"The" RM 1999

[aceonbass]

Because John Entwistle had one at the time.

[cheyenne]

I know he used to go watch John play at the Marquee and was a big fan , but I never heard the Rickenbacker influence part.

[rickenbrother]

From what I remember, it was not not just seeing Entwistle that influenced Chris to buy a Rick, but also Pete Quaife of The Kinks.

[weemac]

I thought the first attraction was Sir Paul!

emac.

[cheyenne]

The reason why I'm asking is,,I never really thought much about it, but here lately I've been working out "The Silent Wings of Freedom". A very cool tune if your a bass guitarist.

Usually if I'm working out a YES tune or anything that Chris plays on I automatically pick up a Rickenbacker bass, and that had been the case with this tune until the other day. I just put a new set of strings on my Fender Pbass and just started running through the chordal part of the tune that is way down beyond the 12th fret, and found that it was almost impossible for me to finger do to the design of that bass.

If you look at the YES songlist, Chris seems to use the RM on most of the complex stuff. Maybe he chose the Rickenbacker bass out of neccessity? The right tool for the job perhaps?

[ram]

Scott, not sure as to why Mr Squire did the RM (had heard the Kinks link but have never seen that confirmed) - you might give Miguel's post a look at for the Silent Wings of Freedom.... he does a real nice job with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRVDpwCGmJA

[henry5]

Chris has gone on record as saying he got one because John Entwistle was using one at the time and he loved his tone. With regards to Pete Quaife, Chris just said that he got the 3rd into the country, John and Pete having the previous ones. I don't think he was anything liek the influence John was.

[seyesbass]

Chris also shared a flat with Greg Lake who also had an RM by the way and as things went on they both played in a similar genre of music with a similar sound in the early 70s.Something in that perhaps..

Entwistle and the Who were very influential on style as well as sound and what the Who played would influence others be they drummers or bass/guitarists.The Who were "the new wave" of pop music and at the same time Chris could actually see them play locally so it might have more influence than a passing tv clip on Top Of The Pops.
Seeing the Who and also happening to have access to a staff discount on his Rick at the guitar shop he worked at would have some bearing.
As for the Beatles an the 4001......
The Beatles didnt "reveal" the 4001s in film or tv until well after the RM hit the English market and it was 1967 before anyone over here was aware of Pauls Rick and believe me we were into everything about the Beatles in my house.
As a youngster in England (born 1956) in the mid 60s the only groups I remember seeing with Rick basses on tv or in my elder sisters' fanzines were the Kinks and the Bee Gees.
When Magical Mystery Tour was on telly on Boxing Day December 1967 it was a bit of a revelation to see Paul with "one of those Rickenbacker basses" as my older brother put it.

I think its a prime case of Chris like many of us going for an instrument thats affordably expensive (discount/HP) unusual and at the same time a highly regarded make used by "new" players on the scene like Entwistle.

Couple that with CS actually getting his hands on one for the first time (the RM is the best bass ever made!) and I reckon the rest is history.

[collin]

I think its a prime case of Chris like many of us going for an instrument thats affordably expensive (discount/HP) unusual and at the same time a highly regarded make used by "new" players on the scene like Entwistle.

Yeah, wereren't Rickenbackers just THE instrument to have back then (Bass or Guitar....)? Couple that with a person who is already into gear because they work at a shop....and can somehow swing the high price tag...it makes perfect sense, regardless of the influences that helped lead to the purchase.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

Chris also shared a flat with Greg Lake who also had an RM by the way and as things went on they both played in a similar genre of music with a similar sound in the early 70s.Something in that perhaps..

Entwistle and the Who were very influential on style as well as sound and what the Who played would influence others be they drummers or bass/guitarists.The Who were "the new wave" of pop music and at the same time Chris could actually see them play locally so it might have more influence than a passing tv clip on Top Of The Pops.
Seeing the Who and also happening to have access to a staff discount on his Rick at the guitar shop he worked at would have some bearing.
As for the Beatles an the 4001......
The Beatles didnt "reveal" the 4001s in film or tv until well after the RM hit the English market and it was 1967 before anyone over here was aware of Pauls Rick and believe me we were into everything about the Beatles in my house.
As a youngster in England (born 1956) in the mid 60s the only groups I remember seeing with Rick basses on tv or in my elder sisters' fanzines were the Kinks and the Bee Gees.
When Magical Mystery Tour was on telly on Boxing Day December 1967 it was a bit of a revelation to see Paul with "one of those Rickenbacker basses" as my older brother put it.

I think its a prime case of Chris like many of us going for an instrument thats affordably expensive (discount/HP) unusual and at the same time a highly regarded make used by "new" players on the scene like Entwistle.

Couple that with CS actually getting his hands on one for the first time (the RM is the best bass ever made!) and I reckon the rest is history.

never saw lake with an rose morris, just the jetglo 4001 dekuxe...'72 ?

[seyesbass]

He did have one.
I tried to buy it from Rock Island in Oldham in 1981 for £750.
I couldnt get the cash together quickly enough though.
Its out there somewhere.
Maybe he only used it in King Crimson or something but the guys at Rock Island and their other shop Guitar Player in Rochdale wouldnt make that up without provenance.
And who was interested in Greg Lake anyway in 1981?

[ram]

Well I'm not sure what notion had Mr Squire going Ric,,, But I'm sure glad he did!

[johnallg]

He did have one.
I tried to buy it from Rock Island in Oldham in 1981 for £750.
I couldnt get the cash together quickly enough though.
Its out there somewhere.
Maybe he only used it in King Crimson or something but the guys at Rock Island and their other shop Guitar Player in Rochdale wouldnt make that up without provenance.
And who was interested in Greg Lake anyway in 1981?

Obviously one other person.

[seyesbass]

Ooops!
Blown my cover.

Now,about that solid stainless steel 4001 Greg was asking about for the ELP reunion gig..........

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

He did have one.
I tried to buy it from Rock Island in Oldham in 1981 for £750.
I couldnt get the cash together quickly enough though.
Its out there somewhere.
Maybe he only used it in King Crimson or something but the guys at Rock Island and their other shop Guitar Player in Rochdale wouldnt make that up without provenance.
And who was interested in Greg Lake anyway in 1981?

i've only seen lake's j-bass with crimso. i don't think a rick has ever graced crimso save for a '73 style fireglo 4001 owned by wetton but tucked away in his collection.

as far as lake owning an RM , i'd like to see a pic ! anyone ?