought that it was Jean Beauvoir playing bass (among others) on many of the mid period Kiss albums 

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I've decided to find this whole thread offensive, even though my pampered first-world life is pretty sweet.

Anyway, I'm going to get on the internet and moan about it endlessly, just see if I don't! Or maybe tomorrow - Bargain Hunt is on soon and I must prepare tea and biscuits... :|

 

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I could sit here all day and talk about how ridiculous it to suggest you can't get a good fingerstyle tone on stage, or name countless fingerstyle bassists who have great live tone and loads of definition, but that is beside the point - we all know it's false and stupid to suggest otherwise. Gene only says this stuff to keep people talking about him, he is all about the self-promotion. Creating anything of musical value has always been a secondary concern for him.

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41 minutes ago, Mastodon2 said:

I could sit here all day and talk about how ridiculous it to suggest you can't get a good fingerstyle tone on stage, or name countless fingerstyle bassists who have great live tone and loads of definition, but that is beside the point - we all know it's false and stupid to suggest otherwise. Gene only says this stuff to keep people talking about him, he is all about the self-promotion. Creating anything of musical value has always been a secondary concern for him.

^ This. I can't stand the group's music, but there's no denying he used to be a bit of a genius in terms of self-marketing.

I use the past tense, because the last time I saw him making headlines was because he'd used an interview to make a crass and (likely deliberately) offensive comment about people with mental health issues. Sure, it worked, it got people talking about him, but it seemed like a really cheap shot from a guy who used to be ahead of the curve in terms of marketing his band.

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1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

On a similar vein I remember reading an interview with Cliff Williams of AC/DC who said that in the studio he used flats to record with, but live he used rounds for that extra bit of definition.

I like flats recorded and rounds live, too - a 70s P Bass with played-in rounds, a pick, an Ampeg SVT-CL and an 8X10. Hurrrr... you won't get a better live rock sound than that. Jumpers for goalposts, etc. etc... *unwraps another Werther's Original (Peado Pellet)*

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4 minutes ago, discreet said:

I like flats recorded and rounds live, too - a 70s P Bass with played-in rounds, a pick, an Ampeg SVT-CL and an 8X10. Hurrrr... you won't get a better live rock sound than that. Jumpers for goalposts, etc. etc... *unwraps another Werther's Original (Peado Pellet)*

I've started using flats to record with on certain things lately, I really like the punchy fundamental tone that they have.

When it comes to confectionery, I generally prefer a finger of fudge myself...

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3 minutes ago, JellyKnees said:

When it comes to confectionery, I generally prefer a finger of fudge myself...

I like Wagon Wheels, they're a treat for me - they're the biggest biscuit you ever did see... etc.

Erm... well they used to be. I seem to remember them being the size of dustbin lids, now they're about as big as a ginger nut. Boo! :(

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