What are your favorite recordings with a Ric bass?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun May 25, 2003 12:30 pm

I thought that this might be an interesting topic, a Ric bass always catches my ear (and always has, even before I knew they existed) and I always scan everything I read about music for Ric basses. First of all, most of my bass influences are from the 60's and early 70's so obviously the songs I like are maybe older than many peoples' are here.
McCartney was my first and biggest influence, I can remember playing along with late Beatles albums with my 71 P bass wondering why I couldn't get that great sound he had, I found out later: Ric bass. I do not know if a definitive compilation of Beatles songs and the instruments used on so and so track exists so I will have to use my ears for this one, but two of my favorite Ric bass songs are: Helter Skelter, and The Ballad of John and Yoko, both by The Beatles. As I said before I cannot prove that McCartney used his Ric on these but I think anyone familiar with the various sounds you can get from a Rickenbacker bass will agree that these are Ric bass songs. I also like the whole Deep Purple Machine head album for it's bass sound. There many others that I like but that's it for now. Oh yeah, Roundabout (Yes) really caught my ear also, that is when I first heard about Ric basses.

flashbackphil · Post by **flashbackphil** » Sun May 25, 2003 12:56 pm

I just happen to be listening to Tales From Topographic Oceans as I read your message. What a great bass sound. What a great bass player. Yes!

They're on tour pretty soon, in fact maybe they are at the moment, but they're in England pretty soon I think. Not only with Chris Squire but with all the original line up. I hope to get to hear that bass in Nottingham. I don't suppose they'll be playing Tales From Topographic Oceans though. It's not everybody's favourite!

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun May 25, 2003 1:24 pm

Some of my favorite Ric sounds are on the albums Renaissance did in the '70s; Jon Camp's playing is very melodic and his tone is my favorite. Mike Rutherford's tone on Genesis' "Selling England By The Pound" is also something I strive for.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sun May 25, 2003 1:42 pm

Jon Camps Rick is for sale on ebay UK

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun May 25, 2003 3:24 pm

That would be nice to have for it's history as Renaissance is probably my all time favorite band. Being in the USA how do I go about getting to the UK ebay site?

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun May 25, 2003 3:37 pm

I found the post for Jon's bass, very tempting although it has been modified since I saw the bass in action in '79.

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Sun May 25, 2003 6:20 pm

Pushing a Rick thru stage tube amplification always does it for me. That known, my top three recorded Rick bass sounds would be:

1) Yes - BBC Sessions
2) RUSH - Different Stages @ Hammersmith Odeon 1978
3) RUSH - Exit, Stage Left

Garry

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sun May 25, 2003 6:33 pm

My faves.....
1)Does It Really Happen-Yes
2)Cinderella Man-Rush
3)Silly Love Songs-Wings
....thought I'd throw that last one in there just for grins. As flat wound Ricky bass riffs go, it's one I always end up playing at a jam session.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun May 25, 2003 7:31 pm

My own standouts:

Yes--the entire 'Yes Album' and 'Fraglie'---both benckmarks IMO.

Rush--the 'Hemispheres' album...'Freewill', 'Subdivisions', 'The Analog Kid'---and more.....

basshawk · Post by **basshawk** » Sun May 25, 2003 10:48 pm

Chris Squire 'Fish Out of Water', great bass leads on that one, no guitar. 'Fragile' of course. Glenn Hughes used a Ric when I saw Trapeze back in the mid '70s, but I don't know what studio albums he used it on.
Oh yea, John played the bass on 'Ballad of John and Yoko', plus all the guitars. Paul played the drums.
Randy.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Mon May 26, 2003 1:03 am

'Last Tango' by Esperanto (1975), 'Kimono My House' by Sparks (1974) and a few further ones, including Yes, of course.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Mon May 26, 2003 3:08 am

If you like Chris Squire check out 'Keys To Ascension'. Its a live CD put out by YES back in 1996, and is produced extremely well. Its Squire at his best.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon May 26, 2003 4:31 am

How about Red Barchetta ... Geddy seems to sound his best with a Ric ... but then again he sounds good playing anything ...

a great Chris Squire early Yes track ... Astral traveler ... listen to the tone as he goes up the neck .... pure Rickenbacker tone ... I think he may have been using a Ric amp back then ...

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Mon May 26, 2003 5:13 am

Still my favorite after all these years: Dick Roby, The Castaways, "Liar, Liar"

Smithereens "Especially for You" and "Green Thoughts"

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon May 26, 2003 8:34 am

That grunt that comes out of the speakers as Squire starts up on "Yours is no disgrace" from "The Yes Album"...The first time I,d heard a Yes track, and probably still my favourite bass sound from him today...Although,there are a lot of others from the Squire that come very close..