JTUK Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='576833' date='Aug 21 2009, 04:20 PM']Yes but you never answered the original question! Who made you pick up a bass? Or was it just wanting to be in a band and play music and bass was needed? (I remember thinking that there were a lot more guitarists than bassists, so I wouldn't need to be as good to get in a band - plus the fewer strings and lack of chords made it look easier!) One of my biggest influences nowadays is Willie Weeks, particularly what he did on Donny Hathaway - Live. I'd love to know of anyone who heard this album and noticed the bass playing before they were a bassist and thus took up the instrument. I think most of the 'unsung' heroes are revered by bassists but non-bassists don't notice they exist (which is arguably a good thing, they just enjoy the music that results). Alex[/quote] ???? All on page 1 of this thread if you would care to look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 [quote name='clauster' post='576456' date='Aug 21 2009, 10:38 AM']So in short - Gene Simmons, Paul Gardiner and Peter Hook inspired me to get a bass, but it was Jon Fielder who got me to actually play it - I owe that man a huge thank you.[/quote] Paul Gardiner was a HUGE influence on me. The reason I started playing bass was that I couldn't afford a MiniMoog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apex Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I arrived at the bass rather late in my musical lifetime. I played guitar (electric and folk accoustic (fingerpicking, of course!) through my teens and twenties. I also sang bass in all sorts of choirs and musicals. Then someone wanted to form a scratch band for a works do, which a few of us did, but realised we had several poor lead singers and 3 guitars!. Managed that first gig with bass from the keyboard! We were pretty rubbish but it was fun and we decided to carry on - providing we could get a workable line-up. I had a cheap Stagg bass at home which the kids 'played' so working on the basis that I played guitar and sang bass I volunteered to learn. How difficult can it be, I thought... Now I know! And I wouldn't have missed it for the world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Who made me play bass? Steve Harris, John Entwistle and Cliff Burton were the first guys. Les Claypool and Billy Sheehan made me continue. Justin Chancellor made me realise a plectrum isn't entirely evil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 [quote name='JTUK' post='577104' date='Aug 21 2009, 08:45 PM']???? All on page 1 of this thread if you would care to look[/quote] Well there you go, I do beg your pardon! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroman Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 For me the main reason I picked up the bass is thanks to Lemmy, and Cliff Burton Also the reason why I bought a Rickenbacker 4001 as soon as I could afford one. I love Lemmy's guitarist on 4 strings approach to playing bass, and what a sound! He can be quite a tasteful bass player as well, check out the bass solo on a track called "Lost In The Ozone". Cliff burton I have always thought to be a very tasteful player, who new when to support the song, and when to let rip! There's some footage of him on youtube from his previous projects prior to Metallica. Other bass players I dig are; Scott Reeder, Les Claypool, Stanley Clarke, Steve Harris, John Entwistle, Billy Sheehan, Geezer Butler, and numerous others. I think the most important thing is to have fun, and do your own thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Classically-Trained Pianist, with a full Career mapped out for me, then I overheard a conversation between my Dad and a couple of his Bandmates. Bassists were rarer than rocking-horse poo in our area, and they needed one for a load of Old-Time Dances that were coming up. My Dad was a Drummer, and at that time had three spare kits, (accumulated over many years) and I knew of a lad at School who had a Bass and Amp, who wanted to become a Drummer, but had no finances to further his ambitions. Quick negotiations followed, and I was soon the owner of a Hofner Professional Bass, Fenton-Weill Combo and small vocal P.A., whilst lad at school got himself a fairly battered Carlton Drumkit. I was shown the notes on the neck by an old, retired Double Bass player my Dad knew, and a fortnight later I was on stage. By the time I left School, I had discovered 'The Devil's Music', bought a Fender Precision and a Marshall Stack, and never went back to the Piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonshelley01 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Had an electric guitar, but I wanted to be Steve Harris so I swapped it for a Satellite Precision copy. I then discovered it was bloody hard to play Maiden songs as they were so fast, but maybe I could cope with a few of the simpler, slower Zeppelin songs, so I listened for the bass specifically for the first time on Led Zeppelin II and it became my mission to be able to play "Ramble On". So, Steve Harris made me get a bass, but JPJ made me learn to play it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_the_bassist Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 back when I was a spotty teenager, I caught Deeper Underground on the radio, and never looked back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Dil Katz, Stu Hamm, Geddy Lee, Billy Sheehan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I wanted to play drums but sports injuries made that difficult so bass was the next logical choice for someone who liked to groove but had no real harmonic or melodic training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Phil Lynott and Lemmy. I did the usual thing of ending up playing bass because no-one else would, but I originally wanted to be in a band because of Phil. Lemmy (mainly via Space Ritual) taught