Who inspired you to play bass, Paul McCartney or Paul McCartney?

Who inspired you to play bass, Paul McCartney or Paul McCartney?

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    159
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#63
LBS-bass said:
Pretty much the same thing here. Full disclosure; I was never a rabid Beatles fan in my youth. I was a little too young to appreciate what was happening during their early years, the Sullivan thing, etc., and my parents didn't like them, so I didn't really listen very hard to anything they did. As I grew up I listened to a lot of other things, was really never a freak for the top 40 and then I got into progressive rock as a teenager. I also got into a lot of headbanging stuff at that time, so if you'd asked me 'Beatles or Stones' the Stones were much more in my wheelhouse.

The person who inspired me to play the bass was the guy who set his second guitar down at rehearsal where I picked it up and was able to plunk out a bassline for the song we were learning. I had never once thought about being a bass player until that day. And it wasn't a Beatles song.

However, listening through the ear of a bassist later on, I started to notice a lot of unusual and creative movement in Paul's lines. He does have an interesting ear for melodic hooks on the bass and he uses the instrument in unusual ways that continue to somehow support the song. I can't easily play everything I've tried to learn of his because of this; it takes a bit of deep listening to figure out what he's really doing, and I like that in a bass player. So I can learn a lot from him, but he was never the first to stand out to me.
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Ever REALLY listen to Jack Bruce, even in songs like this?

Check out especially the last verse, he was phenomenal. To me he was one of the top guys ever. He sneaks in very complex lines.

 
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#64
bobyoung53 said:
Ever REALLY listen to Jack Bruce, even in songs like this?

Check out especially the last verse, he was phenomenal. To me he was one of the top guys ever.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I have. Love his style, too, and that song was one of the ones I learned back in the day and probably played a hundred times. I don't think I likely tried to do everything Bruce did on it because I listened to it recently and thought, "dang, that's still pretty epic!"
 
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#65
I grew up with the Beatles, loved their music—their Ed Sullivan performance helped me make my career choice at a tender age—
I don’t think I quite realized his genius until I worked years ago for a studio that produced karaoke tracks:
I had to transcribe and record some 3 dozen tunes: Had the time of my life laying down those tracks!
If I had any hair—and was younger (and cuter?)—I think I’d just have to audition for a Beatles tribute band....
 
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#69
LBS-bass said:
Yeah, I have. Love his style, too, and that song was one of the ones I learned back in the day and probably played a hundred times. I don't think I likely tried to do everything Bruce did on it because I listened to it recently and thought, "dang, that's still pretty epic!"
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I even lucked out and bought a 1965 EB-3 like he had some years ago, the year was just a coincidence, the seller didn't know the year, it's beat but I might have it at least semi restored.
 
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#72
OK at this point 'Or Paul McCartney' is winning at 57.7%, would any 'Or Paul McCartney' voters care to reveal why they chose him over the other 4 Paul McCartney's? I think @Son of Wobble should vote and then let us know his choice of Paul McCartney's and perhaps impart a little of his learned input of why he chose the one he did.
 
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#75
He inspired me to learn music - popular music (I was forced to learn piano at an early age - mainly classical ). Although I do not like the Blues Rock British invasion, which perplexes me why we ignored the talent that was in our own backyard and looked up to the UK to appreciate that. Of course if I go on it would be political.

The Beatles drew a lot from the bard tradition and did write excellent songs/poetry. When I live with my grandmother for 1 year (8-9), all she had was a stack of Beatles records left by my uncle. I listened everyday. I taught myself to play guitar and discovered that I could actually play what I could hear.

No he did not inspire me to place bass. Bass to me was something I felt in my pelvis and gut and I got that from Jazz, Detroit Motown, R&B, Reggae and Salsa/Cumbia/Merengue genres - I was 18 when I started playing bass.

Andres Rotmistrovsky does a lot of Beatle's covers. It brings back memories for me.

It's still a long road - figuratively and literally here in mountainous New Mexico



 
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