List of Famous Bass Players I Don't Get

mellowinman

mellowinman

Free Man
Oct 19, 2011
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#1
  1. There are no famous bass players I don't get. I don't get why there are threads bashing Verdine White and Steve Harris, or any other famous bass player on a forum called Talk Bass. These players elevated bass guitar to make the general public aware of the instrument, and thus, deserve their fame. There is nothing to get. If you think you are in some way in a position to judge their technical skill, artistic merit, or value to the human race, you are simply WRONG.
 
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#2
mellowinman said:
  1. There are no famous bass players I don't get. I don't get why there are threads bashing Verdine White and Steve Harris, or any other famous bass player on a forum called Talk Bass. These players elevated bass guitar to make the general public aware of the instrument, and thus, deserve their fame. There is nothing to get. If you think you are in some way in a position to judge their technical skill, artistic merit, or value to the human race, you are simply WRONG.
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I suspect they make them feel inadequate, a sort of big myself up thing. I saw a thread the other day where some poor girl got slated by a bunch of bums. With you all the way, it's embarrassing to be the same species as those people
 
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#4
I should probably start a new thread, but fwiw you know what I don't get?

This whole notion of "getting" (or not getting) a bassist, or any musician, or a style of music, blah blah blah...

Every time someonne says "I Don't Get ______________" (insert name of artist) and/or someone else comes to the defense of the Not-Gotten Artist by saying "that's just, like, your opinion man; I **GET** them" I wanna grab those two yahoos by the neck like Moe in a Three Stooges routine and bash their foreheads together while reminding them that they're both bloviating about a concept which has no useful meaning.

You think you get Jaco? Or Steve Harris? Or Verdine White, etc? You don't get [sic] half of what they do; you simply don't hate them. And for the folks that don't "get" someone...until you can define which qualities of that artist's work aren't resonating with your personal aesthetic (and why), you're simply trying to defend your personal tastes by foisting the blame on someone else. Admit it; you just don't like their music.

:::steps down off soapbox:::
 
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#9
Killed_by_Death said:
There's that, but then there's the not being able to get your head around why countless others love it.
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I think it's willful. I can get my head around why countless others love ANY artist that countless others love, without exception, and I can't get my head around anyone not being able to get their head around it.

I don't like U2. I "get" why people do.
I don't like Journey. I "get" why people do.
On the "I don't get..." thread, I spelled out in great detail why people love various artists, including Frank Sinatra, The Grateful Dead and Prince. I do not necessarily -like- all the artists I defended. But it's easy to see why so many people like them. I can't stand Motorhead. I've seen them live at least three times, and I used to always grit my teeth waiting for them to be over. Do I "get" why people like them? YOU BET I DO. Ace of Spades is an amazing piece of music.

But this isn't a thread about bands and artists, singers, songwriters, etc.

This is about bass players. ANYONE who made it famous playing bass guitar beat the odds just by doing so, and they deserve our respect.
 
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#10
Bob_Ross said:
I should probably start a new thread, but fwiw you know what I don't get?

This whole notion of "getting" (or not getting) a bassist, or any musician, or a style of music, blah blah blah...

Every time someonne says "I Don't Get ______________" (insert name of artist) and/or someone else comes to the defense of the Not-Gotten Artist by saying "that's just, like, your opinion man; I **GET** them" I wanna grab those two yahoos by the neck like Moe in a Three Stooges routine and bash their foreheads together while reminding them that they're both bloviating about a concept which has no useful meaning.

You think you get Jaco? Or Steve Harris? Or Verdine White, etc? You don't get [sic] half of what they do; you simply don't hate them. And for the folks that don't "get" someone...until you can define which qualities of that artist's work aren't resonating with your personal aesthetic (and why), you're simply trying to defend your personal tastes by foisting the blame on someone else. Admit it; you just don't like their music.

:::steps down off soapbox:::
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This is nonsense to me. I GET Jaco, Steve Harris and Verdine White. For the record, I never want to listen to a single Iron Maiden song, but I sure do get Steve Harris. If Iron Maiden didn't have any vocals, I would love them, based on the musicianship of that band. I think don't just simply not hate Harris; I respect his abilities as a songwriter, and most importantly, a bass player, and that's what this forum is about, Talking BASS. That dude plays his butt off, and it's amazing. I'm not a yahoo, not even close. I'm a real, legitimate music lover, and I don't recommend you try grabbing me by the neck or any other place.

There are very few musicians I "don't get," because I love music. That doesn't mean I like everybody; that would be ridiculous.
 
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#12
I like cornfields, next to highways...

... sometimes, I stop next to them, feigning car trouble... usually at night, before our annual family reunion...

... for some strange reason, I'm always elected to 'bring the corn', and what's stranger is...

... I don't even like corn... but man, I loves me some cornfields, next to highways.
 
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#14
Spidey2112 said:
I like cornfields, next to highways...

... sometimes, I stop next to them, feigning car trouble... usually at night, before our annual family reunion...

... for some strange reason, I'm always elected to 'bring the corn', and what's stranger is...

... I don't even like corn... but man, I loves me some cornfields, next to highways.
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I find cornfields so common and derivative. Corn and beans, corn and beans, enough already! But, I "get" why some people like them.

I'm out with my fellow Yellow Springians, worshipping the sunflower fields. :laugh:
 
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#15
Yeah, well, I get it... BUT there are some "professional" bassists that have their own signature basses and to me, some of them get those because of the band they are in and their commercial success and has little to do with real talent but the guitar maker and stores they supply them to make money so that is their main goal.
 
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#17
mellowinman said:
ANYONE who made it famous playing bass guitar beat the odds just by doing so, and they deserve our respect.
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I don't get this. :D

Actually I don't agree. If someone beats the odds based on their playing, then I agree they deserve our respect, regardless of their technical ability. Even players that just hang on the root are usually solid players, if nothing else. However, if someone beats the odds by dancing around like they have ants in their pants and playing the fool, then I don't necessarily respect them as a musician.
 
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#18
Why do I have to "get" other bass players just because I play bass? It's an instrument. It makes noise. I like playing bass but I prefer to think of myself in the broader scope as being a musician. I frequent this forum because I like talking shop. I learn a ton here and I like to think I occasionally help someone else.

I am a father and grandfather. Am I required to "get" every other father and grandfather on earth....just because?

"Getting" someone or something is just a way of expressing an opinion and says more about me than them. Do you think it matters to Jaco or Geddy or Salvador Dali if I "get" them?
 
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