me the basics of playing though, and at some point I can't remember (but before I started playing) must've taken over as an inspiration because I wanted a Ric (which I got) as my first bass. Having said that there was a Ric hanging in the window of a local shop that I used to gaze longingly at, and the bassist in my dad's band also used an old Ric (same as the one I have now in fact; could even be the same bass for all I know; haven't seen him in years. Bloke called Martin Roach; anyone know him?) so I'm sure both were factors in my choice of bass. I was also a huge Beatles fan as a kid, particularly loving the later stuff like MMT, so I suspect Paul may have lodged himself somewhere in my subconscious too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='Bottle' post='576410' date='Aug 21 2009, 10:01 AM']Also remember seeing a short documentary on bass luthiers - I think it may have been Yolanda (again) having a custom 5-string made, can't remember the maker though.[/quote] Martin Petersen of Sei Bass fame. I keep meaning to ask him if he's still got a copy of that as I haven't seen it and would love to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapolpora Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Bernard Edwards - and I'm shocked that he hasn't had a mention yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='starman' post='575995' date='Aug 20 2009, 07:52 PM']JJ Burnel[/quote] Another vote for JJ. Specifically, his first two notes on Hanging Around. That was pretty much the point I decided to switch from guitar to bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='simon1964' post='577486' date='Aug 22 2009, 12:14 PM']Another vote for JJ. Specifically, his first two notes on Hanging Around. That was pretty much the point I decided to switch from guitar to bass![/quote] simon1964 made me play bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamapirate Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 teeheehee, I used to play the Cello, and then got bored. I really liked the low down stuff, and didn't want to have to have to become a total twat like a guitarist. So I chose bass. I'm not sure about influences - I really got them once I started playing bass. Y'know all that Zender stuff 'n all that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroman Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Another classicaly trained pianist here, that switched to bass. I too heard the calling of "The Devil's music" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='lapolpora' post='577478' date='Aug 22 2009, 11:58 AM']Bernard Edwards - and I'm shocked that he hasn't had a mention yet [/quote] I thought Bands like Chic, (and that type of music) were a complete waste of time (personal opinion only) so didn't ever bother listening to the Bass line, or even know who the Bassist was. I had to Google his name to find out who you were talking about-sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Two of my best friends were learning to play guitar. Then we all decided to form a band and I was left with either drums or bass (I don't sing, on principle). So it was bass for two reasons 1. I didn't have anywhere to put a drum kit. 2. I wanted to be a musician! (how pretentious). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT! Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='RichB' post='577924' date='Aug 22 2009, 10:59 PM']Two of my best friends were learning to play guitar. Then we all decided to form a band and I was left with either drums or bass (I don't sing, on principle). So it was bass for two reasons 1. I didn't have anywhere to put a drum kit. 2. I wanted to be a musician! (how pretentious).[/quote] thats pretty much what happened with me. a few of my friends were learning guitar and another friend of mine drums. so bass seemed like a good choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 [quote name='RichB' post='577924' date='Aug 22 2009, 10:59 PM']Two of my best friends were learning to play guitar. Then we all decided to form a band and I was left with either drums or bass (I don't sing, on principle). So it was bass for two reasons 1. I didn't have anywhere to put a drum kit. 2. I wanted to be a musician! (how pretentious).[/quote] thats kind of how it happened with me tbh. i played guitar for a few years in primary school, then at secondary school me and 2 other friends (one who played guitar and one who played drums) decided to form a band. we could've got a bass player i guess, but i was already wanting to play bass a bit because my dad (simon1964) plays bass as well as guitar (hence the joke earlier in the thread that simon1964 made me play bass, its kind of true), and also i was the only one out of the 3 of us who had a bass to use not long after it was my birthday and my dad bought me a squier bronco, which i always class as my first bass although i guess you could say my dads old mexican precision was cos thats what i played for the first few weeks with my first band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Thought Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 [quote name='starman' post='575995' date='Aug 20 2009, 07:52 PM']JJ Burnel[/quote] Yep, same here. Never occurred to me to play anything else after I heard Rattus Norvegicus, and saw the Stranglers at the Cornwall Coliseum, July 1980. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Nikki Sixx. not his playing, more the running about, throwing shapes and posing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 [quote name='Tait' post='578273' date='Aug 23 2009, 03:50 PM'], but i was already wanting to play bass a bit because my dad (simon1964) plays bass as well as guitar (hence the joke earlier in the thread that simon1964 made me play bass, its kind of true),[/quote] I'm welling up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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