Sonntag, 1. Apr 2007, 17:21

As a bass player of just over two years, I am listening more closely to the bass parts in the music around me. The first bass player that really grabbed my attention once I had been playing the instrument was Nigel Griggs who is most known to people as the bassist in Split Enz from 1977-1984, when the band broke up.

Since listening to him, I have also realized that I rather like bass parts in much of the 80s music and that I like players with some aggression. That is not to say that I want to hear bassists who are all about chops and not serving the music. That's boring.

Anyhow, a song this week that grabbed my attention as a good bass song is Maneater. I have known the song for a while, but it had been a long time since I've heard it. The instrumentation of the song is sparse, and I doubt people realize that it's mostly drums and bass because there is minimal guitar or keyboards. Much of the interest in teh song is created by the saxophone.

Listening again, though, the bass is wonderfully interesting. It's rhythmic and infectious, there are chances for musical "fills," to borrow a percussion/drummer idea. A lot of hard work is done without any seeming effort. It's the essence of cool bass. Much liking for that, oh yes.

Other musical stuff on my radar for bass this week:
*Get the Funk Out–Go Pat Badger. Now that I have "bass ears" I want to listen to that over and over.
*Fall Out Boy–but I'll admit it's mostly because Pete Wentz is such a pretty boy, however I do love how he plays on Dance, Dance
*Bill Gould of the band Faith No More–one of my favorite bassists ever, easily in my top 10

I'll be back at other times with more songs and people as I think of it.