Michael Manring & Greg Howard
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Michael Manring & Greg Howard
I just saw these two yesterday at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. What an awesome low end fest! GH is a Stickist and of course you all know who MM is, right? They were each performing solo and also together. If they are in your area you really should go see them. You might just want to quit playing after that.
Either that or listen to Duck Dunn a little more.
For me, I realized many years ago I had a choice to make, either practise my *** off all by myself in a room and become a soloist, or play my *** off in all kinds of bands and become a bass player, I chose the latter. I am not trying to imply that they are mutually exclusive, but in order to play like that (and make money at it), you have to be damn good as those guys obviously are, and I get bored very quickly practising scales, and also get bored very quickly listening to bass solos, even Jaco puts me to sleep after a few songs, and he was the king of that genre for me. I love the short and sweet bass solos in the 60's rock records. I much more enjoy playing in a band situation that practising alone in my room on my chops, in fact I usually practise to the radio when I'm alone.
I get a lot of calls not because I am a dynamite soloist (I can do a decent solo when it is appropriate) but because I am comfortable in many kinds of styles, and I know a lot of songs and I can fake very good also. I learned all of this playing in different types of bands, and listening to many types of styles. But not playing alone in my room, to get good at playing in bands you must play in them.
What a tangent that was huh Phil? I think your post that segued (sp?) into Russian rifles was the best though.
For me, I realized many years ago I had a choice to make, either practise my *** off all by myself in a room and become a soloist, or play my *** off in all kinds of bands and become a bass player, I chose the latter. I am not trying to imply that they are mutually exclusive, but in order to play like that (and make money at it), you have to be damn good as those guys obviously are, and I get bored very quickly practising scales, and also get bored very quickly listening to bass solos, even Jaco puts me to sleep after a few songs, and he was the king of that genre for me. I love the short and sweet bass solos in the 60's rock records. I much more enjoy playing in a band situation that practising alone in my room on my chops, in fact I usually practise to the radio when I'm alone.
I get a lot of calls not because I am a dynamite soloist (I can do a decent solo when it is appropriate) but because I am comfortable in many kinds of styles, and I know a lot of songs and I can fake very good also. I learned all of this playing in different types of bands, and listening to many types of styles. But not playing alone in my room, to get good at playing in bands you must play in them.
What a tangent that was huh Phil? I think your post that segued (sp?) into Russian rifles was the best though.
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ricnvolved
Bob-- You state the case perfectly. It is actually much more difficult to find a suitable *cohesive* BAND situation, but ultimately more satisfying both musically & emotionally. I certainly admire players such as Jaco and Michael Manring for their ability as soloists; bassists such as these have obviously invested an incredible amount of time & effort in developing their considerable natural talent. Of course, most of these guys also play in group settings to varying degrees, so each one's respective career isn't just solo performance.
Like Bob Young, I'll leave the limelight to bass-god virtuosos like Victor Wooten. (Not that my talent level would ever equal Wooten's, even if I practiced 24/7.) My preference is the great fun I get from participating in a group setting with like-minded players interested in playing *songs*. Nothing else compares to that.
Like Bob Young, I'll leave the limelight to bass-god virtuosos like Victor Wooten. (Not that my talent level would ever equal Wooten's, even if I practiced 24/7.) My preference is the great fun I get from participating in a group setting with like-minded players interested in playing *songs*. Nothing else compares to that.
I agree fellas. Nothing like playing in a band with a REAL drummer to interact with. To me, bass is a second language;some people speak english and spanish, some people speak english and french etc... but I speak english and bass. I sometimes think of people like Squire or McCartney as translating the lyrics into bass while the singer is singing. Same goes for guitar or any other instrument. It's like when a person is speaking and they have someone standing next to them translating in sign language. Therefore, I look at a bass soloist the same way, as an orator speaking by themself. I just get bored after awhile. I will admit though, those guys are very talented, it's just not my thing.
Is everybody ready?
Sorry Jeffrey, I wasn't talking to anyone in particular, I noticed how your post sent me on a long tangent that only marginally touched on your topic, and that reminded me of Phil's long discourse on russian rifles elsewhere in this forum, which I thought was particular funny because it reminded me of some of my own posts that sometimes take on a life of their own, and end up somewhere very different than the topic. I think me and Phil both realize this about some of our our posts, so I was calling his attention to it. It's kind of an inside joke I guess.
I agree, I prefer playing group oriented songs but it is still nice to see such talent up close (MM was only about 6 feet from me during the performance). I personally am not a fan of slapfests and other such gymnastics, but what these two were doing was quite musical and can stand on it's own, especially Greg given the Stick's nature.
I saw Entwhistle two years ago in little clubs with his own band twice, and I must admit I was quite impressed with his bass solos, I was also about 6 feet in front of him with two of my bass playing buddies at one of the clubs. They had all their stuff in the little club that was lucky if it could hold 100 people, his stuff was up to the ceiling right behind him. I think he was using Ashdown cabs and Trace Elliot power amps (4) along with everything else under the sun in his rack.
huh? LOL, yeah, but I didn't mind because my ears are well conditioned to it, and the acoustics are pretty good in this little place. They tripped the breakers on one side of the stage (Entwhistle's side) 4 times during the first show I saw. The second night in Providence Ri. they all had half the stuff they had the first. They sounded much better the first night though in Worcester Ma., it was like watching them in someone's cellar.
The Rolling Stones also played in this club in 1981, they were rehearsing at a studio in the area and played there to thank the community or something like that. I wasn't able to get in, but my lead singer did, and he thought he was Mick Jagger for a few weeks (this was a country rock band!)
Actually for a little place they've had some incredible musicians over the years, including Muddy Waters (many times during the early 60's, too young)and many other blues legends, (never saw any of them) and Joe Cocker several times (whom I also saw).
The Rolling Stones also played in this club in 1981, they were rehearsing at a studio in the area and played there to thank the community or something like that. I wasn't able to get in, but my lead singer did, and he thought he was Mick Jagger for a few weeks (this was a country rock band!)
Actually for a little place they've had some incredible musicians over the years, including Muddy Waters (many times during the early 60's, too young)and many other blues legends, (never saw any of them) and Joe Cocker several times (whom I also saw).