An underrated bassist from the golden age: Herb Bushler, Plus identify the bass in the photo

A

alienstarguest

May 30, 2009
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#1
bushler2.jpg


lennon%20peel.jpg


lennon%20lower%20east%20side.jpg


Is anyone familiar with Herb Bushler. I've been meaning to post about him for a while now.
He was mostly known in Jazz circles and was a successful session player and almost always had work.
I only knew him from his contributions to David Peel and the Lower East Side. This was a counter culture rock band from the late 60s and early 70s, though David Peel I believe was still performing live into the 2000s. Much of the content was based on smoking weed, disdain for the police, and various other delinquent activities.

I believe Bushler's playing started to appear on records starting in 1963 or 1964, presumably as a Jazz musician. An interesting rock n roll footnote is that John Lennon had somehow "discovered" the band (David Peel and the Lower East Side) as both parties were New Yorkers. Lennon performed with them on several occasions (which a few can be seen on Youtube). The second photo in this post shows John and Yoko with Peel (left of Yoko), 1971. Some references say the rest of the group is the Elephants Memory Band, but the photo itself clearly states the Lower East Side. The last photo is Lennon with Peel and the Lower East Side, I am wondering if that is Herb Bushler to the far right. Does anyone know who that is, I can't even tell what instrument the person is playing?

If anyone is interested you may be able to Youtube some tunes under David Peel. The bass is very prominent in his work with Peel. For the most part Peel really never had any interesting bass lines in his music except for those with Herb Bushler. The following are a few recommended tracks:
Oink Oink.
I Want to Kill You.
Girls Girls Girls.
(plus other songs from the David Peel & the Lower East Side record American Revolution)

If anyone has any recommendations for his Jazz work, let us know what recordings to check out. I'm not certain but I think he may have played double bass as well. He played Electric Bass with Peel.

Also, can anyone identify the bass in the photo? The name on the headstock does not seem familiar. I'm thinking maybe a Japanese lawsuit model of some sort. No idea what year the photo was taken. It could have easily been in the lawsuit era.

Does the photo of Bushler (1st image) somehow remind you of the Mike Gordon spoof 'Joey Arkenstat', it does for me. Maybe he should have actually dug up Herb Bushler for that. The man can play.
 
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#4
His playing on David Sanborn's Heart to Heart album is outstanding, such feel!
Also check out his work with Joe Farrell! Herb is one of my many favorites from the 70's NYC studio scene.
 
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#8
I really like threads like these which bring to light great players that have been under recognized or forgotten.
It is human nature of course that as time passes only "the greats" are remembered but there have been so many great players and it would be a shame to allow their legacies to disappear.
 
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#9
Herb Bushler's superb playing can also be heard on the Paul Winter Consort album "Icarus". Sir George Martin called this the finest album he ever produced.

bushler2.jpg


lennon%20peel.jpg


lennon%20lower%20east%20side.jpg


Is anyone familiar with Herb Bushler. I've been meaning to post about him for a while now.
He was mostly known in Jazz circles and was a successful session player and almost always had work.
I only knew him from his contributions to David Peel and the Lower East Side. This was a counter culture rock band from the late 60s and early 70s, though David Peel I believe was still performing live into the 2000s. Much of the content was based on smoking weed, disdain for the police, and various other delinquent activities.

I believe Bushler's playing started to appear on records starting in 1963 or 1964, presumably as a Jazz musician. An interesting rock n roll footnote is that John Lennon had somehow "discovered" the band (David Peel and the Lower East Side) as both parties were New Yorkers. Lennon performed with them on several occasions (which a few can be seen on Youtube). The second photo in this post shows John and Yoko with Peel (left of Yoko), 1971. Some references say the rest of the group is the Elephants Memory Band, but the photo itself clearly states the Lower East Side. The last photo is Lennon with Peel and the Lower East Side, I am wondering if that is Herb Bushler to the far right. Does anyone know who that is, I can't even tell what instrument the person is playing?

If anyone is interested you may be able to Youtube some tunes under David Peel. The bass is very prominent in his work with Peel. For the most part Peel really never had any interesting bass lines in his music except for those with Herb Bushler. The following are a few recommended tracks:
Oink Oink.
I Want to Kill You.
Girls Girls Girls.
(plus other songs from the David Peel & the Lower East Side record American Revolution)

If anyone has any recommendations for his Jazz work, let us know what recordings to check out. I'm not certain but I think he may have played double bass as well. He played Electric Bass with Peel.

Also, can anyone identify the bass in the photo? The name on the headstock does not seem familiar. I'm thinking maybe a Japanese lawsuit model of some sort. No idea what year the photo was taken. It could have easily been in the lawsuit era.

Does the photo of Bushler (1st image) somehow remind you of the Mike Gordon spoof 'Joey Arkenstat', it does for me. Maybe he should have actually dug up Herb Bushler for that. The man can play.[/QUOTE]
Basshappi said:
I really like threads like these which bring to light great players that have been under recognized or forgotten.
It is human nature of course that as time passes only "the greats" are remembered but there have been so many great players and it would be a shame to allow their legacies to disappear.
Click to expand...
 
#16
jerry said:
Some "out" Tony Williams, I don't think this album even got an American release.:
Click to expand...

