Last week, we offered you the chance to win a fluttering €25 voucher for Golden Discs, usable at any of music giant’s 14 locations around the country.
We asked you to complete this sentence:
‘The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be_______________________especially during_____________________________’
It was another hard one to call…
But ‘Yer Man There’ has it.
The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be James Jamerson especially during the Motown era of Marvin Gaye. His playing is the stuff of legend, and not something that they teach in no fancy music schools. Listen to the way he carves out his own space by shifting ahead of the beat or behind it, or sitting on a note unexpectedly, while never sacrificing the groove or taking away from Marvin Gaye’s vocal (as if that was possible). An extremely influential musician who unfortunately never got the recognition he deserved and lived a poor, hard life.
Hard to argue, that.
Some more highlights from the going:
Yep: “The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be Victor Wooten, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones especially during Amazing Grace. Showing mastery of technique while transforming the song from sonic bliss to infectious grove and everywhere between.”
Martin: “The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be Jaco Pastorius, especially during his life.”
Royal M: “The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be Geddy Lee of Rush especially during Digital Man from the Signals album.”
Birneybau2: “Stephen Morris, amazing. Bernard Sumner, terrible lyricist, amazing guitarist. Ian Curtis, one of the greatest. Peter Hook; ’nuff said.”
Serval: “The finest exponent of the bass guitar in contemporary music would have to be Andy Rourke, especially during This Charming Man.”
Thanks all
Bassists (above) clockwise from top left: James Jamerson; Andy Rourke; Victor Wooton; Jaco Pastorius; Geddy Lee; Peter Hook.
No Mark King?
Thumb denial.
Last week: All our Bass Are Belong To Us
No mention of the Bass in Jackson 5’s “Want you back?”
birneybau, what’ve you got against Gillian?!
Joy Division, durr ; D
harrumpf
;)
Good choice, though Carol Kaye would have been my choice. Never heard of her? Look her up. The most-heard bass player you’ve never heard of.
Anyway, Jamerson was unique. For instance:
he only used his index finger on his right hand (“the hook”) to pluck the strings;
he commonly used open strings (something generally “not done” on bass guitar);
his bass had a really high action;
he used heavy, flat wound strings;
he rarely changed those strings;
he employed chromatic runs at a time of repetitive root/fifth basslines in pop;
he damped the strings with a piece of foam near the bridge.
Dang. Missed this. Would have found it hard to pass up Bernard Edwards from Chic though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyqKmUgkMOs
you’re safe, lad – i threw up ‘le freak’ at the time.
Slap-a de bass, mon.
I’ll say Bernard Edwards in ‘I Want Your Love’ but mandatory honourable mentions to Les Claypool in Les Claypool’s Fancy Band’s song ‘One Better’ or alternatively Primus’ ‘Tommy The Cat’
Fancy Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1ji27oRWJQ
It’s a pity the bass is buried so deep in the mix of that Marvin Gaye song.
I guess the prize is for the artsy fartsy description, not for finding and sharing an example of clear, exemplary bass playing.
“buried so deep”? Even listening on cheap headphones, every note of Jamerson’s is audible.
PS. Have to confess undying admiration for Derek Forbes’ bass playing with Simple Minds – the earlier stuff, of course, up to New Gold Dream anyroad.
Check out the sophisticated Minds live mixes by Dexbam on youtube. Bit of a genius, him.
Good shout, never thought of him.
Victor Wooten is indeed very good.
However I’m surprised no one mentioned John McVie. He can make the most banal chord progression come alive with subtle placement of emphasis and bounce.
Nice one, but I made the same call two days earlier! Also, it’s not contemporary!
also, and lest we forget, no competition about bass players would be complete without lemmy.
RIP