Early influences part 1 BASS!

  Today I taught a guitar lesson to a young student who wanted to learn "Too much Heaven on their Minds" which is from the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. Got really excited to teach that one, that record is part of my early childhood experience.

  Truth be known, the 2 records that taught me the most about playing really good bass were that one and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Youngs Deja Vu. They were both around my house in the 70's and when I started playing that beautiful low end grabbed me the most. It formed my bass style, flat wound strings, any old Fender bass and a good tube amp. There was also "The Harder They Come" soundtrack and Bob Marleys "Rastaman Vibration", both excellent bass records.

  What did I like about teaching this song besides the fact that it rocks hard as can be? It's intricate. There are time signature changes that happen on the fly and it's full of surprises. I find todays music to be, well, lazy and rather soulless. I couldn't listen to Rush today but I'm glad I learned some of those songs when I was 15. They weren't easy! So it's really cool to see a young person interested in such a piece of music, something funky written for hippies 45 years or more ago and it still stands the test of time.

  I've been really excited about teaching bass these days. My brother, as some of you know, is a great bass player. Super inventive, unusual ideas and has made many ok bands sound great. I draw a lot from his playing. He's not super technical, but we spent a lot of time learning chords and arpeggios. On bass, get those arpeggios together, keep yourself in time and you will work if you want to and have a positive attitude! And I don't hear much bass playing that's as compelling as those old records. Yeah, styles change, I accept that. But classiness and good taste? That's timeless. So if you haven't listened to some of those old cats, give them a spin and learn something. Whatever you take from them you can take anywhere and make a better band with it. You get to the the secret improviser in the band who has a job that's way better than the shredder getting all the attention. You are making a world come together with those 4 fat strings.

J