If you want to have a sound foundation, you have start with a solid bass...pun intended. For a long time I believed if I was ever going to be in a band I could always play the bass--and then I saw Chris Squire play with Yes in "The Round" in 1978...so much for trying to do that...
Squire is one of a very few elite bass players that have elevated the instrument to a level worthy of royalty. When I think of great players I think of the aforementioned Chris Squire, Tony Levin, Jaco Pastorius, John Wetton, Jack Bruce, Geddy Lee, Keith Emerson, and Roger Waters. I am absolutely sure I left some great names off my very short list and for that I apologize...I guess. I will admit that my guilty pleasure is watching Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads play...and before you "Beatle Freaks" scream blasphemy, I believe that while Paul McCartney is a well known bass player, he is better known as a song writer. Even when the Beatles broke up and he formed Wings and went solo, he did not do anything that put the bass guitar front and center.
Many bands have a bass player out of necessity; few bands make it big without one...The Doors being a noted exception. Still other bands build around the bass. Chris Squire played in Yes like he was lead guitar and did things I can only dream about...and if anyone elevated the bass to a level of royalty it was Tony Levin. His work with King Crimson, Liquid Tension Experiment, and Dream Theater alone make him a charter member of rock royalty. He also has this little gig known as The Stickmen that is to music what Dom Perignon is to champagne.
Certain bass lines always evoke fond memories too...of course everyone probably knows the opening bass line to Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" when they hear it, and the opening riff to "Love is the Drug" by Roxy Music always grabs me by the listeners...and you can't forget "One of These Days" by Pink Floyd.
I still have my vinyl copy of "Fish Out of Water" by Chris Squire. I remember sitting in the third row at the Providence Civic Center back in '78 watching Yes perform and Squire was into one of his famous solos...and then this little trap door in the stage opened and Squire gently passed his bass to a roadie under the stage and retrieved another--and I thought to myself (and possibly out loud) "I !!@*&?%$!! want that job!!" I actually tried to look up Yes and Chris Squire--this was before Al Gore invented the Internet--so alas, I was unsuccessful in my early quest for a future in Rock 'n' Roll.
Good bass players elevate playing to an art worthy of listening to as the focal piece of the band. Geddy Lee is able to not only play the bass at an amazing level, he also plays keyboard and sings lead for Rush. His style is unique and he plays like he is on fire at times...
Jaco Pastorius was absolutely amazing. He was one of the best session musicians of his time, and played with Weather Report among others. He was never guilty of being shy or introverted--often claiming to be the best in the world. One of my favorite quotes of Jaco's when stating how good was, "I ain't bragging, I'm just telling the truth!" Unfortunately fame claimed him much too young...
So dim the lights and enjoy the clip below. Keep telling yourself it's only a bass--how hard can it be to play? Then grab the bong and keep dreaming...
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