Love it; I like how Larry Young’s bass pedal work provided a foundation for the electric bass to go off. If you ever hear anyone bellyache about how boring 12-bar is, throw this at them! Thanks for posting, I only knew of the Jack Bruce/Turn It Over stuff, and the later Holdsworth band.
 
#17
Michedelic said:
Love it; I like how Larry Young’s bass pedal work provided a foundation for the electric bass to go off. If you ever hear anyone bellyache about how boring 12-bar is, throw this at them! Thanks for posting, I only knew of the Jack Bruce/Turn It Over stuff, and the later Holdsworth band.
Click to expand...
It's not Larry Young, it's Webster Lewis on organ. It's the second version of Lifetime. If I didn't read the credits I would have thought Larry Young too.
 
#18
alienstarguest said:
View attachment 2507801

View attachment 2507802

View attachment 2507803

Is anyone familiar with Herb Bushler. I've been meaning to post about him for a while now.
He was mostly known in Jazz circles and was a successful session player and almost always had work.
I only knew him from his contributions to David Peel and the Lower East Side. This was a counter culture rock band from the late 60s and early 70s, though David Peel I believe was still performing live into the 2000s. Much of the content was based on smoking weed, disdain for the police, and various other delinquent activities.

I believe Bushler's playing started to appear on records starting in 1963 or 1964, presumably as a Jazz musician. An interesting rock n roll footnote is that John Lennon had somehow "discovered" the band (David Peel and the Lower East Side) as both parties were New Yorkers. Lennon performed with them on several occasions (which a few can be seen on Youtube). The second photo in this post shows John and Yoko with Peel (left of Yoko), 1971. Some references say the rest of the group is the Elephants Memory Band, but the photo itself clearly states the Lower East Side. The last photo is Lennon with Peel and the Lower East Side, I am wondering if that is Herb Bushler to the far right. Does anyone know who that is, I can't even tell what instrument the person is playing?

If anyone is interested you may be able to Youtube some tunes under David Peel. The bass is very prominent in his work with Peel. For the most part Peel really never had any interesting bass lines in his music except for those with Herb Bushler. The following are a few recommended tracks:
Oink Oink.
I Want to Kill You.
Girls Girls Girls.
(plus other songs from the David Peel & the Lower East Side record American Revolution)

If anyone has any recommendations for his Jazz work, let us know what recordings to check out. I'm not certain but I think he may have played double bass as well. He played Electric Bass with Peel.

Also, can anyone identify the bass in the photo? The name on the headstock does not seem familiar. I'm thinking maybe a Japanese lawsuit model of some sort. No idea what year the photo was taken. It could have easily been in the lawsuit era.

Does the photo of Bushler (1st image) somehow remind you of the Mike Gordon spoof 'Joey Arkenstat', it does for me. Maybe he should have actually dug up Herb Bushler for that. The man can play.
Click to expand...
 
#20
alienstarguest said:
View attachment 2507801

View attachment 2507802

View attachment 2507803

Is anyone familiar with Herb Bushler. I've been meaning to post about him for a while now.
He was mostly known in Jazz circles and was a successful session player and almost always had work.
I only knew him from his contributions to David Peel and the Lower East Side. This was a counter culture rock band from the late 60s and early 70s, though David Peel I believe was still performing live into the 2000s. Much of the content was based on smoking weed, disdain for the police, and various other delinquent activities.

I believe Bushler's playing started to appear on records starting in 1963 or 1964, presumably as a Jazz musician. An interesting rock n roll footnote is that John Lennon had somehow "discovered" the band (David Peel and the Lower East Side) as both parties were New Yorkers. Lennon performed with them on several occasions (which a few can be seen on Youtube). The second photo in this post shows John and Yoko with Peel (left of Yoko), 1971. Some references say the rest of the group is the Elephants Memory Band, but the photo itself clearly states the Lower East Side. The last photo is Lennon with Peel and the Lower East Side, I am wondering if that is Herb Bushler to the far right. Does anyone know who that is, I can't even tell what instrument the person is playing?

If anyone is interested you may be able to Youtube some tunes under David Peel. The bass is very prominent in his work with Peel. For the most part Peel really never had any interesting bass lines in his music except for those with Herb Bushler. The following are a few recommended tracks:
Oink Oink.
I Want to Kill You.
Girls Girls Girls.
(plus other songs from the David Peel & the Lower East Side record American Revolution)

If anyone has any recommendations for his Jazz work, let us know what recordings to check out. I'm not certain but I think he may have played double bass as well. He played Electric Bass with Peel.

Also, can anyone identify the bass in the photo? The name on the headstock does not seem familiar. I'm thinking maybe a Japanese lawsuit model of some sort. No idea what year the photo was taken. It could have easily been in the lawsuit era.

Does the photo of Bushler (1st image) somehow remind you of the Mike Gordon spoof 'Joey Arkenstat', it does for me. Maybe he should have actually dug up Herb Bushler for that. The man can play.
Click to expand...
I saw Herb Bushler play with the late Joe Farrell in 1975. I was sitting 2nd row center. They played the entire "Canned Funk" album, which was Joe's latest release. He sat on his amp with his beard, hat, mirrored sunglasses and phase shifter (on EVERY tune) and his only movements all through their set were related to playing. He played amazingly!
 
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