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Underated - band and bass player?


The Admiral
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I was having an argument - as you do - with a friend the other day about a particular band, and it has prompted me to start this thread.

Which band do you think is criminally underated, and within the band who is the bass player who is also overlooked. My nomination, and the ones that featured in my argument were :

Del Amitri and Justin Currie (a less is more kind of guy - but always what is right for the song)

A quick video as evidence : [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-bkwz1iXjK4"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-bkwz1iXjK4[/url]

Your turn....

A

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[quote name='Josh' post='384501' date='Jan 18 2009, 11:12 PM']Simply Red's Bassist and Moloko's Bassist.

If anyone knows their names I would greatly appreciate it ;).[/quote]
I don't know about Simply Red, but Moloko's Mark Brydon used to play bass and may have played on their tracks. Fine Geordie lad there - always did like that band.

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[quote name='Geddys nose' post='384426' date='Jan 18 2009, 10:06 PM']The late Benjamin Orr of The Cars was very underated as was the band they wrote some great songs not just 'Drive'.[/quote]

+1. "moving in stereo" and Best friends girl have some melodic playing from him.
excellent singer too.

I'd 2nd Colin Moulding, but I think he's mentioned quite often.

Comsat Angels, bassist Kevin Bacon (not the "6 degrees of" actor!)

Psychedelic Furs, Tim Butler eg. President gas, Sleep comes down

Edited by SJA
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[quote name='Hoppo75' post='384504' date='Jan 18 2009, 11:15 PM']Last one from me, as there are so many, John Illsley - Dire Straits, One of the UK's finest and held an absolutely rock solid bottom end.[/quote]

Can't agree with that one at all, I'm afraid. Forget Root-fifth, that guy didn't even bother with fifths!

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[quote name='Eight' post='384566' date='Jan 19 2009, 12:17 AM']I don't know about Simply Red, but Moloko's Mark Brydon used to play bass and may have played on their tracks. Fine Geordie lad there - always did like that band.[/quote]

I think Mark Brydon did play bass on all Moloko's stuff (as well as playing pretty much everything else), he picks up a bass live for them on some tunes. Brilliant musician, producer, songwriter, and a massive influence for me.

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kl8mpAvTm_Y"]The Time Is Now[/url] is driven by a great acoustic bass line.

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SonUW_yEMWw"]Fun For Me[/url] again is driven by the bass line, somewhat less acoustic. ;) I'm still trying to cop tones like that with pedals...


Nobody ever talks about Sublime any more, they had some great bass lines:

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=09mwxh4ZvdA"]Doin' Time[/url] has a great bass line. Yeah it's ripping off Gershwin completely (and honestly!) but it's a brilliant track.
[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S0UkdHzUOHI"]Saw Red[/url] - Gwen Stefani pre-fame and a lovely punk/ska bass line. Barrington Levy's hook re-used.
[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8WVqjqakK0"]Superstar Punani[/url] - Great punk/ska tune.
[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KgVdwNSv-Xg"]Slow Ride[/url] - Eric's bass part on this really pushes things along.

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I was going to say Cliff Williams!

Always one to ensure what he does whats necessary and doesn't conflict with the guitars.
Check out Gimme A Bullet on "Powerage" he doesn't always pump out the 8ths.......But he is always perfectly timed.

People think AC/DC play simple things; they do, but they do it WELL.

If you can get through playing along to all of the Back in Black album, then you are on your way to being a good bass player.

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[quote name='Leowasright' post='384774' date='Jan 19 2009, 11:03 AM']I was going to say Cliff Williams!

Always one to ensure what he does whats necessary and doesn't conflict with the guitars.
Check out Gimme A Bullet on "Powerage" he doesn't always pump out the 8ths.......But he is always perfectly timed.

People think AC/DC play simple things; they do, but they do it WELL.

If you can get through playing along to all of the Back in Black album, then you are on your way to being a good bass player.[/quote]

We used to do a couple of AC/DC songs, and they are nowhere near as easy to play as you might think.

Meanwhile my vote goes to the Chameleons, Mark Burgess on bass and lead vocals. Hugely underrated.

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[quote name='simon1964' post='384410' date='Jan 18 2009, 09:51 PM']As I've posted on here before, I think Colin Moulding of XTC is very underated. Great band, really well crafted songs, and some impressive bass playing.[/quote]


Couldn't agree more.
One of my favourite bands.

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[quote name='The Funk' post='384594' date='Jan 19 2009, 01:03 AM']Can't agree with that one at all, I'm afraid. Forget Root-fifth, that guy didn't even bother with fifths![/quote]

Thats your opinion my friend, you're more than entitled to it.
I do reckon that Illsley and Terry Williams, as good as Knopfler is, were a huge factor behind the bands success. Their music required simplistic, driving rhythm, and together they kept it tight as a drum. Merely my opinion, but then I'm a huge fan of guys who are mostly anonymous with their playing, yet if you were to replace them with any other player, the band dies.

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zebrahead, ben osmundson is their bass player. ok, he's not an amazing bass player, but i've got to say i've found some of his bass lines quite difficult to play in the past and they've got a fair bit of imagination for a punk band (it's kind of debatable if they even are a punk band, but they class themselves as one).

as for them being underrated as a band, most people (that are into that sort of music, anyway) that know them absolutely love them. its just that nobody seems to know them. last time i went to see them it was the emptiest ive ever seen that venue, it was still one of the best gigs ive been to.

Edited by LWTAIT
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